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On our radar: 6 museums you can visit on Christmas in London (2025)

As the festive season settles over the city, London becomes an inviting place for slow strolls, warm lights and cultural discoveries. Visiting a museum can be an enjoyable way to enrich your Christmas trip, especially if you enjoy quiet galleries and reflective moments on a magical night. Many museums close on Christmas Day and Christmas Eve, yet several still welcome guests. Below are six attractions that remain open, each offering its own atmosphere for an end of year visit.

Museums that open on Christmas’s Eve

1. The Courtauld Gallery

The Courtauld is widely recognised as a leading centre for the study of art history and a significant public gallery. Its collection highlights the importance of art in every era and place, while its mission encourages visitors to understand how creativity shapes society.

During Christmas Eve the gallery feels particularly calm, offering an ideal moment to explore treasures in a museum Central London setting. The experience combines academic excellence with an inviting atmosphere that suits a cultural pause during your festive plans.

 

 

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2. Madame Tussaud

Madame Tussauds has been a celebrated museum since the early nineteenth century, inviting visitors into a world of lifelike wax figures. The atmosphere is fun and energetic, offering galleries filled with cultural icons, musicians, historical figures and sports personalities.

Immersive spaces create opportunities to take photographs or enjoy interactive elements that spark curiosity and excitement. It is an enjoyable way to add a playful twist to your Christmas Eve itinerary while staying close to central London sights.

 

3. The Sherlock Holmes Museum

  • Location: 221b Baker St, London NW1 6XE, United Kingdom
  • Opening hours: 9:30 AM – 6 PM
  • Admission:
  • Adults – £19
  • Concessions – £17
  • Children (under 16) – £14
  • Children (under 6) – Free
  • Distance from Fitzrovia Quarter: 0.8 mile (19 mins walk)

This museum sits at a well known address that many fans of literature recognise instantly. Housed in a Georgian townhouse dating back to the early nineteenth century, the building carries a distinctive charm.

Its interiors preserve objects and settings inspired by the stories of Sherlock Holmes and the era in which they were written. Since opening in 1990, it has welcomed visitors keen to explore the world of the detective. Its unique character suits a reflective Christmas Eve visit, especially if you enjoy narrative spaces.

4. Charles Dickens Museum

  • Location: 48-49 Doughty St, London WC1N 2LX, United Kingdom
  • Opening hours: 10 AM – 6 PM (Last entry: 5 PM)
  • Admission:
  • Adult: £20
  • Concession: £15
  • Child: £10
  • Distance from Fitzrovia Quarter: 1 mile (25 mins walk)

The Charles Dickens Museum offers a genuinely festive experience on Christmas Eve. Rooms are decorated in a traditional Victorian style, echoing the period in which Dickens lived and wrote. Guests receive a complimentary mince pie and mulled wine or a soft drink alternative, adding warmth to the visit.

Throughout the day the museum screens adaptations of A Christmas Carol inside a small theatre space, enhancing the seasonal mood. It is an ideal place for anyone seeking a nostalgic Christmas setting filled with storytelling, history and gentle charm.

 

Museums that open on Christmas Day

5. Moco Museum London

  • Location: 1-4 Marble Arch, London W1H 7EJ, United Kingdom
  • Opening hours:
  • Sun – Thu: 10 AM–6 PM
  • Fri & Sat: 10 AM–7 PM
  • Admission:
  • Senior (65+) / NHS / Military / Emergency Services: £10
  • Group Bundle (8+ tickets): £18
  • Adult: £22
  • Youth (4-17 years old): £17Children (0-3 years old): Free
  • Distance from Fitzrovia Quarter: 0.8 mile (19 mins walk)

Moco presents an engaging collection of modern, contemporary and digital works. Visitors enter a space designed to encourage reflection and emotional connection, with immersive installations that respond to movement, sound and light.

This creative environment offers opportunities to explore ideas through visual storytelling. A Christmas Day visit provides a calm and thoughtful moment within an energetic part of the city, especially appealing if you enjoy art that inspires introspection during the holiday period.

 

 

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6. Edel Assanti Gallery

Edel Assanti highlights international artists engaging with contemporary themes and research driven practice. Exhibitions change throughout the year, offering narrative rich presentations that encourage visitors to explore new perspectives.

Christmas Day tends to be a quiet time for the gallery, making it ideal for an unhurried visit and a thoughtful break during your London walk.