the home of science, arts and inspiration

What's On

'Winter Warmer' Online Talks

Various dates
6.30pm - 7.30pm
The Royal Parks
Map
Visit Website

Talks organized by the Royal Parks- Each month offers a new theme and explores a variety of topics from hidden parts of the parks to learning more about the fantastic heritage and wildlife within the parks.

100 years of Theatre and Performance at the V&A

Opens 1st June
V&A
Map

In 1924, the V&A accepted a donation of over 80,000 playbills, programmes, and ephemera from Gabrielle Enthoven, which kicked off the museum’s collecting of theatre and performance and has since evolved into the internationally renowned and recognised National Collection of Performing Arts

A Future Podcast: Talking Culture

Online
Goethe-Institut
Map
Visit Website

Talking Culture is a platform for thought-provoking discussions about the future of Europe, the UK, and the world. In this edition, artist Natalie Taylor, architecture & design collective Urban Radicals and landscape architect Adam Harris talk together about their "SouthKenGreenTrail" installations.

A Night of Comedy

19th March
7.30pm
Royal Albert Hall
Map
Visit Website

The legendary Night Of Comedy will be back at the Royal Albert Hall with host Kevin Bridges, sets from Rob Beckett, Paul Chowdhry, Joe Lycett, Joanne McNally and Seann Walsh.

Image credit: © 3s Architects & Designers

A Taste of Germany

Daily
Stein's Berlin
Visit Website

Combine a German film, language lesson or a visit to the library at the Goethe-Institut London with a visit to Stein’s Berlin restaurant. The restaurant offers a journey through all of Germany's kitchen in a well-designed contemporary and cosy atmosphere.

Adventures Babies

Various Dates
Various Times
Natural History Museum
Map
Visit Website

Delight the little ones with this sensory storytelling class at the Natural History Museum. Take part in a host of activities designed specifically to engage babies and encourage their development.

Ainu Stories: Contemporary Lives by the Saru River

16th Nov - 21st Apr
10am - 8pm
Japan House London
Map
Visit Website

Experience Ainu culture as it exists today in the southern Hokkaido region of Biratori in the UK's first exploration of the contemporary lives of this indigenous people of northern Japan.

Akira

Tue-Sat
Lunch 12-3pm; Afternoon Tea 2:30-4:30pm; Dinner 6pm-11pm
Japan House London
Map
Visit Website

The Japanese restaurant, Akira, is on the first floor of Japan House London. Named The restaurant presents an authentic Japanese dining experience based on Akira’s ‘trinity of cooking’ principles – food, tableware and presentation. AKIRA is now offering a takeaway service.

Albert Memorial

Daily
Kensington Gardens
Map
Visit Website

Located in Kensington Gardens, it is one of London's most ornate ornaments. Unveiled in 1872, The Albert Memorial commemorates the death of Prince Albert, Queen Victoria's husband, who died of typhoid fever at the age of 42. Public tours are available.

Image credit: Christoph Liedtke

And finally... The Natural History Museum scientists described a record 815 new species in 2023

Natural History Museum
Map
Visit Website

In 2023, scientists at the Natural History Museum achieved a remarkable feat by describing a record-breaking 815 new species. Understanding and documenting these new species are vital components in the efforts to protect, preserve, and reverse declines in biodiversity worldwide.

Andreas Dresen: Rabiye Kurnaz vs. George W. Bush

26th March
7pm
Goethe-Institut
Map
Visit Website

Rabiye Kurnaz can't believe it when her son is imprisoned on suspicion of being an Islamist terrorist. The Turkish mother from Bremen leaves no stone unturned to get her son released. Andreas Dresen tells the real-life story of long-term Guantánamo detainee Murat Kurnaz from the point of view of his mother and does so with a fantastic female lead.

