Autumn Season in South Kensington

As nights draw in, South Kensington is all set for a cracking Autumn Season of music, films, great exhibitions and festivals. 

The first exhibition in the new Sainsbury Gallery opens at the V&A on 30th September - Opera: Passion, Power and Politics. Told through the lens of seven premieres in seven European cities, this immersive exhibition takes you on a journey through nearly 400 years, culminating in the international explosion of opera in the 20th and 21st centuries. Or you can discover how Cristóbal Balenciaga's exquisite craftsmanship and innovative designs shaped modern fashion at Balenciaga: Shaping Fashion.   Take a retrospective of one of the world’s most iconic and influential bands through an audio-visual journey through Pink Floyd's unique and extraordinary worlds - but hurry, Pink Floyd: Their Mortal Remains closes on 15th October.

The London Design Festival returns on 16th - 24th September and the V&A will house a broad range of specially-commissioned installations and displays around the Museum. The Design Museum also have a programme of installations and talks as part of the Festival.  

Opening on 15th November at the Design Museum is a new exhibition to mark the 70th anniversary of the Ferrari - Ferrari: Under the Skin.  A chance to get unprecedented access into the secretive world of car making.

At the Science Museum Illuminating India is a season of exhibitions and events that celebrates India’s contribution to science, technology and mathematics, including film screenings, music and dance performances, conversations with experts and much more. The season kicks off on 4th October.

For the ultimate gaming experience you might like to try Power Up at the Science Museum from 20th - 31st October where you can get competitive with some of the best video games from the last 40 years.

Over at the Natural History Museum Venom: Killer and Cure opens 10th November where you can encounter some of the world's most venomous creatures and discover their surprising connection to human health. Meanwhile if you prefer the beauty and drama of the natural world through the eye of a lens, Wildlife Photographer of the Year opens on 20th October.

Also at the Natural History Museum you can journey beneath the waves to explore the extraordinary lives of whales at Whales: Beneath the Surface. See more than 100 specimens from the Museum's collection on display together for the first time, from parts of a colossal blue whale to a small harbour porpoise.

If you are looking to catch a film the Royal Albert Hall’s Festival of Film returns, celebrating the magic of the movies, while shining a spotlight on cinema’s most stunning scores. At the Institut français the Spanish Film Festival will be showing gripping thrillers, hilarious comedies and debut films from 21st September.

Over at the Serpentine Galleries there are two new exhibitions opening this Autumn - Wade Guyton and Torbjørn Rødland. American artist Wade Guyton uses digital technologies as tools to create both large-scale paintings on linen and smaller compositions on paper. Whereas Torbjørn Rødland creates portraits, still lifes and landscapes, which defamiliarise and disrupt the realm of the everyday.

Kensington Palace is hosting the very popular Diana: Her Fashion Story exhibition which traces the evolution of the Princess’s style, from the demure, romantic outfits of her first public appearances, to the glamour, elegance and confidence of her later life. Allow extra time for queuing during busy times. Complementing the exhibition, the garden has been planted with flowers and foliage, inspired by memories of the Princess’s life, image and style.

To see a more detailed list of what exhibitions are on in South Kensington over the Autumn, click here.