Want to explore London from your sofa? These free virtual tours let you wander through world-class museums, peek inside royal palaces and explore political power centres without leaving home.
I’ve tested each one and, where available, selected experiences that feel immersive rather than just clicking through static images. Here’s what’s worth your time.
1. British Museum: Walk Through 60+ Galleries
The British Museum’s virtual experience is genuinely impressive. Their online collection lets you search over four million objects, and the Google Street View integration means you can actually walk through the galleries.
You can take a virtual museum tour with Google Street View, including the hugely popular – and usually rammed – Egyptian Gallery. Imagine zooming in on the Rosetta Stone without someone’s elbow in your face.
What you get: Full gallery walkthroughs, detailed object records with multiple images, downloadable podcasts
2. National Gallery: See Renaissance Masterpieces Up Close
Google’s 360-degree tours of the National Gallery cover seven rooms plus the Central Hall. You’ll find works by Titian, Holbein and other Renaissance heavyweights.
The online collection includes almost 2,500 paintings you can view in detail. I’ve spent hours here zooming in on brushstrokes.
What you get: 360-degree room tours, searchable collection, exhibition archives
3. Find out more about the Wallace Collection’s masterpieces
The Wallace Collection flies under the radar for most London visitors, but it’s home to an extraordinary collection built over two centuries by the Marquesses of Hertford and Sir Richard Wallace.
What makes the Wallace Collection‘s online experience special is the depth. Want to know everything about Frans Hals’ The Laughing Cavalier? They’ve got essays, technical analysis and reading lists. It’s like having an art history professor on call.
4. Courtauld Gallery: Van Gogh and Manet at Your Fingertips
After a major refurbishment, the Courtauld is looking better than ever. Their virtual tour gives you a preview of the collection, including Van Gogh’s Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear and Manet’s A Bar at the Folies-Bergère.
It’s a smaller collection than the National Gallery, which makes it less overwhelming to explore online.
What you get: Gallery walkthrough, collection highlights, exhibition information
5. Churchill War Rooms: Underground London
The Churchill War Rooms virtual collection uses images and videos to bring the underground bunker to life. You can picture Churchill and his war cabinet hunched over maps in these rooms, plotting Allied strategy.
The atmosphere comes through even on screen.
What you get: Image galleries, video content, historical context
6. Houses of Parliament: Behind the Scenes
Explore the nooks and crannies of the home of UK democracy on a Houses of Parliament 360-degree virtual tour. You can start at the Central Lobby and wander through to the House of Commons.
Click on the information hotspots as you go for historical context. There’s also a separate tour tracing women’s roles in the UK government, including the Suffragettes.
What you get: 360-degree navigation, historical information, multiple themed tours
7. 10 Downing Street: Inside the PM’s House
Unless you’re invited for dinner with the Prime Minister, you’re never getting through that famous black door on one of the most famous streets in London. This virtual tour of 10 Downing Street is your only chance.
The image quality is excellent. Walk up the iconic staircase lined with portraits of past PMs, peek into the Cabinet Room with its Corinthian columns, then check out the elegant Pillared Room.
Use full-screen mode for the best experience.
What you get: High-resolution 360-degree tour, interior and exterior views
8. Buckingham Palace: Royal State Rooms
The King’s official London residence isn’t exactly open house, but you can take an armchair tour of Buckingham Palace and see the State Rooms used for official occasions.
The White Drawing Room, Throne Room and Grand Staircase are ridiculously opulent, even on a screen.
What you get: State room tours, architectural details, royal collection pieces
9. Hampton Court Palace: Henry VIII’s Home
If you’ve read Hilary Mantel’s books, you’ll already be familiar with Hampton Court Palace. Built in the 16th century, it was home to Henry VIII and is one of Europe’s finest royal palaces.
The virtual tour is an 8-minute video narrated by a Yeoman of the Guard, starting in the courtyard before moving inside. There’s also a free online course on royal fashion history if you want to go deeper.
What you get: Narrated video tour, historical context, online course access
10. Tower of London: Educational Resources
Visiting the Tower of London is a must-do if you are in town. Sadly, the virtual tour of the Tower of London is no longer available. However, it does have a selection of excellent educational materials on its website.
What you get: Historical articles, educational content, collection information
Why Virtual Tours of London Still Work
These virtual London experiences vary wildly in quality. Some are basically just photo galleries with fancy navigation, while others genuinely make you feel like you’re there.
The best thing about exploring from home? No crowds, no queues and you can move at your own pace. Plus, you get access to spaces like 10 Downing Street that are normally completely off-limits.
The downside? You miss the scale and atmosphere of actually standing in these spaces. Photos of the British Museum’s Great Court don’t capture how it feels to look up at that glass roof.
Still, for trip planning, armchair travel or just satisfying your curiosity, these tours do the job.
About Bridget
Bridget Coleman is a Londoner who has been a passionate traveller for more than 30 years. She has visited 70+ countries, most as a solo traveller.
Articles on this site reflect her first-hand experiences.
To get in touch, email her at hello@theflashpacker.net or follow her on social media.