The UK government has confirmed that national museums in England will remain free for all visitors, formally rejecting proposals to introduce entry fees for international tourists.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy announced the decision on 29 September 2026, during an event at Tate Liverpool. The move secures the future of universal free access as the landmark policy approaches its 25th anniversary, having first been introduced on 1 December 2001.
The decision follows a period of speculation sparked by an independent review led by Baroness Margaret Hodge. The review had proposed charging overseas visitors an entry fee, while keeping access free for UK residents. Some sector figures had advocated for the charge to help address rising maintenance costs across the heritage sector.
However, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) argued that introducing such fees could inadvertently deter domestic audiences and undermine the principle of open access. Government research released alongside the announcement indicates that museum visits have increased by 96% since the introduction of free entry, with the 15 national institutions attracting approximately 44.7 million visits in the 2025/26 period.
Funding and the Arts Everywhere Fund
To address the financial challenges facing the sector without resorting to admission charges, the government is allocating £760 million specifically for museums. This funding is part of a wider £1.5 billion “Arts Everywhere Fund” designed to support cultural institutions across the country.
A spokesperson for the GOV.UK website confirmed that the investment is intended to help museums manage rising operational costs and infrastructure repairs while maintaining the “open door” policy that has seen visitor numbers nearly double over the last quarter-century.
Which museums are included?
The commitment to universal free entry applies to the permanent collections of the 15 DCMS-sponsored national museums. Visitors do not need to provide proof of residency or identification to enter these collections. However, it remains standard practice for museums to charge separate fees for temporary, “blockbuster” exhibitions.
The institutions covered by the policy include:
- The British Museum
- The Natural History Museum
- The Science Museum
- The Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A)
- Tate (including Tate Modern, Tate Britain, Tate Liverpool, and Tate St Ives)
- The National Gallery
- The National Portrait Gallery
- The Royal Museums Greenwich
- The Imperial War Museums
- The National Museums Liverpool
- The Royal Armouries
- The Wallace Collection
- The Sir John Soane’s Museum
- The Horniman Public Museum and Public Park Trust
- The Museum of the Home
While the national funding model secures these major institutions, many smaller independent museums and local authority-run sites continue to operate their own independent pricing structures and are not covered by this specific government mandate.