Art Deco Fashion

Daily: 10am-5:45pm - Friday: 10am–10pm
V&A
Map
Visit Website

Distinct, elegant and vivid in colour, items from the V&A's fashion collections reveal the relationship between Art Deco design and the clothing and jewellery of the 1920s and 1930s. Jeanne Lanvin's 1930s beautiful evening dresses were the epitome of Art Deco elegance, combining simple, fluid forms with severe geometry. Immerse yourself in a bygone era!

Asia

Daily: 10am-5:45pm - Friday: 10am–10pm
V&A
Map
Visit Website

The Victoria and Albert Museum's Asian collections include objects from East Asia, South and South-East Asia, and the Middle East. They are rich in a broad range of artistic media and illustrate many different aspects of religious, courtly and everyday life.

Atmosphere

Open Daily
10am-6pm
Science Museum
Map
Visit Website
Free

The Atmosphere gallery is an exciting place to make sense of the climate—the science of how it works, what it’s doing now and what it might do next. Uncover the secrets of ice cores and stalagmites, then head for the future to wonder at the latest ideas for a low-carbon life.

Image credit: 1962 Barbie Dream House c. Mattel, Inc.

Barbie: The exhibition

5th July 2024 - 23 Feb 2025
10am - 5pm
Design Museum Kensington
Map
Visit Website

Tickets are now on sale! Opening to coincide with the 65th anniversary of the Barbie brand in 2024, the exhibition will map the Barbie legacy that started in 1959. It will explore the story of Barbie through a design lens, including fashion, architecture, furniture and vehicle design.

BBC World Service: The Engineers

Royal Commission for the Exhibition 1851
Map
Visit Website

Each summer, the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851 holds an Albertopolis event in partnership with the BBC World Service bringing together three ground-breaking engineers and a public audience.

Beetle-mania

Online
The Royal Parks
Map
Visit Website
Free Online

Learn about insect body parts by looking at the uk’s largest invertebrate: the stag beetle! Rebuild the beetle by drawing its pieces in the correct places. Suitable for ages 5-11.

Beguiling Beni: Safflower Red in Japanese Fashion

Until 31st March
10am-5:45pm
V&A
Map
Visit Website

The Japanese dye 'beni', made from safflower petals, produces red hues and an iridescent green. This display reveals its many uses in fashion, from heel-less shoes by Noritaka Tatehana, to textiles, cosmetics and ukiyo-e woodblock prints.

Behind the Scenes Tour: Spirit Collection

Daily
11am, 3pm
Natural History Museum
Map
Visit Website

Go behind the scenes with our knowledgeable science educators for a look at the Museum's fascinating zoology collection preserved in spirit.

Bibliothèque Quentin Blake

Daily
10am-9.30pm
Institut français
Map
Visit Website

The children's library has reopened providing children with easy access to a wide range of interactive resources.

Birds: Brilliant and Bizarre

24th May - 5th Jan
10am - 5.50pm
Natural History Museum
Map
Visit Website

Just announced! Birds: Brilliant and Bizarre explores the world of birds like never before. From surviving the mass extinction that wiped out all the other dinosaurs to their remarkable evolution into more than 11,000 species.

Blyth Gallery

Open Daily
9am-9pm
Imperial College London
Map
Visit Website

The Blyth Gallery, curated by Mindy Lee, is an artist-run space for creative exploration of ambitious visual projects. Exhibitions include Imperial College students and staff shows, exhibitions of postgraduate Fine Art student work and work by visiting professional artists.

Board games workshop

28th March
4pm
Institut français
Map
Visit Website

Join Institut Francais for Board games workshops every last Thursday of the month! Come with your children for a time of fun and games !

Boating on the Serpentine

Daily except Nov- March (Wed - Sun)
From 10am (closing times vary)
Hyde Park
Map
Visit Website

Head to the Serpentine Bar & Kitchen to hire a boat over the summer. Recognised as one of the most famous boating spots in London, Hyde Park is the perfect place to take in the scenery, enjoy an ice cream and float down the Serpentine in the middle of the park.