Free museums may now slap entry fees on millions of tourists under hotly debated proposal

Margaret Hodge, a former Labour Party member of Parliament, submitted an independent review of the Arts Council England that suggests reform and addresses funding shortfalls by employing a new financial push - which the government has agreed to explore.

"The government believes charging international visitors at national museums could provide significant benefits," the response notes.

As numerous reports have noted, charging foreigners a fee for U.K. museum visitation could present challenges, as there is currently no legal requirement to carry an ID - making it difficult to distinguish citizens from non-citizens.

At the end of parliament's session, a "Digital ID scheme" is set to roll out; it would store personal information such as name, date of birth, nationality or residency status, plus a photo.

The implementation of digital IDs could help address the issue of identifying visitors, some reports have noted.

The British Museum, which opened its doors in 1759, was the most visited museum in the U.K. in both 2024 and 2025, with 6.1 million people visiting last year, according to Museum and Heritage.

Maria Balshaw, director of the Tate, expressed thoughts about the notion of charging foreign visitors an entry fee to U.K. museums.