National Army Museum
the army's story, free in chelsea
Three hundred years of the British Army told for free in Chelsea, through uniforms, weapons and personal stories, with a brilliant play area that makes it a great free day with kids.
Free to visit · Chelsea · Sloane Square · SW3 4HT
Opening: Daily 10am–5:30pm
Next door to the Chelsea Pensioners at the Royal Hospital sits the National Army Museum, free and recently rebuilt, telling the long and complicated story of the British Army and the people caught up in it. It is honest rather than flag-waving, as interested in the soldiers' lives as in the battles.
Five themed galleries run from the everyday kit of a soldier to the experience of battle and the army's place in society, full of objects with real stories, medals, letters home, uniforms and the skeleton of Napoleon's horse. It is thoughtful, modern and never dusty.
It is also one of the best free museums in town for children, with a large soft play zone and a hands-on play base, so parents get a serious museum and kids get to burn off steam, all for nothing in a smart part of Chelsea.
Getting there: A walk from Sloane Square down towards the river, on Royal Hospital Road next to the Royal Hospital Chelsea.
Best time to go: A weekday for the galleries in peace, or bring kids at the weekend for the play areas. Combine it with a wander round the smart streets of Chelsea.
Insider tip: Time a visit with the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea next door, often open to the public for free, where you might spot the scarlet-coated Chelsea Pensioners. Two free Chelsea sights in one quiet riverside corner.
Official site: https://www.nam.ac.uk
Free things to do in London · London Free Guide