Open Monday to Friday, 10am to 5pm (last entry 4.30pm)
Free, no booking needed
Open late every third Thursday of the month, until 8pm (last entry 7.30pm). Closed Bank Holidays and weekends.
What treasures await?
On your visit, you’ll explore the history of the Bank of England and what it does today. Learn about why people started using paper money, and discover the secrets of why banknotes are so difficult to copy. Test your strength by picking up a gold bar, and discover why our building is on top of one the world's largest stores of gold!
Don’t forget to check out our temporary exhibitions and events on your visit.
Learn about the Bank of England and money
Learn what the Bank of England does and how this affects you. Find out how we work to keep prices stable (the cost of things like food, televisions and train tickets). Discover how we ensure that the financial system is safe and sound.
At the heart of our museum is the Stock Office. This is what the inside of the Bank of England would have looked like 200 hundred years ago.
See gold and banknotes
In our Modern Economy room, find out why there are 400,000 gold bars in the Bank of England’s underground vaults. In our Rotunda room try to lift a real gold bar for yourself.
And take a #GoldVaultSelfie in our ‘gold corridor’.
In our Banknote Gallery find out how banknotes have changed over time.
Discover history, architecture and banknote design
Travel through 300 years of history in our Early Years and Rotunda rooms. Discover the events and people that have shaped the Bank of England over the centuries.
Learn about the Bank of England’s historic buildings and banknote design.
Map
Audio guides
Explore our collection with your Smartphone. We offer three free audio-guides to our museum through Smartify:
Each tour lasts 15 to 30 minutes. QR codes are available in the museum to launch the tour from the internet browser of your mobile phone (no app needed). Or begin your journey at home by clicking on the links above.
If possible, please bring your own headphones.
Want to know more? Visit our Plan your visit page for frequently asked questions, directions, and more.
This page was last updated 03 July 2025