England is one of the most visited countries in the world. Home to the Royal Family, Oxford and Big Ben, there are simply so many places you can visit in England.
While most of us think that the Tower of London, the London Eye or even Big Ben are the top tourist attractions, you might be surprised to discover that there are a lot more places that people enjoy visiting.
Each year, Visit Britain releases a report with the most visited attractions in the UK and in this article, I tell you everything you need to know about the top 5!
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1. Natural History Museum
📍Location: London | 👥 Visitors (2022): 4,654,608 | 💰 Price: Free
Located in South Kensington in London, the Natural History Museum is by far one of the most famous museums in the UK.
Here you will find items revealing the history of Earth over 4.5 billion years. There are many famous items in the collection of the Natural History Museum and that’s why so many people come to visit every year.
The most notable ones are the skeleton of the Blue Whale (which has been there since 1880), Guy the gorilla and Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species.
The museum is free to visit but you’ll need to book in advance. You can also opt for a guided tour to learn more about the collection.
2. Brighton Pier
📍Location: Brighton | 👥 Visitors (2022): 4,632,108 |💰 Price: Free (for now)
Located in the beautiful coastal town of Brighton, in the South of England, Brighton Palace Pier is the most famous and visited pleasure pier in England.
It was designed by Richard St George Moore and opened in 1899. It’s 1,722 ft long which makes it one of the longest and best piers ever built.
There are loads of attractions available including rides, VR, trampolines and more, making it a great destination for families.
Brighton Pier is free to visit however, it’s important to note that they are introducing an entrance fee for non-residents.
3. British Museum
📍Location: London | 👥 Visitors (2022): 4,097,253 | 💰Price: Free
Located in Bloomsbury near Euston Station in London, the British Museum is one of the most famous museums in the world.
It was featured in many movies including The Mummy Returns. Here you will find a large collection dedicated to human history, culture and art.
This includes a lot of items about Ancient Egypt and Greece.
The most famous item is by far the Rosetta Stone that Champollion used to decipher the hieroglyphs.
FUN FACT: There is a giant replica of the Rosetta Stone in Figeac in France, Champollion’s hometown.
The British Museum is free to visit. You do not need to book however, I’d recommend getting there early since it can be busy. If you’d like to learn more about everything you see, you can also opt for a guided tour.
4. Tate Modern
📍Location: London | 👥 Visitors (2022): 3,883,160 | 💰Price: Free
Located near the Millennium Bridge in London, the Tate Modern is one of the most famous museums of modern art in the world.
You can basically think of it as the British version of the MoMa in New York City. It’s housed in an old power station which gives it a very unique look from outside.
Inside, you’ll discover a collection of over 70,000 pieces of art dating from 1500 to now.
Some of the most famous art pieces include Fountain by Marcel Duchamp, Marilyn Diptych by Andy Warhol and A Bigger Splash by David Hockney.
It’s free to visit the Tate Modern and you don’t need to book in advance (unless you want to see temporary exhibitions).
5. National Gallery
📍Location: London | 👥 Visitors (2022): 2,727,119 | 💰Price: Free
This is one of the best located attractions on this list since it’s on Trafalgar Square, right in front of Nelson’s statue.
This ideal location makes it a must see in London and it attracts almost 3 million visitors per year.
The National Gallery, as the name suggests, is an art museum with a collection of around 2,300 paintings.
Here you’ll find older pieces compared to the Tate Modern. Some of the highlights include paintings from Johannes Vermeer, Paul Cezanne, Claude Monet or even Anthony van Dyck.
The National Gallery is open every day and free to visit however it’s recommended to book your ticket in advance.
Now that you know everything about the most visited attractions in England, it’s time to go and explore!
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