UPDATE – this article was compiled before the Covid lockdown was imposed on London. On the off-chance that the restrictions are relaxed after Christmas Day, I have published the list, as it stands right now, although it’s likely that the lockdown will be remain in force until New Year.

Lots of museums are open over the Christmas period, but often with opening hours as erratic as Aunt Norra on her 3rd sherry of the day – so here is a list of known opening hours.

Caveat – the list is based on the information compiled by a fallible human using the venue’s own websites. Where a venue is not listed it’s because they are either closed entirely, or more likely, haven’t updated their website, so I am not going to guess what they are doing.

Opening hours also may vary, so if going early/late, check their website first as well.

Quite a lot of museums are closed entirely still, or having a long Christmas break.

Also, almost all venues need you to book a ticket in advance at the moment.

In light of the ever-changing situation with the lockdowns, check the venue’s websites before making a special trip.

Museum Fri
25		 Sat
26		 Sun
27		 Mon
28		 Tues
29		 Wed
30		 Thur
31		 Fri
1		 Sat 2
Alexander
Fleming Laboratory Museum		 ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌
Bank of England Museum ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌
Battle of Britain Bunker ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ✔ ✔ ✔ ❌ ✔
Benjamin Franklin House ❌ ✔ ✔ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ✔
Bethlem Museum of the Mind ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ✔
British Museum ❌ ❌ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
Brooklands Museum ❌ ❌ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ❌ ❌
Bruce Castle Museum ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌
Brunel Museum ❌ * * ❌ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
Canal Museum ❌ ❌ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ❌ ✔ ✔
Charles Dickens Museum ❌ ✔ ✔ ❌ ❌ ✔ ✔ ❌ ✔
Churchill War Rooms ❌ ❌ ✔ ❌ ❌ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
Clink Prison Museum ❌ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ? ?
Cutty Sark ❌ ✔ ✔ ✔ ❌ ❌ ❌ ✔ ✔
Dennis Severs’ House ❌ ❌ ✔ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌
Down House ❌ ❌ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
Dr Who Museum and Shop ❌ ❌ ❌ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
Dulwich Picture Gallery ❌ ❌ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ? ?
Eltham Palace ❌ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
Fashion and Textile Museum ❌ ❌ ❌ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ❌ ✔
Freud Museum ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ✔ ❌ ❌ ❌
Guildhall Art Gallery ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ✔
Horniman Museum ❌ ❌ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
Household Cavalry Museum ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ✔ ✔ ✔
Imperial War Museum ❌ ❌ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
Jewel Tower ❌ ❌ ✔ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ✔
Kensington Palace ❌ ❌ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ❌ ❌ ✔
Kenwood House ❌ ❌ ✔ ❌ ❌ ✔ ❌ ❌ ✔
London Transport Museum ❌ ❌ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
Museum of Brands, Packaging and Advertising ❌ ❌ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ❌ ✔
Museum of London ❌ ❌ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
Museum of London Docklands ❌ ❌ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
National Gallery ❌ ❌ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ❌ ✔
National Maritime Museum ❌ ❌ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
Natural History Museum ❌ ❌ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
Osterley Park and House Confirmed closer to the date
Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery ❌ ❌ ❌ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ? ?
Queen’s House ❌ ❌ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
RAF Museum ❌ ❌ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ❌ ✔
Royal Observatory ❌ ❌ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
Science Museum ❌ ❌ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
Sherlock Holmes Museum ❌ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
Sir John Soane’s Museum ❌ ❌ ✔ ✔ ❌ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
Somerset House ❌ ❌ ✔ ❌ ✔ ✔ ❌ ❌ ✔
The Design Museum ❌ ❌ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
The Queen’s Gallery ❌ ❌ ✔ ✔ ❌ ❌ ✔ ✔ ✔
Tower Bridge ❌ ❌ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
Victoria and Albert Museum ❌ ❌ ✔ ❌ ❌ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
Wallace Collection ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ? ?
Wellington Arch ❌ ❌ ✔ ❌ ❌ ✔ ❌ ❌ ✔
Whitechapel Gallery ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

* – Opening if volunteers available

? – Unable to confirm on their booking forms.

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