London does free better than almost any city on earth, and the week of 8 to 14 June 2026 is the proof. On a single day, Saturday 13 June, you can watch the full pageantry of Trooping the Colour on The Mall in the morning and then hear the London Symphony Orchestra play Holst's The Planets in Trafalgar Square in the afternoon, and neither will cost you a penny. Add the city's permanently free national museums and a rare open weekend at one of London's most unusual small museums, and you have a week that disproves the idea that the capital is only for big spenders. We checked every date against the organisers, and here is the best of free London this week.
At a glance (all free; checked against organisers on Monday 8 June 2026)
- Saturday 13 June, morning: Trooping the Colour on Horse Guards Parade from 10.30am, with the RAF flypast at 1pm, free to watch from The Mall.
- Saturday 13 June, afternoon: the LSO BMW Classics open-air concert in Trafalgar Square from 4pm, no ticket needed.
- All week: the British Museum, National Gallery, Tate Modern, Tate Britain, the V&A, the Natural History Museum and the Science Museum, free entry every day.
- 13 to 14 June: a rare open weekend at the Wandsworth Prison Museum.
- Throughout June: free walks and talks across the city as part of the London Festival of Architecture.
The free day of the year: Saturday 13 June
If you only do one free thing this week, make it the double bill on Saturday 13 June. The morning belongs to Trooping the Colour, the King's Birthday Parade, in which more than 1,300 soldiers, the massed bands of the Household Division and the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery process between Buckingham Palace and Horse Guards Parade. The ceremony itself runs from 10.30am to about 12.25pm and ends with an RAF flypast over the palace at 1pm. The seated grandstands are balloted months in advance, but you do not need a ticket: stand on The Mall or along the St James's Park edge of Horse Guards from around 9am and the whole spectacle, including the flypast, is yours for free.
Then, in the afternoon, walk the short distance to Trafalgar Square for the London Symphony Orchestra's free open-air concert, part of the BMW Classics series. Chief Conductor Sir Antonio Pappano leads five movements of Holst's The Planets, Elgar's Enigma Variations, and the world premiere of Louise Drewett's Four Dances. Gates open at 2.45pm for a 4pm start, and no ticket is required: just turn up, find a spot on the steps below the National Gallery, and let one of the world's great orchestras play you into the evening.
Always free: the national museums and galleries
London's biggest free attraction is its museums, and there is no better week than a busy one to remember that the permanent collections never charge for entry. The British Museum will take you from the Rosetta Stone to the Parthenon sculptures in an afternoon. The National Gallery on the north side of Trafalgar Square, conveniently, puts Van Gogh's Sunflowers and a room of Turners minutes from the LSO concert. Tate Modern on Bankside is worth the trip for the building alone, and the Natural History Museum and the Science Museum in South Kensington are the city's most reliable rainy-day plan. The V&A next door is the world's leading museum of art and design. Every one of them is free, all week, every week.
A practical tip for a free week: most of these museums charge only for their special temporary exhibitions, so build your day around the free permanent galleries and you can fill hours without spending anything. For five lesser-known free corners that locals love, our guide to London's hidden gems is full of ideas beyond the famous names.
A rare open weekend and free festival walks
Two more free options give the weekend its character. On 13 and 14 June, the small but fascinating Wandsworth Prison Museum holds one of its occasional open weekends, a rare chance to see a collection that charts the prison's history through hundreds of objects, with displays linked to figures from Oscar Wilde to the Kray twins and Ronnie Biggs. It is the kind of genuinely unusual London experience you cannot plan most weekends.
Running right through June, the London Festival of Architecture fills the calendar with free walks, talks and tours exploring the city's buildings and hidden histories, from lost-river walks in Marylebone to behind-the-scenes looks at landmark studios. Check the festival's programme for the days that suit you; many events are free but ask you to register in advance.
More free London staples, any day of the week
Beyond the big-ticket free day on Saturday, London quietly offers more at no cost than most visitors realise. The Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace is a free spectacle in its own right and runs on selected mornings; arrive early and stand near the palace railings or along the procession route. For free music, the lunchtime recitals at St Martin-in-the-Fields, on the corner of Trafalgar Square, are a London institution and a lovely way to rest your feet between galleries.
