Quick answer: in London, the British Museum and the National Gallery offer free entry to their permanent collections. In Paris, under-18s get into the Musée d'Orsay and the Orangerie free, and the permanent collections of the city museums are free for everyone. In Rome, the state museums open free on the first Sunday of the month. Group booking conditions must be checked with each museum.
London: the capital of the free museum
The British Museum and the National Gallery are free for their permanent collections (some temporary exhibitions do charge). The British Museum opens every day from 10.00 to 17.00, and until 20.30 on Fridays. Even though entry costs nothing, groups of 10 or more must book a group ticket in advance; school groups book through the museum's ticket desk.
Paris: free for under-18s
At the Musée d'Orsay and the Orangerie, under-18s always get in free, whatever their nationality. Young people aged 18 to 25 also get in free if they are nationals of the EU or the European Economic Area, or long-term residents of the EU. In addition, the Ville de Paris museums (Petit Palais, Carnavalet, Museum of Modern Art) offer their permanent collections free at all times. And on the first Sunday of the month, museums such as the Orsay open free for everyone, with compulsory booking.
Rome: the first Sunday of the month
Under the Italian Ministry of Culture's #domenicalmuseo initiative, on the first Sunday of the month the state museums and archaeological parks (the Pantheon, Castel Sant'Angelo and many more) are free to enter. If your trip coincides, it is a golden opportunity; if not, the state museums are free for under-18s and offer a reduced €2 ticket for EU citizens aged 18 to 25.
Practical tips for teachers
- Free does not mean no booking: many museums require timed tickets, including for groups.
- Bring the list of pupils with their ages: age discounts are checked at the entrance.
- Combine a big museum with an outdoor activity on the same day: pacing is the key with teenagers.
Would you like us to prepare an itinerary with the best museums, free and paid, for your end-of-year trip?
At Valua Travel we design tailor-made school trips across Europe. Tell us about your year group and we will send you a proposal.
Source: official websites of the British Museum, the National Gallery, the Musée d'Orsay, the Musée de l'Orangerie, Paris Musées and the Italian Ministry of Culture, consulted on 3 November 2026.