Art

Housed in an 1897 building (originally a library), the Camden Arts Centre has been featuring works from famous and aspiring contemporary artists since the 1960s (with a face-lift in 2004), all of which you can see for free. On Wednesday nights the galleries are open until 9 p.m.

The free Chisenhale Gallery has 2,500 square feet of contemporary art space, and features four or five artists' exhibitions each year. Past works on display include those by Emma Kay, Nick Crowe, and Dan Perfect.

Explore the 18th-century Hogarth's House on Great West Road in London. Painter and satirist William Hogarth (1697-1764) lived in this house from 1749 until his death 15 years later. The house is now a free museum and features the most extensive permanent collection of his prints. One of his most famous prints, Gin Lane (1751), hangs here along with The Four Stages of Cruelty (1751). Although the House is currently closed, it will re-open in early spring 2009.

It's impossible to see all 330,000 pieces at the National Portrait Gallery at one time, but the museum's free admission is a good excuse to go back again and again. See classic portraits of Queen Elizabeth I, 207 portraits of Queen Victoria, 38 portraits of Paul McCartney, and 44 portraits of Diana, Princess of Wales.

The Tate Britain houses British works from 1500 to the present. Admire works by Thomas Gainsborough (1727-1788), William Blake (1757-1827), George Mason (1818-1872), and Francis Bacon (1909-1992). Best of all, visitors can see them all for free. Check out "Late at Tate" on the first Friday of every month, when the gallery is open until 10 p.m. (free), and admission to special exhibitions is half price. Plus, peruse the Tate Modern's free collection of world-class contemporary masterpieces—including works by Picasso, Matisse, Dalí, Miro, Pollock, and Warhol.

Explore over 3,000 years of art and design at the Victoria and Albert Museum. Check out the museum's historical fashion collection, dollhouses from the 16th century, 2,000-year-old textiles, and over 500,000 photographs. The V&A is free and open every day, and stays open late (10 p.m.) on Friday nights.