Treasury tried to axe free museums for foreign tourists in Budget

The department also modelled and considered ending free entry for everyone during discussions, according to one source.

The plans - which could have saved up to millions of pounds from the annual Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) budget - were eventually scrapped after very strong pushback from DCMS ministers, including the Secretary of State Lisa Nandy, three sources told LBC.

Fifteen national museums and galleries, including the British Museum and the Science Museum, are sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), with free access afforded to their permanent collections as a result.

These institutions received £480m from DCMS in 2024-25.

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Free entry to permanent exhibitions at many of the UK’s top museums and art galleries was introduced in 2001 by the Labour government.

The policy has been widely credited with a huge increase in visitor numbers to some of the UK’s best-known attractions such as the National History Museum, the British Museum and the Imperial War Museums.

The Museums Association said this policy could have caused “reputational damage for the UK”.

Museums in many other major cities around the world charge for entry. The Louvre in Paris charges visitors up to €32 (£28) for entry, while the Vatican Museum charges around €20 (£17).

The Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, was under pressure to raise money in last year’s budget to pay for government policy reversals on welfare spending, the abolition of the two-child benefit cap and an increase in fiscal headroom.

Most of the extra revenue was eventually raised from increasing taxes on business and freezing income tax thresholds.

Museums Association director Sharon Heal said: “Museums are an essential part of the fabric of society and they aim to be welcome and accessible spaces for all.

"Introducing charging for some to national museums could create barriers to access, impact visitor numbers and result in UK residents being turned away because they don’t have ID.

“Admission charges for international visitors could also cause reputational damage for the UK, which would likely impact tourism and affect other sectors like retail and hospitality.”

A Government spokesperson said: "We don't comment on speculation. The Government is committed to making sure the arts are for everyone across the country and last week announced £1.5 billion worth of capital investment that will save 1000 venues and help do just that."