London's markets are free to wander even if your wallet stays shut. Borough Market near London Bridge is a feast for the senses, Columbia Road's Sunday flower market in the East End is pure colour and patter, and Greenwich Market pairs with the free maritime views from the top of the park. While you are in Greenwich, the Victorian foot tunnel under the Thames is a free and slightly eerie novelty for all ages, and the view back across the river to Canary Wharf costs nothing. Add the Wallace Collection, a free national museum housed in a Marylebone townhouse with an extraordinary collection of armour and old masters, and you have several days of free London without trying hard.
A free London day, start to finish
To prove the point, here is a full day that costs nothing but your lunch. Start at the British Museum when it opens, then walk down to Trafalgar Square and into the National Gallery for an hour. Cross to St James's Park, stroll past the lake to Buckingham Palace, then continue along Birdcage Walk to Westminster and onto the South Bank. Follow the river east past the Tate Modern and the Globe to Borough Market for a bite, then carry on to Tower Bridge. Every step of that is free, and it takes in more of London's greatest hits than most paid tours manage.
Free views and green space
You do not have to pay for a great view of London. The Sky Garden at the top of 20 Fenchurch Street offers free entry to its glass-domed gardens if you book a slot ahead, and the Royal Parks, St James's, Green Park, Hyde Park and Regent's Park, are at their early-summer best this week and never charge admission. A walk from Westminster along the South Bank to Tower Bridge takes in more famous landmarks per mile than almost any stroll in Europe, entirely for free.
If you want to spend a little
Free is the theme, but a small outlay buys a lot in London right now, and these are the best-value options we found in our live catalogue on Monday 8 June 2026. A Thames sightseeing cruise from Westminster to Greenwich is one of the best ways to see the city from the water, from just £15. The View from the Shard, Western Europe's highest viewpoint, starts at £19. And if you would rather wander botanic glasshouses than city streets, Kew Gardens is glorious in June, from £25.
A note on our prices
tickadoo is built by the founders of London Theatre Direct, so even when we are writing about free days out, we keep an eye on where the paid experiences are genuinely worth it. The prices here were verified live on Monday 8 June 2026. If you visit London regularly and want the paid attractions and shows to add up to less over a year, tickadoo+ membership is built for exactly that, with the details on our membership page.
Frequently asked questions
What free things are on in London on Saturday 13 June 2026?
Saturday 13 June is the best free day of the week. Trooping the Colour fills Horse Guards Parade from 10.30am with an RAF flypast at 1pm, free to watch from The Mall, and the London Symphony Orchestra plays a free open-air concert in Trafalgar Square from 4pm.
Which London museums are free to visit?
The British Museum, the National Gallery, Tate Modern, Tate Britain, the V&A, the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum and the Wallace Collection all offer free entry to their permanent collections every day.
Do I need to book the free LSO concert in Trafalgar Square?
No ticket is required for the BMW Classics concert. Gates open at 2.45pm for a 4pm start on Saturday 13 June, so arrive early to claim a spot on the steps below the National Gallery.
Can I watch Trooping the Colour without a ticket?
Yes. While the grandstand seats are balloted in advance, you can watch the parade and the 1pm flypast for free from The Mall or along the St James's Park side of Horse Guards Parade. Arrive by around 9am.
Is the Wandsworth Prison Museum open this week?
Yes. The small Wandsworth Prison Museum holds a rare open weekend on 13 and 14 June, a free chance to see a collection charting the prison's history through hundreds of objects.
What is a good free view of London?
The Sky Garden at the top of 20 Fenchurch Street offers free entry to its glass-domed gardens if you book a slot ahead, and the climb up Greenwich Park gives one of the best free views in the city.
Keep exploring
That is free London sorted. For the bigger picture of the week, see our what's on in London this week roundup, and if you are out with the family, the best things to do with kids in London this week has plenty more that costs nothing. Whatever you choose, you can plan it all from the tickadoo London hub.
Built by the founders of London Theatre Direct, with 25 years of expertise in theatre ticketing. The tickadoo editorial team covers West End and Broadway shows, attractions, tours and experiences across 700+ cities.
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