Discover South Kensington - Discover South Kensington

about us our members get in touch privacy policy

Discover South Kensington is an initiative of the Exhibition Road Cultural Group

South Kensington has come alive with exciting pop-up nature hubs and the South Ken Green Trail taking you through the heart of London's cultural district.

top picks

The Great Exhibition Road Festival 2021

Join us for a celebration of science and the arts. Discover the Festival at home with our new exhibition, Fantasies of Exhibition Road, and a year-round digital events programme for all ages, featuring talks, workshops, interviews and more each month.

Discover South Kensington

Online & Onsite times vary

London Design Festival

London Design Festival returns to celebrate and promote London as the design capital of the world. and takes place across the city and South Kensington. The V&A will once again be the hub of the Festival, exploring the challenges of climate change through design through installations, events, tours, and talks..

London Design Festival

18-26 September 2021

Brompton Design District

As one of London Design Festivals' unique districts, Brompton Design District is a destination for inspiration and stimulation; a cluster of global design brands within an ecosystem of fashion shops, local cafes, established restaurants and one of the world's most important cultural quarters - Exhibition Road.

London Design Festival

18-26 September 2021

Fantastic Beasts: The Wonder of Nature

Discover where the real and wizarding worlds intertwine, and how the wonders of the natural world have inspired myths, legends and magical creatures for generations. 

Natural History Museum

17 May - 3 January

Mon-Sun 10am-5:50pm

explore what's here

See all

South Ken Green Trail

From the end of July to mid-October, South Kensington is coming alive with exciting new installations and a green trail for visitors. Pop-up nature hubs and installations created by architects, artists and garden designers will leave you buzzing with new ideas and inspiring visions for a greener future.

Events and exhibitions inspiring action on climate change

As the UK prepares to host COP26, the venues here have a programme of thought-provoking and inspiring events and exhibitions exploring the road to a greener future. Discover pop-up nature hubs and installations created by architects, artists and garden designers on our South Ken Green Trail.

Great Exhibitions

This summer, South Kensington has some great exhibitions without the queues. Marvel at stunning photography, explore the curious worlds of Alice and Wonderland, come face to face with Fantastic Beasts, step into the world of sneakers or find out more about removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

A night out in London

From DJs, films, late night exhibitions, concerts, inspiring talks, immersive performances, sleepovers, Museum Lates, lectures - there is plenty to do here in South Kensington in the evening.

discover more

See all

Win a pair of tickets to see Sneakers Unboxed: Studio to Street at The Design Museum

For all you sneaker lovers, we have a pair of tickets to give away for The Design Museum's current exhibition - Sneakers Unboxed: From Studio to Street. This major exhibition explores one of the most universal design objects, bought and worn by millions of people worldwide every day.

The South Ken Green Trail – welcoming people and nature on Exhibition Road

An algae factory, a nest-like timber mound and giant slices of a decommissioned wind turbine blade form a series of new ‘green interventions’ unveiled on London’s Exhibition Road as part of the South Ken Green Trail.

Historical gardens in South Kensington

170 years ago this month, Prince Albert's sat down in Osbourne House and created his vision for an arts and science district in South Kensington which led to the purchase of 87 acres of land which was an area of orchards, nurseries and market gardens.

South Ken winning teams revealed

The London Festival of Architecture and Discover South Kensington has announced the winning teams in the South Ken Green Trail design competition – a series of three ‘green interventions’ on Exhibition Road creating habitat to support biodiversity and the recovery of London’s arts and science district.

eat, meet & stay

Places to eat

There are plenty of delicious places to eat or enjoy a drink here in South Kensington - from cafes, bars, afternoon tea, cocktails, bars, indoor picnic spots to a weekly Farmer's market.

Places to meet

If you are looking to hire somewhere in South Kensington, London, whether it is for a conference, private party, meeting room, film location or wedding, there are some unique venues to consider. To make it easier to find, we have compiled a list of venues that are available in the area.

Places to stay

The cluster of world-leading cultural and educational organisations in South Kensington makes this a unique place to stay - with the Science Museum, Natural History Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum, Hyde Park and the Royal Albert Hall all within walking distance of each other.

Our Story

About Us

Discover South Kensington is an initiative of the Exhibition Road Cultural Group which brings together the leading cultural and educational organisations to promote innovation and learning. South Kensington is the home of science, arts and inspiration.

South Kensington Timeline

South Kensington has a rich history associated with royalty, arts and sciences. Sometimes known as Albertopolis, London's original cultural quarter is a legacy of the Great Exhibition of 1851 organised by Prince Albert. Find out more about our history through our timeline.

Working Together

We work together to promote and develop innovation and learning in arts and science and make this a great place to visit, work, live and study today and for generations to come.

find your way

Take a tour

One of the best ways to see South Kensington is to explore some of the amazing cultural venues within walking distance from each other. We have put together some suggested itineraries for you to explore – themed around art, science, royal connections, great days out with the kids, exploring the museums and so much more.

Our members

Natural History Museum

Royal Albert Hall

Imperial College London

Royal College of Music

Goethe-Institut

Institut français

Kensington Palace

Royal Geographical Society (with IBG)

The Ismaili Centre

Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea

Westminster City Council

Royal Commission for the Exhibition 1851

South Kensington Estates

The Royal Society of Sculptors

Leighton House Museum

Royal College of Art

Email Address *

First Name

Last Name

I live in South Kensington

I work in South Kensington

Choose one of the below organisations that you work for
(You'll receive a different newsletter if you work for a member organisation)

I study in South Kensington

I visit South Kensington

By submitting this form you agree to us contacting you with marketing information as per our privacy policy.