Free Things to Do in London

London is most definitely not a city known for its skyscrapers. But, troublingly, it is a city with some of the most phenomenal views in Europe. And unless you're willing to shell out £24.95 to go up the Shard, or make a reservation at posh Sushi Samba for a view from the Heron Building, you might find yourself stuck at ground level. At least you might have been, up until the One New Change building was erected in 2010. The six-storey building isn't a colossus, but its sci-fi-smooth glass elevators bring you up close and personal to Saint Paul's and Bankside views over the Tate and City. You can grab a blanket and a drink from the Madison Bar, or if you're on a budget, wander the terrace for panoramic views and breathtaking photo ops.

The British Library might be one of the most academically imposing institutions on Earth, with 170 million archived items (including the Magna Carta, Da Vinci's notebook, and the original scraps that Beatles songs were written on), and swathes of stressed out students roaming its bright interiors. But it's also a dream for the frugal tourist, with most of its most famous items available for viewing in the Sir John Ritblat Gallery. The library also curates free exhibitions like "Comics Unmasked: Art and Anarchy in the UK" and "Lines in the Ice: Seeking the Northwest Passage", exploring the role of European explorers in the Arctic.

London has dutifully churned out comedy giants like Ricky Gervais, Jennifer Saunders and John Oliver. But, like LA or New York, it's also where newbies climb and claw their way through the ranks with bloodthirsty (or shoegazing) zeal, one zingy punchline at a time. And where else would you get to see the newest of the new material from young comedians other than at a free comedy night, the kind where both press and publicists are far from sight? Spitalfields pub The Water Poet offers up Touching Cloth: New Material Night, where rookies are invited to sign up and step into the spotlight. Hey, you might not be witness to the new Louie CK, but you'll almost certainly leave with some stories to tell, and cred to bring back to your comedy connoisseur pals.

Cross over the river from Aldwych and you'll find a city within a city. The Southbank Centre, with its sprawling temples to art and culture (Royal Festival Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Purcell Room, the Hayward Gallery, The British Film Institute, and the Saison Poetry Library) would take a week to experience in its entirety. It's where some of the biggest names in music and arts have performed, and where you'll find free exhibitions and leisure spaces with some of the best views in the city. Bring snacks and grab one of the outdoor sunchairs, or peruse the book market outside the BFI. Watch the skateboarders in their underpass-skatepark (recently salvaged from demolition through petitioning) and take in the sights and smells of the Real Food Market. It's the beating heart of the Thames, and absolutely cannot be missed.

What is there to say about the Victoria & Albert Museum, the world's largest museum of design and decorative arts, which hasn't already been said by historians, artists, and the public since its opening in 1852? It's a breathtaking triumph of curation and culture, and with free Friday Lates (bringing in DJs and bartenders for late-night entertainment on the last Friday of each month) it has kept far away from the ever-present danger of gallery-stuffiness. In 2015 the V&A housed 'Disobedient Objects', a gut-wrenching display of the shed objects and artifacts of protest movements in the last century. The V&A has come a long was since its eponymously Victorian past, and free entry to its permanent collections makes it truly unmissable.

So many thousands of Londoners and tourists move through King's Cross Station daily that it's easy to overlook the hidden square to the north — the one where art students and foodies, architects and canal-dwellers come to relax, have a drink, and watch some impressive fountain choreography. Granary Square is just that: a square which houses cult coffee favourite Caravan, much-lauded restaurant Grain Store, and one of Central Saint Martin's primary campuses. It's perfect for a day of culture, street-style-spotting (those design students sure can rock a black frock), or unapologetic laziness. The steps leading down to the Regent's Canal are lined in astro-turf for most of the year, so stake out your napping spot early.

If the sun is out and you don't feel like paying for one of the lounge chairs in Green Park (groan), hop on a northbound bus to Clissold Park. The centerpiece to idyllic family neighborhood Stoke Newington, the Victorian park houses four bodies of water, community animal enclosures, and the historic "House at Clissold Park". On sunny days it will be awash with the young taste-makers of nearby Hackney and the cozied up families that seemed to colonize the neighborhood in the past decade. The animal enclosure alone would make a memorable — and totally free - day out with children. On display are rare deer and grumpy goats. For some cardio, join the joggers making their way around the park's tree-lined circumference, or head to the tennis courts.

The Hunterian Museum houses some of London's most curious curiosities, selected largely from the personal catalogue of John Hunter, one of the earliest pioneers of medical surgery. Here, in one of London's better hidden free museums, you'll find eerie specimens of all types: human, animal, and wax, to name a few. The museum had a makeover in 2005, making its spookiness a sleekly immersive walk through some of medical history's more morbid delights. The sights on display certainly aren't for the faint-hearted (think veins, teeth, skulls, and various combinations therein), but the Hunterian Museum perfectly represents both London's spirit of intellectual history and stylish morbidity. And entry is free!

The Science Museum is often overshadowed by its neighbors: the behemoth Natural History Museum and the V&A, to be specific. But inside its doors is one of the most dynamic and cutting-edge series of exhibitions in London. Sure there are the kid-friendly staples: halls dedicated to space exploration and the 3D IMAX wonder-domes. But recently the museum has been reaching for a wider audience, putting on exhibitions like "Churchill's Scientists", a gallery of science photography's influence on contemporary art, and Science Museum's Lates, a free adult-only night that takes place on the last Wednesday of every month. Each night covers themes like sex, crime, and wearable tech.

The Tate Modern is an imposing indoor gallery built within the disused Bankside Power Station. That in itself lends the place an entrancing heft, blowing up the spirit of modern artistry to industrial proportions. But if its vertiginous atmosphere wasn't enough, the 3,400 square metre space of concrete flooring running underneath the main galleries was converted into a venue for projects in 2000. Louise Bourgeois, Ai Weiwei, and Anish Kapoor have all installed their own artistic visions into the otherwise blank space, and all you need to do to enjoy the displays is a step through the gallery's doors — admission is absolutely free.