How to visit museums and attractions in Europe for free

Saved money — consider it earned. Especially if you decide to travel to Europe in 2025. Today we will tell you how to save on museum entrance tickets during your European trip.

Louvre, Paris

Taking a photo against the backdrop of a crowd photographing the "Mona Lisa" for zero euros is entirely possible. You just need to come to the Louvre on the first Saturday of each month in the evening, from 18:00 to 21:45. Also, on July 14, Bastille Day, you can enter the museum for free.

On other days, keep 15 euros ready in your pocket. We recommend buying tickets online in advance for 17 euros to avoid queues.

Museum of Modern Art, Paris

Trocadéro Square, Palais de Tokyo, East Wing. And here you are in the Museum of Modern Art in Paris, where popular works by 20th-century surrealists, fauvists, and cubists are exhibited.

Permanent collections are free for everyone on the first Sunday of each month. At 16:00, there’s even a guided tour you can join if you understand French or English.

British Museum, London

The British Museum consistently does not charge for admission, so you can save your pounds sterling for oatmeal and roast beef. The British Museum’s main collection comprises 94 galleries, so we recommend dedicating a separate day to explore everything of interest. The only thing you might be asked to pay for is temporary exhibitions.

Well, if you’ve only just learned about the existence of the British Museum and want to visit it, we’ll inform you about the exhibits. People come here to study pharaoh sculptures and ancient sarcophagi, the Elgin Marbles, and sketches by the great Leonardo da Vinci.

Palace of Westminster, London

Of course, many know about Britain’s neo-Gothic Parliament building and Big Ben. Therefore, it’s not surprising that most tourists dream of going inside and seeing what secrets the walls of the palace, built in the mid-19th century on the banks of the Thames near Trafalgar Square, hold.

Locals can freely visit the Palace of Westminster. Visitors can only visit it for free during political debates. If you have already bought tickets to London and are not willing to wait for officials to start debates, you can pay for a tour to walk through the Parliament building with a guide.

Prado Museum, Madrid

The Prado is considered one of the best museums for the diversity of its exhibits. No wonder, as it houses a complete collection of Spanish painting from the 11th to the 17th centuries. But admirers of Rubens, Goya, and Rembrandt can still enter the museum for free, which is very pleasant if you’ve spent a bit of money on tickets to Madrid and have already visited the Palacio district.

Free admission to the Prado is a more accessible luxury than in many other museums. You can enter for free from Monday to Saturday from 18:00 to 20:00 and on Sunday from 17:00 to 19:00. By the way, if you come here with children or students under 25, you can expect unlimited free entry for them.

Barcelona Cathedral, Barcelona

If you find yourself in Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter, be sure to visit the Cathedral. At the very least, its architecture with its majestic sharp forms and gargoyle statues deserves your attention.

Inside, there is an organ serving the cathedral since 1539, luxurious stained glass windows, and austere decor. You can enter for free every day from 8:00 to 12:45 and from 17:15 to 19:40.

Vatican Museums

You need to dedicate at least a separate day to the 54 galleries that make up the Vatican Museums if you find yourself in the Italian city-state. Sculptures, a vast collection of religious art, works by da Vinci, and the world-famous Sistine Chapel, whose ceiling was painted by Michelangelo Buonarroti. All in all, if you’ve been wondering, how to get into the Vatican without queues and save money, then such a chance exists, and it’s quite high!

Free entry to the Vatican Museums is available every last Sunday of the month from 9:00 to 12:30 and on September 27, World Tourism Day.

Uffizi Gallery, Florence

It can happen to anyone: boom — and you’re in Florence. And suddenly a brilliant thought comes to mind: ‘Where can I see Italian painting from the 13th to 17th centuries?’. Well, the solution is obvious — at the Uffizi Gallery. Here you’ll find works by Raphael, Rembrandt, and one of Botticelli’s most famous works — ‘The Birth of Venus’.

You can enter for free on the first Sunday of each month. However, be prepared for a very large number of visitors. It’s unlikely you’ll be able to enjoy the art in solitude in even one of the more than 100 halls.

Berardo Collection Museum, Lisbon

To get tickets to Lisbon on Kupi.com and not get acquainted with Portuguese art is almost a crime. The Berardo Collection Museum is a place for those who love modern art. José Berardo’s collection features 862 works by Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dalí, Paula Rego, and other local artists.

Entry to the museum is free, but separate tickets are often sold for temporary exhibitions.

Belfast Castle

Belfast Castle, located in Ireland, can be visited for free. It is notable for its picturesque location and magnificent architecture, which attracts both tourists and locals. The latter often organize weddings here.

We definitely recommend having lunch at the restaurant on the ground floor and checking out the antique shop.

National Gallery, Dublin

The National Gallery of Ireland is a must-visit museum if you find yourself in Dublin. It houses a large collection of national painting and works by other European masters: Luis de Morales, Francisco Goya, Claude Monet, Titian, Pieter Bruegel the Younger. In total — about 14,000 paintings.

Anyone can view the permanent collections for free; only temporary exhibitions are paid for separately.

East Side Gallery, Berlin

The East Side Gallery is known to many for its famous graffiti depicting the kiss between political leaders. The exhibits themselves, consisting of 106 graffiti paintings, are located on a preserved section of the Berlin Wall.

You can view the works for free, but we recommend booking a paid tour for 17 euros to hear the history of the place.

Glyptothek, Munich

The Glyptothek in Munich is the oldest museum exhibiting sculptures carved from stone. Tourists are most often attracted by the majestic architecture of the building, which was built in the 19th century by order of King Ludwig I of Bavaria. On the facade are sculptures of Greek mythology heroes Daedalus, Prometheus, Phidias, Hephaestus.

Inside the Glyptothek are objects dating from 650 BC to 400 AD. The most famous among them are the busts of Marius and Sulla, the ‘Barberini Faun’ statue, and the pedimental figures from the Temple of Aphaia on the island of Aegina, the Aeginetans.

You can enter the museum for free on the last Wednesday of each month, but unfortunately, the Glyptothek is closed on Mondays.