Last Updated on September 30, 2026
The Directors of the UK’s National Museums and leading figures across the cultural sector have warmly welcomed the government’s announcement today that entry to the 15 national museums will remain free to everyone and admission charges for international visitors will not be introduced.
The announcement was made Monday, September 28, 2026, by Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Lisa Nandy at an event hosted by Art Fund and The Cultural Policy Unit at Tate Liverpool, a museum celebrated for sharing the best of the national art collection with the North of England, and which will reopen to all for free next year following a major transformation.
“Our museums are the places that light up the world,” Nandy said. “They remind of us our shared history, and enable us to step outside the confines of our lives. There is something incredibly special about that. That’s why they must be free, forever, for everyone to access. I’m delighted that we’re continuing that transformative policy pioneered by the last Labour government, opening up access to our excellent museums for generations.”
Universal free entry to the UK’s National Museums, which came into effect on 1 December 2001, will celebrate its 25th anniversary later this year. This landmark cultural policy is an outstanding public good which remains one of the great achievements of the Labour government, emphasising a core belief in the value of access for all. Upheld by successive governments, it recognises that our national museums and galleries are pillars of education, inspiration and cultural exchange. Holding world-class collections and founded on a unique public ethos, they are the envy of the world.
The policy has dramatically boosted visitor numbers, encouraged enterprising business models, and driven economic growth through cultural tourism alongside international research and global partnerships:
- Visits to the 15 national museums have risen by 96% – from 22.77m in 1999/2000 to 44.67m in 2025/26 – a long-term growth in attendance.
- Free national museums are among the country’s leading visitor attractions: six of the ten most visited ALVA (Association of Leading Visitor Attraction) member attractions in 2025 were national museums, with between six and eight free national museums in the top ten list since 2004.
- Data on inbound tourism to Britain from overseas in 2024 shows 11.82m trips included a visit to a museum or gallery, representing 30.3% of all inbound visits. These visitors spent £12.66bn across their trips. For those holidaying in London, 57.9% visited a museum or gallery.
- Free entry is the strongest commercial model for the national museums, driving high footfall (including 19.4m overseas visits in 2024/25) which has allowed them to generate significant income through exhibitions, retail, catering, donations, and unlocking major giving. Self-generated income across the 15 national museums was £563m in 2024/25, according to The National Audit Office.
“This is one of the landmark cultural policies of our times – one that has established itself as a universal public good,” Alison Cole, Director, The Cultural Policy Unit, said. “It is wonderful that the Government has recognised not only its economic merits, but also its power to express our values and shape how we engage with the world.”
The 15 National Museums are: British Museum, Horniman, Imperial War Museums, Museum of the Home, National Gallery, National Museums Liverpool, National Portrait Gallery, Natural History Museum, Royal Armouries, Royal Museums Greenwich, Science Museum Group, Sir John Soane’s Museum, Tate, V&A, Wallace Collection.
“When the British Museum was founded as the world’s first public national museum in 1753 it was to be free for ‘all persons,'” Nicholas Cullinan, Director, British Museum, said. “Since then, hundreds of millions of people have benefitted from that elevated idea and endeavour. So, we are delighted by the Government’s announcement that free entry for all will be maintained. This will allow everyone to enjoy and have access to our great museums across the nation as one of the things this country does so brilliantly.”
Art Fund
Art Fund is the national charity for museums and galleries. For over 120 years, it has helped institutions across the UK to develop and share their collections, invest in people and expertise, grow their audiences and inspire the next generation.
Art Fund connects museums and people with great art and culture through funding, advocacy and initiatives, because access to art is vital for a healthy society. It champions the sector through the prestigious Art Fund Museum of the Year award – the world’s largest museum prize – and supports museum professionals through dedicated training and grant programmes.
Independent and people-powered, Art Fund is supported by 142,000 members who buy a National Art Pass, as well as generous contributions from individuals, trusts and foundations. The National Art Pass offers free or discounted entry to over 1,000 museums, galleries and historic places in the UK, 50% off major exhibitions, a subscription to Art Quarterly magazine and Art In Your Inbox newsletter.
The Cultural Policy Unit
The Cultural Policy Unit is focused on developing effective policies that will enable the arts and cultural communities to thrive, support the growth of the creative industries, and preserve – and enhance – the UK’s unique cultural ethos.
The Cultural Policy Unit (CPU) builds on the influential work it undertook at the Fabian Society, which helped inform Labour’s Arts and Creative Industries ‘Sector Plan’ Creating Growth (March 2024) and Labour’s Manifesto. The Unit’s key proposals were published in the Fabian pamphlet Arts for Us All (July 2024), which garnered widespread support from the cultural sector.
Led by Alison Cole, the Cultural Policy Unit will build affiliations with think-tanks, organisations and individuals who can help shape and deliver the best proposals to support – and where necessary challenge – government, change-makers and legislators, as well as be an asset to the arts, cultural and creative industries sectors.
