Being a culture vulture doesn't have to be expensive. In almost every city you'll find plenty of free museums to keep you entertained for no cost at all. We round up some of the best museums in the world that you won’t need your wallet for.

America’s capital is full of free museums for cheap days out, but the highlight is the Smithsonian. It's actually the world’s largest museum complex, with 19 different museums and galleries.

The most notable free museums within the complex are the Air and Space Museum, the American History Museum and the Natural History Museum.

New Zealand’s national museum, Te Papa Tongarewa, is home to a range of collections showcasing historical objects, fossils and thousands of animal specimens. It's home to the world's largest colossal squid and has artificial caves, native bushes and wetland areas.

The National Museum of China sees around five million visitors a year come through its doors. Sitting opposite the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, it focuses on Chinese history and culture and ranks among the largest modern museums in the world.

This hub for car lovers hosts a collection of almost 250 British cars (there are also motorcycles and bicycles for fans of the two-wheeled variety) that archives almost 150 years of the UK automotive industry.

Inside, you'll find all manner of vehicle, including two of the world's fastest cars. There's also a land speed record simulator for those who fancy a more hands-on experience.

The views from LA’s Getty Center make it well worth the trip, not to mention the art inside and landscaped gardens around the back.

On display is everything from 19th-century European paintings to sculptures and photography.

Entrance to the MAMAC has been free since 2008. It’s well known for its collections of Yves Klein and Andy Warhol, and has an incredible rooftop with views across the city.

Lording over London’s famous Trafalgar Square, the National Gallery houses almost 2,500 paintings dating from the mid-13th century to the beginning of the 20th century.

Around five million people swing by the museum every year, both tourists and locals, to admire the likes of Van Gogh’s Sunflowers and Cézanne’s Bathers.

Fashionistas will feel right at home in the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), with three exhibition galleries and rotating permanent collections. It’s totally free to visit the gallery, as well as some lectures, panel discussions and tours.

This is undoubtedly a must-go museum for anybody who loves football. It was originally in Lancashire, but moved to Manchester in 2012, where it now holds a vast collection of football memorabilia such as trophies, kits and historic photographs.

Sydney's oldest museum drips with history, holding the largest collection of antiquities in the Southern Hemisphere. The museum has grown immensely in size since its early days in 1860 when it was a small private collection of curiosities. It now comprises around 30,000 artefacts from Egypt to Italy.

The flagship museum for Korean history and art, the NMK welcomes almost four million visitors a year.

As well as being the largest museum in South Korea, it is also one of the largest in Asia, with exhibitions on ancient and medieval history, sculptures and calligraphy.

The Science Museum is another of London's most popular attractions and holds a collection of over 300,000 scientific artefacts, such as the first jet engine, some of the earliest steam engines and a documentation of the first typewriter.

Most recently, the museum acquired astronaut Tim Peake's landing craft from his first space mission.

Although there are plenty of free activities to keep you busy in Edinburgh, the National Museum is a great retreat for a rainy day. Some of the most notable objects on display include a gigantic whale skull and a life-sized model of a T-rex skeleton.

If there is one thing London does well, it’s free museums. The British Museum opened in 1759 and was the first national museum to open to the public anywhere in the world.

It holds collections dedicated to human history, art and culture, with one of the world's largest permanent collections that documents the story of human culture over existence. It is now one of the most visited museums on the planet with around six million people walking through its doors each year.

Madrid’s Museo Nacional del Prado is the main Spanish art museum and home to a large collection of European art dating back to the 12th century.

It’s recognised as the best collection of Spanish art, and holds around 7,600 paintings, 1,000 sculptures, 4,800 prints and thousands of historic documents. While there's a cover charge for peak times, it's free from 6-8pm on Monday through Saturday, and 5-7pm on Sundays.

Berlin’s Daimler Collection holds almost 2,000 pieces of art and design from artists all over the world. Located in central Berlin, it's inside the famous Haus Huth on Potsdamer Platz, which is one of the only buildings in the area to have survived WWII virtually untouched.

Established over 130 years ago, London's Natural History Museum is the third most popular museum in the world, with over five million people exploring its exhibits each year.

The museum focuses on a range of life and earth science specimens throughout human history, and is particularly famous for its exhibition of dinosaur skeletons (as well as its incredible architecture).

This museum is devoted entirely to Japanese advertising, ranging from the Edo period (17th century) to present day. There are ancient woodblock prints and summer fans, as well as old newspaper adverts, neon signs and TV and radio commercials.

Part of the Tate Group, the Tate Modern is the UK’s national gallery of modern art from across the world.

Anywhere between five and six million people visit the gallery each year and it has recently been extended to cater for more international art, with a particular focus on pieces by women.

Even if you're not keen on the art, it's worth calling at the Tate to witness this beautiful view of St Paul's Cathedral.

In the heart of Manhattan sits ‘the Met’ – the largest art museum in the United States. Six million people come here annually to admire the permanent collection of global art, from Egypt to America.