Bank of England Museum

The Bank of England Museum, located within the Bank of England in the City of London, is home to a collection of diverse items relating to the history of the Bank and the UK economy from the Bank’s foundation in 1694 to the present day. The museum is open to the public, free of charge.

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!

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.

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 #GoldVaultSelfieOpens in a new window in our ‘gold corridor’. In our Banknote Gallery find out how banknotes have changed over time.

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.

Show all timings
  • Monday10:00 - 17:00
  • Tuesday10:00 - 17:00
  • Wednesday10:00 - 17:00
  • Thursday10:00 - 17:00
  • Friday10:00 - 17:00
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