When it’s dark by 4.30pm, a museum late is one of the best free nights out in London. You get the galleries after hours, plus DJs, talks, workshops and a bar, and most of them cost nothing to get into. Here are the upcoming free museum lates and late openings, with the dates and what you need to book. We update this guide every month.
Upcoming free museum lates
| Date | Late | Booking |
|---|---|---|
| Fri 30 Oct, 6pm to 10pm | Tate Modern Lates, 10th birthday | Drop in, a few activities need a free ticket |
| Fridays to 20 Nov | National Gallery Friday Lates, open until 9pm | Mostly free, some events need booking |
| Every Fri and Sat | National Portrait Gallery open until 9pm | No booking for the free collection |
| Sat 21 Nov | Science Museum Night Owls, sensory-friendly, 16+ | Free, booking required |
| Thu 26 Nov, from 6.30pm | Science Museum Pokémon x ESA Lates, 18+ | Free ticket, on sale later this autumn |
| Fri 27 Nov, 6pm to 10pm | Tate Modern Lates | Drop in |
| Fri 27 Nov | V&A Friday Late | Free, drop in |
| From Sat 28 Nov | New London Museum opens in Smithfield | Free ticket |
Tate Modern Lates
Tate Modern Lates are free nights of music, workshops, talks and film across the building, from 6pm to 10pm, usually on the last Friday of the month. Most activities are drop-in, but a few need a free ticket, released on the day.
- Friday 30 October: the Lates’ 10th birthday, with Shygirl’s club night in the South Tank and a giant collective artwork led by Lakwena. Free tickets for the ticketed activities go on sale at 11am that day.
- Friday 27 November: artist Tarek Atoui takes over the building with experimental sounds, extending his Turbine Hall commission, plus DJ sets, workshops and film.
Nearest stations: Southwark and Blackfriars. Tate Modern Lates
V&A Friday Late
The original museum late. Friday Late at V&A South Kensington celebrates contemporary design and visual culture with live performance, film, installations, debates and DJs. It’s free and drop-in, on the last Friday of every month except January, May and December. That makes Friday 27 November the last one of 2026. Nearest station: South Kensington. V&A Friday Late
Science Museum Lates
Pokémon x ESA Lates, Thursday 26 November. The Science Museum’s adults-only Lates is themed around its Pokémon Space Trail this month, with workshops, music and performances exploring Pokémon and space exploration. It’s free with a ticket, for ages 18+, with timeslots from 6.30pm and last entry at 9.15pm. Free tickets go on sale again later this autumn, so sign up on the museum’s page to hear when. Some extras cost money, such as a Pokémon Detective Pikachu screening in the IMAX from £18. Pokémon x ESA Lates
Night Owls, Saturday 21 November. A free, sensory-friendly evening for visitors aged 16+ who need a quieter museum, such as autistic visitors or people with sensory processing differences. Family and friends can come too, but everyone needs to book a free ticket. Night Owls
Nearest station: South Kensington.
The new London Museum, from 28 November
A major opening for London. The London Museum opens its new home in Smithfield’s restored General Market on Saturday 28 November 2026, with free galleries covering thousands of years of the city’s history. Book a free general admission ticket to be among the first in. The museum has also announced plans for weekly late opening until 11pm on Friday and Saturday nights, with its own DJ collective. Nearest stations: Farringdon and Barbican. Hours, booking and what to see are in our London Museum Smithfield guide.
Regular late openings
These aren’t events, but they’re the easiest way to see world-class art after work for free:
- National Gallery: open until 9pm every Friday. Its Friday Lates programme of free activities, from life drawing to live performances, runs from 30 October to 20 November. Some events need booking and fill up. Nearest station: Charing Cross. National Gallery Friday Lates
- National Portrait Gallery: open until 9pm on Fridays and Saturdays, with last entry at 8.30pm. Nearest station: Leicester Square. National Portrait Gallery
Coming up in December
Museums usually announce their lates a month or two ahead, so this is what’s confirmed so far. We’ll add new dates here as they’re announced.
- No V&A Friday Late: the V&A doesn’t hold one in December. The next is expected on the last Friday of February, as there’s none in January either.
- The new London Museum: December is its first full month in Smithfield, and it plans to open until 11pm on Friday and Saturday nights.
- Every week: the National Gallery stays open until 9pm on Fridays, and the National Portrait Gallery until 9pm on Fridays and Saturdays.
For everything else free that month, see free things to do in London in December.
Tips for free museum lates
- Arrive early. Popular lates fill up, and drop-in activities have limited space.
- Watch for same-day tickets. At Tate Modern, free tickets for some activities are released at 11am on the day.
- Sign up for alerts. The Science Museum’s free Lates tickets go fast, so sign up to hear when they’re released.
- Eat before you go. Bars at lates charge normal London prices. Our cheap eats guide has ideas nearby.
- Check the age limit. Science Museum Lates are 18+, and Night Owls is 16+.
Common questions
Are museum lates in London free?
Most are. Tate Modern Lates and the V&A Friday Late are free and mostly drop-in. The Science Museum’s Lates are free but need a ticket, and some extras inside cost money.
Which London museums are open late on Fridays?
The National Gallery is open until 9pm every Friday, and the National Portrait Gallery until 9pm on Fridays and Saturdays. The V&A holds a free Friday Late on the last Friday of most months, and Tate Modern’s free Lates are usually on the last Friday too.
When does the new London Museum open?
On Saturday 28 November 2026, in Smithfield’s General Market. Its galleries are free, and you can book a free ticket in advance.
Are there museum lates in December?
Fewer. The V&A doesn’t hold a Friday Late in December. The National Gallery and National Portrait Gallery still open late every week.
More free nights out: free things to do in London in November and our free indoor things to do on a rainy day.
Details are from each museum’s official website, checked on 29 October 2026. Programmes change, so check the museum’s page before you go.