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London Museum Reopenings

Updated: Sep 4, 2020

As the lockdown starts to ease, many museums and galleries are reopening their doors to the public. We've compiled this list of the opening dates of some of our favourite London museums, and we'll continue to update it as more announcements are made. The list is arranged in chronological order: tell us via Twitter (@CradlesnLabels) if we've missed any.


Vistors are advised to book online in advance and to wear face coverings. See each museum or gallery's website for further guidance, and enjoy your visits! It has been a long time waiting.


You will be able to see Hans Holbein's The Ambassadors at the National Gallery from 8 July.


29 June: Fulham Palace

The gardens and café only. There is a voluntary charge for the Walled Garden.


4 July: Dulwich Picture Gallery

The gardens, café and pop-up shop only.


4 July: Garden Museum

Book online. Paid entry. The new Derek Jarman exhibition is on until 20 September.


7 July: The National Army Museum

Book online. Free entry.



8 July: The National Gallery

Book online. Free entry to the Gallery. Paid entry to the Titian exhibition. The Artemisia exhibition opens on 3 October.


8 July: The Foundling Museum

Book online. Paid entry. The Portraying Pregnancy exhibition is on until 23 August.


9 July: Royal Academy of Arts

Open to Members from 9 July and the general public from 16 July. Book online. Paid entry to the Picasso on Paper exhibition (until 2 August).



13 July: Barbican Art Gallery

Book online.


15 July: The Wallace Collection

Book online. Free entry. The paid Forgotten Masters exhibition will be open from 29 July-13 September (tickets go on sale 22 July).



16 July: Somerset House

Book online. Free entry. The Mushrooms exhibition is on until 13 September.


23 July: The Queen's Gallery, Buckingham Palace

Book online. The exhibition George IV: Art and Spectacle in on until 11 October.


25 July: Old Operating Theatre Museum and Herb Garret

Book online. Paid entry.


25 July: Charles Dickens Museum

Book online.



27 July: Tate Britain

Timed entry. Free entry with paid exhibitions.


27 July: Tate Modern

Timed entry. Free entry with paid exhibitions.


30 July: Horniman Museum and Gardens

Book online. Free entry with paid entry to the Permian Monsters exhibition until 3 January 2021. The gardens and café kiosks are already open and the main café will reopen on 30 July.



29 July: Design Museum

Open to members from 29 July and the general public from 31 July. The much-awaited exhibition Electronic: From Kraftwerk to The Chemical Brothers is on until 14 February 2021. Tickets go on sale 10 July.


1 August: Florence Nightingale Museum

Book online. Paid entry to the museum and the Nightingale in 200 Objects exhibition.


1 August: Imperial War Museum

Book online. Free entry.


1 August: Hayward Gallery

Book online. Paid entry to the gallery and the exhibition Among the Trees.



4 August: Serpentine Gallery

Book online from July to see Cao Fei: Blueprints. Free entry.


5 August: Natural History Museum

Book online. Free entry.


Fashionable brocade patterns of the Imperial Palace, woodblock print, made by Utagawa Kunisada, 1847-1852, Japan © Victoria and Albert Museum, London.


6 August: V&A

Book online. Free entry. The exhibition Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk re-opens on 27 August.


6 August: Museum of London

Book online. Free entry.


6 August: Museum of London Docklands

Book online. Free entry.


10 August: National Maritime Museum

Book online for exhibitions. The galleries will re-open soon.


19 August: Science Museum

Book online. Free entry.



27 August: British Museum

Book online from 12 August. Free entry. Open Wednesday to Sunday only.


3 September: Saatchi Gallery

Pre-book tickets online to see the London Grads Now exhibition.


7 September: London Transport Museum

Timed tickets must be booked in advance online.


29 September: Serpentine Sackler Gallery

Book online from early September to see Formafantasma: Cambio. Free entry.


late September: Grant Museum of Zoology and Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology

To reopen to the public on Saturdays and to UCL students and staff on Wednesdays.


1 October: Sir John Soane's Museum


7 October: Wellcome Collection


Marcus Gheeraerts II, Portrait of a Woman in Red, has been loaned by Tate to Portraying Pregnancy at the Foundling Museum



The Courtauld Collection is closed until spring 2021.

The Museum of Childhood is closed for 2 years from May 2020.

The National Portrait Gallery is closed until spring 2023.

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