Discover South Kensington - Discover South Kensington

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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

Summer Exhibition 2021 Shape & Form

The 2021 Summer Exhibition has been curated by Sigrid Kirk, inspired by the possibility of a new exuberant era for the arts. Drawing a parallel between the 1920s and 2020s, Sigrid looks to the years following World War I and the 1918 flu pandemic as inspiration for a manic flight into sociability.

The Royal Society of Sculptors

Until Sunday 19 September

Weekdays 11am - 5pm; Saturday 12-5pm

Family fun at the Science Museum

Rediscover some amazing galleries and more. Whether you're a space enthusiast or a codebreaking expert, choose a family trail to guide you around our inspiring free galleries this summer. You can also explore their programme of free family activities including storytelling sessions and interactive shows.

Wednesday-Sunday

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

Sneakers Unboxed: Studio to Street

Know your Air Jordans from your Air Force 1s? Step up and discover the footwear phenomenon that has challenged performance design, inspired new subcultures and shaken the world of fashion

Design Museum Kensington

On until 24th Oct

9.30am-6pm (Sun-Thur) 9.30am-9pm (Fri-Sat)

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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.

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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.

How to get here while South Ken station is closed

Over the next few months, there will be several planned closures at South Kensington Tube Station. We have all the dates and details to help you plan ahead.

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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