This is a sponsored article on behalf of the Art Fund.
If you love culture then a National Art Pass is something you need in your life. London is full of great museums, galleries and exhibitions; but the costs can soon stack up.
A National Art Pass grants you discounted or free access to lots of wonderful cultural locations. But if you need convincing here's some reasons why a National Art Pass may be perfect for you:
1. Blockbuster exhibitions for half price
This autumn features some great exhibitions in London and the pass grants you 50% off the ticket price. Our top tips include Picasso's portraits at National Portrait Gallery, Beyond Caravaggio at The National Gallery and the excellent 'Real to Reel: A Century of War Movies' at Imperial War Museum.
2. Discover London's museums
We've explored lots of London and even we haven't made it to all of London's museums. A National Art Pass provides free entry to hundreds of museums and galleries including hidden gems like 2 Willow Road, The Fan Museum and The Cartoon Museum.
3. Visit those major attractions
A National Art Pass grants you half price entry to London attractions such as HMS Belfast and Benjamin Franklin House — two famous landmarks that many Londoners have walked past but never ventured in. And if you're looking to get off the beaten path then visit Strawberry Hill House for half price too, it's a favourite of ours.
4. Get all stately and palatial
We may not live in Apsley House or Kensington Palace but it doesn't stop us wandering around these venues wishing we did. A National Art Pass means you can get free entry to these venues and many more so you can enjoy them at any time of the year.
5. Save on gifts and coffee
So the visit to the museum is over and now it's time to grab a keepsake and relax with a nice cup of tea or coffee. The pass has us covered again with discounts including 10% off at the William Morris Gallery shop and cafe. Let's face it, coffee tastes better when it's been discounted.
6. Make it to Frieze this year
Frieze London is a place to be seen and to see a huge array of art. Better yet, National Art Pass holders get 25% off the ticket price. Plus there's a handy free app to guide us around the sculpture park. We've used the app the last few years and it's an excellent way to engage with some eye catching artworks. It'll be available on the iPhone App Store or Google Play from 4 October.
7. Download the app to help find the best places to visit
What if we're after some off the cuff culture? That's where the free Art Guide app comes in — plus, it can tell you which locations are close by and what level of discount the user is entitled to. Perfect for when the urge strikes to visit one of our many museums and galleries.
It's great for longer term planning too as it allows you to set reminders, create a wishlist of where you'd like to visit and it handily syncs across multiple devices.
8. Receive a high quality arts magazine
Once a quarter a glossy magazine, handily titled Art Quarterly, arrives for all pass holders filled with everything that you need to know about the latest exhibitions, museum openings and more. The magazine covers all the great work Art Fund is doing in helping museums and galleries buy and display important works of art, and there are interviews with top tier artists.
9. Wellbeing and Mindfulness
We all live busy and chaotic lives, but a museum gives us the chance to relax, slow down and learn something new — a time to reflect and pause. And where better to do this than Bethlem Museum of the Mind and The Freud Museum, two cerebral museums that focus on the mind and how we think.
10. Feel good about yourself
Art Fund helps buy works for the nation, so we can continue to enjoy them. It's helped buy both Van Dyck's Self-portrait and Yinka Shonibare's Ship in a Bottle, and most recently the Armada Portrait of Elizabeth I, on display at Queen's House in Greenwich from 11 October.
Buy your National Art Pass today for £62 (or just £46.50 if you're paying by Direct Debit).
