Top 10 free things to do in London

From Telegraph Journal: Top 10 free things to do in London
LONDON - Dinosaurs and Damien Hirst, evensong and observatories - the best things in London life really are free. See the city with this guide from online travel adviser Hotels.com (www.hotels.com) to the top 10 things to do for free in London.

1. Evensong at Westminster Abbey: The pomp and history of Westminster Abbey put it on most visitors' must-see lists, but during the day it can be crowded and expensive. Come at Evensong to catch the church at its best - alive with ceremony and song, and free.

www.westminster-abbey.org home

2. Star-gazing and city views at Greenwich Observatory:

Stand with one leg in the western hemisphere and one in the east - the Prime Meridian runs through Greenwich Observatory in south-east London. The elegant red-brick building is also home to interactive displays, a huge domed telescope and great views.

www.nmm.ac.uk places royal-observatory/

3. Cutting-edge art on First Thursdays: On the first Thursday of every month, a host of East End galleries throw their doors open for free events and exhibitions.

www.firstthursdays.co.uk/

4. Dinosaur Days at the Natural History Museum: An awesome 26-metre skeleton of a Diplodocus gazes down on the armies of families milling round the vaulted entrance hall of the Natural History Museum in Kensington. www.nhm.ac.uk/

5. Archive films at Mediatheque: The long sweep of the South Bank is packed with free things to do - from watching the wild rides of skateboarders to the free exhibitions at the British Film Institute.

www.bfi.org.uk/

6. Legal history at the Inns of Court: When location scouts for movies like Harry Potter want a London location, they head for the Inns of Court in Holborn. www.barcouncil.org.uk about innsofcourt/

7. Wonderful window-shopping at Sotheby's: It's not just buyers who can browse the lots at one of the world's most famous auction houses.

www.sothebys.com

8. An open party invite at Cargo: Free Fridays.

The Cargo club is an unofficial HQ for east London's hipsters - the first stop on any self-respecting Shoreditch night out.

www.cargo-london.com

9. Cockney culture at Columbia Road Flower Market:

A nondescript street in busy Hackney comes alive every Sunday as armies of flower-sellers turn the area into a riot of colour, fragrance and boisterous banter. www.columbiaroad.info/

10. A British master at Tate Britain: Many of the world's most famous artworks are on display for free in London's art galleries.

www.tate.org.uk britain