The Science Museum requires a pre-booked free general admission ticket. Its free Space gallery displays Apollo 10 and Soyuz spacecraft together, offering a concrete comparison of space travel. Wonderlab and other separately ticketed experiences are not covered by free general entry.

It beats IWM London for our preference for invention and exploration on a first trip. Tate Modern ranks higher for artistic discovery. Engineering fans can move it much higher. Build your visit around free galleries, then decide whether an optional paid experience suits your budget.

Sources: Visit · Highlights.

Photo: Ank Kumar · CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized/compressed; license retained.