Discover South Kensington - Discover South Kensington

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

The cultural venues in South Kensington are opening their doors and welcoming back visitors. To visit our museums, don't forget to book your free ticket in advance. There are also lots of fantastic events continuing online.

This summer South Kensington is going green with a new outdoor trail that will focus on support biodiversity and the recovery of London's arts and science district. More details to follow....

Welcome to London's home of science, arts and inspiration. Discovery is at the core of what happens here and there is so much to explore every day.

top picks

Charlotte Perriand: The Modern Life

Discover one of the great furniture designers and architects of the twentieth century whose work was often overshadowed by her male peers, such as Le Corbusier and Jean Prouvé.

Design Museum Kensington

Sat 19 June - Sun 5 Sept

Serpentine Pavilion

The 20th Serpentine Pavilion has been designed by Counterspace, an all-woman Johannesburg-based practice. The Pavilion's varying scale of design reflect London's past and present - its places of meeting, organising and belonging. From the intimacy of restaurants and bookshops to markets and places of worship.

11 June – 17 October 2021

Tue-Sun 10am - 6pm

Wildlife Photographer of the Year

Explore some of the world's richest habitats, see fascinating animal behaviour and get to know some extraordinary species. Go deeper and discover the surprising - and often challenging - stories behind the images during a time of environmental crisis.

Natural History Museum

17 May - 1 August 2021

Monday-Sunday 10am-5:50pm

Glastonbury Weekender

Traverse 50 years of Glastonbury's festival history through sights, sounds, and stories. The Glastonbury Weekender explores the legacy and impact of the Festival with a dynamic programme of free events responding to the Festival archive.

Opening Fri 25 June 2021

Online & Onsite times vary

explore what's here

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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.

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.

Explore Online

As our cultural venues start to reopen, we still have a fantastic assortment of online events and activities to keep you entertained. Here are some teasers to entice.

Fun for Kids online

You don't have to go far to find fun things to do. Whatever you enjoy doing, we've got something that will inspire and excite you - music, science, arts, performance, film and loads more!

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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.

Win a pair of tickets to see Van Gogh Alive in Kensington Gardens

We have a pair of tickets to give away to see Van Gogh Alive - ‘the world’s most visited immersive, multi-sensory experience’ that exhibits the life and work of the seminal Dutch artist. which will be hosted in Kensington Gardens over the summer.

Summer in South Kensington

This summer we are looking forward to welcoming visitors back to London’s home of science, arts, and inspiration. There are some fantastic events to enjoy over the coming months and we have put together some of the highlights.

Prince Albert and The Great Exhibition

The story of South Kensington begins with the ‘Exhibition of the Works and Industry of all Nations’, otherwise known as the Great Exhibition, which took place opened on 1st May 1851. - 170 years ago. It was the brainchild of Prince Albert and his colleague Henry Cole. Read more.

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

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