In a place as art heavy as Europe, it’s worth taking note of all the museums welcoming guests at no cost. From Barcelona to Berlin, here are 10 of the best free museums in Europe…
1. Paris
Where: Paris Museum of Modern Art (Musee d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris)
Entry details: Entry to all permanent collections is free (this excludes special exhibitions, Palais Galliera, and the Catacombs.)
2. Amsterdam
Where: Amsterdam Stadsarchief (Amsterdam City Archive)
Entry details: Entry is free daily. On showcase is a vast historic-topographic collection, including millions of maps and photo archives that help tell Amsterdam’s story.
3. London
Where: British Museum, The Natural History Museum and The National Gallery
Entry details: It’s free access daily to three of London’s most important museums housing one of the world’s most valuable collections of art, including the Rosetta Stone and the Parthenon sculptures.
4. Berlin
Where: Berlin Wall Memorial
Entry details: Stretching along 1.4 kilometers of the former border strip, visitors can explore the open-air exhibition of the Berlin Wall Memorial at no cost. Alternatively, guided tours are offered for 3,50 € per person for those interested in learning insights into the history of the divided city.
5. Copenhagen
Where: National Museum of Denmark
Entry details: With free daily admission, The National Museum is Denmark’s largest and most important museum of cultural history. On showcase is everything from viking artifacts to fascinating exhibitions.
6. Madrid
Where: Museo Nacional del Prado
Entry details: Admission to one of Europe’s largest museums is free every evening from 6pm-8pm (Monday to Saturday) and 5pm-7pm (Sundays and holidays.)
7. Barcelona
Where: La Virreina Centre de la Imatge
Entry details: Admission is free daily. Find a quiet escape on the busy La Rambla at this 18th-century palace housing temporary photo exhibitions and Barcelona’s massive parade puppets.
8. Dublin
Where: Irish Museum of Modern Art
Entry details: With free daily admission, the Irish Museum of Modern Art is the country’s most important modern art gallery, offering guided tours, curators lunchtime talks and a healthy rotation of new exhibitions.
9. Istanbul
Where: Florence Nightingale Museum
Entry details: Located on the Asian side of Istanbul, a visit to the Florence Nightingale Museum must be cleared in advance as the site is still an active military installation. To visit, you must fax the museum (on 0216 553 1009 or 0216 310 7929) at least 48 hours in advance with the date and time of your planned visit, along with a passport photocopy.
10. Rome
Where: Museum of the Liberation of Rome (Museo Storico della Liberazione)
Entry details: Entry to the museum is free. Housing a collection of relics, documents, photographs, artifacts and works of art, guests can explore this former prison used by Nazis during the occupation of Rome. There’s an audio guide service available along with guided tours with advance notice.