Tourists get a free pass! Foreign visitors won't pay to enter England’s national museums after U-turn
The decision comes after months of discussions between the Government, museums, the tourism sector and local leaders about whether making foreign tourists pay could boost the institutions’ finances.
Overseas visitors will not be charged to enter England’s national museums after ministers decided against changing the universal free admission policy.
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It comes after months of discussions between the Government, museums, the tourism sector and local leaders to examine whether making tourists from abroad pay could boost the institutions’ finances.
Ministers in March said “charging international visitors at national museums could provide significant benefits” as they vowed to work with the sector to explore options to do so.
It came in response to an independent review published in December by former Labour minister Baroness Margaret Hodge, who said a charging model for international tourists “would align the UK with other countries, such as New Zealand and Singapore, that charge an entry fee to international visitors whilst retaining free entry for citizens and residents”.
But the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) on Tuesday confirmed free admission would remain in place for everyone.
It said: “The Government believes that charging overseas visitors could deter domestic visitors and that the impacts and benefits of charging would not be felt equally across the sector and therefore will not introduce charges for overseas visitors.”
Read More: British Museum bans visitors from photographing Bayeux Tapestry
Free entry to museums was introduced by Sir Tony Blair’s government in 2001.
The DCMS said national museums contribute more than £1 billion a year to the economy and attract visitors from around the world, with the Natural History Museum and the British Museum – currently displaying the Bayeux Tapestry – drawing 7.1 million and 6.4 million visitors respectively in 2025.
The Government also pointed to £760 million in funding for museums through its £1.5 billion Arts Everywhere Fund, as well as £600 million in infrastructure funding for national museums.
It said the £13.6 million museum transformation programme would help organisations move towards more sustainable business models, while ministers would work with the Arts Council and the sector on a long-term strategic plan for museums, with further details to be announced.
Mayor of London Lord Sadiq Khan said: “It’s great news that the Government has committed to continuing to keep museums free for everyone.
“London’s museums and galleries are the envy of the world, drawing millions from across the globe and an embodiment of our belief that access to culture is a right, not a privilege.
“By keeping these important venues open to all, we will continue to educate and entertain generations to come and show why we are the culture capital of the world, as we build a fairer, more inclusive London for everyone.”