A new museum opens in central London in two weeks. The London Museum, formerly the Museum of London, opens its new home in Smithfield’s Victorian General Market on Saturday 28 November. Entry is free, and free general admission tickets are now bookable on the museum’s website.
Opening hours and booking
The museum has published its hours for the opening weeks, covering 28 November to 31 December:
- Sunday to Thursday: 10am to 6pm, last entry 4.45pm.
- Friday and Saturday: 10am to 11pm. The last ticketed entry is 7.15pm, and walk-ins are allowed, subject to availability, until 9.30pm.
- Closed: 24 to 26 December.
Walk-ups are welcome, but the museum strongly recommends booking ahead to guarantee entry, especially in the opening weeks. Tickets are free.
Tip: The Friday and Saturday late opening makes this an easy evening plan. Book a ticketed slot for the afternoon, or try your luck as a walk-in after dinner.
What’s inside
The museum sits in two historic market buildings at West Smithfield. The General Market holds the permanent galleries, a café, a shop and event spaces. The galleries are split into three areas called Real Time, Our Time and Past Time, telling the story of the people, places and moments that shaped the city. The neighbouring Poultry Market, which will hold temporary exhibitions and the learning centre, is due to open in 2028.
The programme runs from day into night. The museum lists free events, including a resident DJ collective playing late every Friday and Saturday, a family show on Roman London and a free Tea Club.
Roman vaults to follow in spring
In October the museum announced that its rediscovered underground vaults will open in spring 2027 with a free exhibition, Londinium: the making of a Roman city. It covers the first 50 years of Roman London. Builders found the vaults in 2019 while renovating the General Market. On show for the first time will be objects from the Bloomberg Collection, including Roman wax writing tablets, an infant’s feeding bottle and a coin from Nero’s reign.
Getting there
The address is General Market, West Smithfield, London EC1A 9AG. The nearest Tube stations are Farringdon, Barbican and St Paul’s, and several bus routes stop within a short walk. The museum lists step-free entrances, lifts and a Changing Places toilet on the ground floor.
What it means for your weekend
A free museum open until 11pm on Fridays and Saturdays is a rare thing in central London, and it fits neatly into a December city break. Pair it with our guide to the best things to do in London and the London Christmas markets. For more openings and travel updates, see our news page.
