The best free museums and galleries in Europe

Museum-mooching can be a pricey pursuit, but there’s no need to dust the cobwebs off your wallet to enjoy these esteemed collections. This extract from �ϰ��ϲʿ��¼'s new edition of tells you where to see world-class art and ancient artifacts in Europe without spending a penny.

The Prado – Spain

Formerly a royal collection, this feast of fine art is now free every evening. One of the world’s greatest galleries, it boasts paintings by Goya, Raphael, Rubens and more.

; Paseo del Prado, Madrid, Spain; free evenings Mon-Sun.

A shot downwards of a long hallway lined with paintings — See historic paintings for free in the Civic Guard Gallery, or Shuttersgalerij, in Amsterdam © Martin Moos / �ϰ��ϲʿ��¼

Schuttersgalerij – Netherlands

One of the world’s only "museum streets", the walk-through Civic Guard Gallery at the Amsterdam Museum mixes historic portraits with a sprinkling of Dutch Masters, some amusing modern artwork and a 350-year-old statue of Goliath.

; Kalverstraat 92, Amsterdam, Netherlands; free.

A close-up of a section of wall which gives way to a series of metal supports embedded in the ground — The open-air Berlin Wall Memorial is a moving insight into the realities of life in war-time Berlin © Torval Mork / Shutterstock

Berlin Wall Memorial – Germany

This poignant museum preserves the last surviving piece of the Berlin Wall, tells the story of the ghost station of Nordbahnhof S-Bahn, and relates tales of horror, heroism and hope on Bernauer Strasse.

; Bernauer Strasse 119, Berlin, Germany; free.

Graffiti on a wall of a man looking out of a window with a woman standing behind him. A naked man dangles from the window ledge — You'll spot many murals and artworks on a stroll around Bristol's streets © 1000 Words / Shutterstock

Bristol Street Art – England

Free-range chinstrokers can enjoy some of the world’s best modern street art in Bristol. In Banksy’s home town, the al-fresco scene is sensational, with public spaces splattered with murals and installations by guerrilla artists.

; Bristol, England; free.

A room with walls painted with murals of woodland and birds, with an ornate table and two chairs in the center — The Musée Carnavalet reopened in 2021 after a five-year renovation © Alain Jocard/AFP/Getty Images

Musée Carnavalet – France

History meets art in this peculiarly , where 100 Tardis-like rooms transport visitors through time, via paintings and artifacts from the City of Light’s illuminating past.

; 16 Rue des Francs-Bourgeois, Paris, France; closed Mon; free.

British Museum – England

London’s full of famous freebies, but this , packed with souvenirs accumulated during Britain's years of colonization, is top. You’ll never get around in one day – just come back.

; Great Russell St, London, England; free.

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This article was originally published on August 1, 2016.

This article was first published Aug 1, 2016 and updated Oct 4, 2021.