PalenQ

Could not believe my ears when BBC News last night said enrance to Wetminster Abbey is 20 pounds (in advance) - 22 quid at entry plus 5 pounds if you want to take the next stairs to some recently reopened Gallery above the abbey - wow have not been to London in a while but still shocked at so much to enter a church. don't see where 2 for 1 entry is valid. Wonder why things liken British Museum and other sights are free because of some lottery funds -why Abbey is so so expensive?

The newly reopened Queen's Diamond Jubilee Gallery - off-limits to tourists they say for several hundred years sounds neat:

https://www.westminster-abbey.org/vi...lee-galleries/

https://www.westminster-abbey.org/vi...s-entry-times/

dotheboyshall

The finest view in Europe - Betjeman
British Museum and other national museums and galleries are paid for from taxation, Westminster Abbey is owned by the Church of England

Blenheim Palace for example costs £26, Warner Brothers Studio is £41

That extra fiver is going to be bargain

janisj

PQ -- the last time you visited it was likely free . . .

The Abbey doesn't 'report' to the CofE - it is a Royal Peculiar

Heimdall

Westminster Abbey is, after all, a church, and you can attend services for free:
https://www.westminster-abbey.org/wo...-at-the-abbey/

PalenQ

Yes it was free when I visited during Queen Victoria's day - most churches have 'voluntary' donations and I don't necessarily disagree but 22 pounds seems a bit excessive to enter a church - I know it is much more than a church and needs constant upkeep, etc. 22 pounds is excessive for any attraction - guess poor folks can't see these gems!

hetismij2

12.50GBP for Canterbury and 11GBP (or 16 with the tower) at York. So 22 quid for Westminster doesn't sound too bad, and the general opinion is the extra fiver is the best you will spend in London. All offer discouts for students and fogies.

PalenQ

Why do so few churches on Continent have only voluntary entrance fees - Vatican, France, etc. Guess Catholic Church is so rich and in France government I guess pays. Well at least probably keeps crowds down.

again I could care less just rather surprised at so much - fine with me.

janisj

Pal: >>Yes it was free when I visited during Queen Victoria's day - most churches have 'voluntary' donations and I don't necessarily disagree<<

No -- most do not have volutary donations and haven't for years. They used to, but skinflints seldom donated enough to maintain the fabric of the bldg and repair damage caused by large numbers of visitors.

StCirq

<<Guess Catholic Church is so rich and in France government I guess pays.>>

GUESS should be your nom de plume.

Sassafrass

That cost is really high, but people pay tons of money for all kinds of things like Disney, movies and popcorn, drinks, the latest plastic toy fad, etc., so money to repair and maintain and preserve buildings of major historic and artistic importance is, IMHO, better spent.

Hope Venice decides to charge visitors a daily or weekly tax.

StCirq

The Madame Tussaud's waxwork exibition was 28 quid last time I was in London, ages ago.

Underhill

Anyone can attend a service at no charge. We especially liked Evensong, when we sat in the choir and listened to the beautiful music.

janisj

Mme Tussaud's (which Pal frequently recommends) is £29 on-line and £35 walk up!

PalenQ

Janis don't know the difference between mentioning possibilities and recommending them; no one else ever even mentions them and if they do they are met with a barrage of disdaining comments about them. But yes they could be of interest to say families with teens or anyone really - they are amongst the top few paid tourist attractions in London for some reason, especially with Brits. I always enjoyed my visits to Madame "Too-sods" as Brits say it. But the price seems exorbitant too but I guess not out of line for London that much - charge what the traffic will bear. Kids IMO often need something that is yes perhaps cultural pablum but fun and exciting. Like the London Zoo - OK just another zoo but for younger kids maybe a neat divergence from parade of 'must sights'.

Anyway don't mix up "recommendating with mentioning" something.

Cheers!

Macross

Sorry Pal, you can't win. I didn't pay it last visit. I did not have enough time to justify the cost. I love the going for a service better anyway.

KTtravel

I, too, was surprised at the cost the last time we were there. Since we only had an hour before it closed, we decided it wasn't worth paying the entrance fee (we have been inside several times before.)

LancasterLad

Fresh air costs nothing.....plenty of fresh air attractions in London.

PatrickLondon

You can see how the finances work in the summary financial statements at the end of their annual reports:
https://westminster-abbey.org/media/...eview-2016.pdf

There's no subsidy from the government, Crown Estates or central CofE funding.

Tulips

It's the same price as the London Eye, which you recommend as a 'must' on another thread.

Many museums in London are free, so go there if it offends you to pay to contribute to the upkeep of a historical building.

PalenQ

Not offended just curious as to why and Patrick and others have explained.