If you’d like to give a Christmas present that lasts longer than the festive season – and won’t end up forgotten in a drawer – consider giving them an annual museum or gallery membership.
Most major museums offer some form of membership scheme, often packed with perks such as free entry (for venues that charge admission), members’ newsletters, and, at the larger institutions, exclusive evening events or priority booking for popular exhibitions.
It’s a thoughtful and personal gift for anyone who loves a particular museum – turning a place they already enjoy into somewhere they can explore all year round, with invitations to private viewings, behind-the-scenes tours, and unlimited access to paid exhibitions.
In short, it’s a whole year of cultural delights.
I’ve put together a list of venues offering membership packages with worthwhile benefits. The prices shown are for one-off gift payments (usually by card), though most venues offer cheaper rates for those who set up a direct debit.
If you’re buying for a couple, many museums also offer joint memberships at a discounted rate – so you get to share in the fun.
And while exhibition ticket prices have crept up in recent years, most of the museums and galleries have frozen their membership fees, so they’re increasingly good value in the cost of living challenge.
A museum membership isn’t just for Christmas… It’s a whole year of inspiration, discovery, and joy.
London Venues
Barbican – £59
Free entry to exhibitions, discounts on events and cinema, priority booking, along with options for private views of galleries.
Benjamin Franklin House – £40
Free entry to the house and discounts on events.
British Film Institute – £55
Priority ticket bookings (very useful for popular events, as they often sell out before general sale), no booking fees, discounts in their shops, special events and previews.
British Museum – £84
Free entry to exhibitions and private members’ events, the members’ room in the museum and discounts in the shops/cafe.
Brooklands Museum – £63
Free entry to the motoring museum and special events.
Brunel Museum – £25
Free entry to the museum and invitations to private events
Carshalton Water Tower – £10
Free entry to the tower, private views of exhibitions and friends-only social events.
Cartoon Museum – £35
Free entry to the museum, exhibition previews and discounts on events.
Charles Dickens Museum – £45
Free entry for you and a guest, and discounts in the shop and events.
Chelsea Physic Garden – £59
Free entry with a guest, free entry to partner gardens, and invites to special events.
Design Museum – £60
Free entry to paid exhibitions, priority booking and invitations to members’ previews.
Dulwich Picture Gallery – £56
Free entry to exhibitions, and invites to private viewings, plus discounts on events.
Foundling Museum – £40
Free admission to the museum. A wide range of activities each year, including private views, concerts and talks led by Museum experts.
Freud Museum – £55
Free entry to the museum with a guest, discounts on events and invites to private views.
Garden Museum – £45
Free entry to the museum, private views of exhibitions and priority booking for events.
Georgian Group – £50
Sizable regular magazine and access to exclusive activities that include visits to private houses not open to the public.
Grant Museum – £30
Priority booking for public events and invites to members-only events.
Guildhall Art Gallery – £30
Free entry to paid exhibitions, plus free entry to Tower Bridge, Monument and Keats House, tours of private art collections and talks.
Heath Robinson Museum – £40
Free entry to the museum, members’ events and priority booking.
Honeywood Museum – £10
Priority booking and discounts for events.
Horniman Museum – £47
Free entry to the Aquarium and exhibitions, 10% discount at the shop, a quarterly e-newsletter and invitations to exclusive members’ events and offers.
Imperial War Museum – £60
Free entry to all IWM museums, private views and members events.
London Museum of Water & Steam – £40
Unlimited free visits, a quarterly newsletter, members-only events, free entry to the nearby Musical Museum.
Kew Gardens – £66
Free entry to Kew Gardens for a year, priority booking to events, and a range of member events.
London Transport Museum – £30
Unlimited free entry to the Museum at Covent Garden during all normal opening hours, plus one free entry to the Acton Depot Open Weekend each year. Friends’ visits to transport and other venues.
London Zoo – £137.50
Unlimited entry to the two zoos, discounts in the shops, queue jump at the entry barriers, plus members’ events.
Museum of Brands – £20.50
Free entry to the museum for yourself for a year.
National Archives – £30
Friends-only events and tours, and discounts in the bookshop and at paid events.
National Army Museum – £45
Free entry to paid exhibitions, curator tours and members-only events. (note, they’re not offering gift memberships – so you have to buy for yourself only)
National Gallery – £78
Free entry to paid exhibitions and invites to members’ events.
National Portrait Gallery – £71
Free entry to paid exhibitions, private viewings and discounts in the shops.
Natural History Museum – £73
Free entry to paid exhibitions, priority entry to the museum, private events, and a private members’ room.
Petrie Museum of Egyptology – £35
Special events and tours, plus seminars and regular news.
Pitzhanger – £35
Free entry to the gallery, exclusive events and discounts in the shop.
Postal Museum – £45
Free entry to the museum, three rides on the mail rail per year, invitations to private events and priority booking to public events.
Royal Albert Hall – £55
Priority booking for tickets, discounts in the shop and restaurant and free use of the cloakroom.
Royal Greenwich Museums – £75
Free entry to the three Greenwich museums, discounted events and private members’ events.
Royal Institution of Great Britain – £88
Free tickets to lectures. Entry to members-only events, along with quarterly newsletters and discounts on purchases.
Saatchi Gallery – £50
Free entry to Saatchi arranged exhibitions, and discounts on visiting exhibitions.
Sadlers Wells – £85
Priority booking for shows before they go on general sale, and 20% off tickets.
St Paul’s Cathedral – £36
Free entry to the Cathedral, private events and exhibition previews, plus priority booking for events.
(Note, read the FAQ for details of gift membership and contact them by phone to buy it)
Sir John Soane’s Museum – £40
Discounts in the shop, plus invites to special events.
Southbank Centre – £80
Priority information and booking for key events throughout the year plus no booking fees. Free entry to exhibitions at The Hayward Gallery.
Strawberry Hill House – £50
Free entry to Strawberry Hill, invites to the summer party, discounts in the shop and events.
Tate – £78
Free entry to all paid exhibitions, private viewings, and members rooms
The Royal Academy of Arts – £160
Free entry to exhibitions for you and a family member. Visit each exhibition before it’s open to the public. A private members room, and quarterly newsletter.
V&A Museum – £94
Free entry to exhibitions and previews, special members events and private members’ room.
Wallace Collection – £55
Free entry to paid exhibitions, exclusive member events, discounts in the shop and the restaurant.
Westminster Abbey – £55
Queue jump and free entry to the Abbey, private evening entry to the Abbey and exclusive events. (Scroll down to payment by credit card and fill in the gift membership form)
Whitechapel Gallery – £50
Private views of exhibitions, priority booking to events and discounts in the shop.
The National Groups
National Art Pass – £83
Free or discounted entry to hundreds of art galleries and museums across the UK.
Historic Royal Palaces – £70
Unlimited access to the six palaces throughout the year, a range of member events and discounts in the shops.
National Trust – £96
Free entry and parking at more than 300 historic houses and gardens.
English Heritage – £82
Free entry and parking at more than 400 historic houses and gardens.
Landmark Trust – £88
Priority booking for buildings and event invites.
Historic Houses Association – £68
Free entry to hundreds of privately-owned houses, castles and gardens
