1 / 3Bank of England Museum
π London, Greater London
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Free museum in the historic Threadneedle Street building tracing the history of British currency, banknotes, and banking. Visitors can lift a genuine 13kg gold bar. No booking needed - visits typically run 45-60 minutes.
π Funzaroo Verdict
Best for school-age children curious about economics, history, or how money works. The gold bar moment lands with every age group. Compact enough to hold younger attention spans, free entry removes any financial barrier, and no advance booking means it works as a spontaneous City stop.
βΉοΈ What to Know Before You Go
π¬ What Families Are Saying
View all reviews β2,707 Google reviews
G Reviews from Google
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8 months ago
βGreat museum, definitely worth going. It is quite small, so it should take no more than 45-60 minutes to go through everything. Visit is free, and booking is not necessary. Staff is very helpful and welcoming. If you are interested in or want to know more about the history of British currency and developement of banks, it should be a lovely place to visit.β
John Hammond
9 months ago
βThis turned out to be the highlight of my trip to London. Itβs a fascinating museum that tells you about the history of banking and money. I really enjoyed the exhibits showing the history of bank notes and security - now I know what that UV light is for! Itβs a very well thought out and informative museum and itβs completely free.β
Alex Ahau
11 months ago
βThe Bank of England's museum is lovely-full of unique views on money's history, great for grasping inflation. They recycle cash into cool plastic objects, and the best part? Getting to touch and lift the 13 kg bar of gold yourself!β
π Commonly mentioned in Google reviews
Based on Google review tagsGold bar
347 reviews
Free admission
172 reviews
Bank notes
94 reviews
History of the bank
65 reviews
History of money
53 reviews
Overview
The Bank of England Museum walks families through centuries of monetary history across compact, well-curated galleries. Highlights include gold bar handling, UV-lit banknote security displays, architectural drawings of the bank's Soane-era vaults, and historical coins. Staff are knowledgeable and welcoming. Recycled polymer banknotes are turned into display objects. The entire circuit fits comfortably in under an hour.
