London dominates England's 10 best free attractions - only one place outside makes it
Two years on from news of a police investigation into alleged thefts, the British Museum remains unblighted as it comfortably secured the number one position. The museum welcomed over 6.5 million visitors last year, rising 11 per cent from the year before. The galleries in its Western Range are soon to undergo a massive renovation which has been billed as the 'biggest transformation' of any museum in the world.
Nine other free attractions dominated the top 10 England list. In second place was the Natural History Museum, which boasted a total of 5.9 million visitors last year, while in third place was the Tate Modern with 4.6 million attendees - down three percent compared to 2023.
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Among attractions with entry fees, the Tower of London came out on top with 2.9 million visitors, followed by Kew Gardens in the runner-up spot with 2.3 million entries - making an impressive 15 per cent bounce from the previous year.
According to Visit England, attractions in England reported a 1.4 per cent increase in the volume of total visits from 2023 to 2024, however this is still 27 per cent below 2019 levels.
Farms and visitor heritage centres received the biggest increase in visits year on year, at (11 per cent) and (6 per cent) respectively. In 2024, the tourism sector experienced modest growth due to an increase in overseas visits to attractions (up by 6 per cent compared to 2023), although there was a 1 per cent decrease in domestic visits.
The British Museum was the most visited free attraction in 2024, attracting 6.5m visitors, up 11 per cent on 2023. The Tower of London was the most visited paid for-attraction in 2024, attracting 2.9m visitors, up 4 per cent on the previous year.
The top 10 most visited free attractions in England in 2024
British Museum
National History Museum
Tate Modern
Brighton Pier
Victoria & Albert Museum
National Gallery
Somerset House
Science Museum, London
Royal Museums Greenwich
National Portrait Gallery
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