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Christmas in South Kensington

Bring your family and friends to South Kensington for a magical festive treat. From Christmas carols, seasonal movies and more at the Royal Albert Hall to wild rides, ice skating & ice slides at Hyde Park Winter Wonderland,  and fantastic exhibitions, films and events for all your festive fun.

Christmas at the Royal Albert Hall

Royal Albert Hall
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Find out what's on at London's most iconic music venue this Christmas! A feast of entertainment with all the trimmings!

Image credit: © Victoria and Albert Museum, London

V&A trail: Christmas

V&A South Kensington
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Take the museums family trail to uncover Christmassy highlights in their collection.

Natural History Museum Christmas Gift Shop

Natural History Museum
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Go wild with the dinosaur decorations this year! Look out for the T. rex on skis, the Stegosaurus in a bobble hat and the Triceratops tree topper to top it all off. As for decorating yourself and the kids, there is also festive knitwear!

Hyde Park Winter Wonderland

14th Nov - 1st January
Hyde Park
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The ultimate destination for festive fun is back with over 150 rides and attractions for visitors of all ages to enjoy.

Carols at the Royal Albert Hall

14th - 24th Dec
Various times
Royal Albert Hall
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Christmas isn’t complete without carols at the Royal Albert Hall. Join the Hall for 15 magical performances over six days, featuring a mix of traditional and modern festive favourites.

Design Museum Shop Christmas Gift Guide

Design Museum
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Channel your inner interior designer and transform your space into a winter wonderland with classic and contemporary decorations from all the wonderful designs that are on offer at the Design Museum Shop this Christmas!

Family Trails at the Science Museum

Science Museum
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Go on a journey of discovery and exploration around the Science Museum.

V&A trail: Explore as a family

Daily: 10am-5:45pm - Friday: 10am–10pm
V&A South Kensington
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Are you ready to go on an adventure? This trail takes you on a journey through V&A galleries, exploring some of the incredible cultures and traditions you can see. You will discover objects that are hundreds of years old, uncover secret meanings behind animals and colour in art, and learn about some of the wonders of the museum, from an emperor's throne to dragons, from plaster casts to wigs!

Wonderlab

Daily
10am - 5.30pm
Science Museum
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At this interactive gallery, discover the beauty of the science and math that shape our everyday lives. This unmissable experience will ignite your curiosity, fuel your imagination, and inspire you to see the world in new and exciting ways.

Power Up

10am - 5.30pm
Science Museum
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Immerse yourself in this hands-on gaming zone, featuring the very best video games and consoles from the past 50 years. From Pong to Pacman and Minecraft to Mario, there’s something for everyone, whether you’re a retro games fan, a serious gamer or just want to beat your family at Mario Kart.

IMAX: The Ronson Theatre

Daily
Varies
Science Museum
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Experience this fully immersive IMAX, on one of the biggest cinema screens in the UK. With an IMAX laser 4k projector and an IMAX 70mm film projector, this experience is great for all cinema lovers. Regularly showing are scientific documentaries and the latest blockbuster releases.

Christmas 2025

Opens 1st Dec
Various times
V&A South Kensington
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Experience the magic of Christmas at the V&A South Kensington with a month of spectacular displays, installations, family activities, film screenings, performances and more.

Storytelling with Santa

1st-21st Dec
Various times
Natural History Museum
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Join Santa as he shares a magical Christmas story filled with surprises and cheer, perfect for little ones and grown-ups alike.

The Nutcracker

29th-31st Dec
12pm, 2pm, 4pm & 7pm
Royal Albert Hall
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It’s not Christmas without The Nutcracker! Birmingham Royal Ballet's enchanting production, featuring Tchaikovsky’s glorious score, is a sparkling festive treat for the whole family.

Image credit: © Jamie Smart

Wildlife Photographer of the Year

17th Oct - 12th July 2026
10am-6pm
Natural History Museum
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Pause, reflect and reconnect with the natural world through images that celebrate nature’s awe-inspiring beauty and urge us to protect it. Now in its sixth decade, the exhibition sees photographers from across the globe set out to document nature’s most incredible moments.

Blitz: the club that shaped the 80s

20 Sept 2025 — 29 March 2026
10am-6pm
Design Museum
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Delve into the music, fashion, and design stories that shaped Blitz – the club, the people, and the movement that transformed 1980s London style.

Future of Food

24th July-4th Jan 2026
10am-6pm
Science Museum
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A free exhibition examining how science can help us find more sustainable ways to grow and produce, purchase and cook, eat and enjoy food to help protect the planet.

Places to Eat

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If you are planning a day out in South Kensington, there are lots of delicious places to eat or enjoy a drink both inside and outside depending on the weather. From cafes, bars, afternoon tea to indoor picnic areas - there is plenty of choice!

Image credit: ‘Rebirth’ Garments. Sandra Oviedo (a.k.a.) Colectivo Multipolar

Design and Disability

7th June 2025- 15th Feb 2026
10am - 5:45pm
V&A South Kensington
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Both a celebration and a call to action, this exhibition showcases the radical contributors of disabled, Deaf, and neurodiverse people and communities to design history and contemporary culture. Tickets are now on sale.

Give the gift of a Science Museum experience

Science Museum
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This festive season, what could be a more perfect present than an unforgettable live experience where your family and friends can create lifelong memories?

Victoria’s Seaside Christmas

3rd Dec - 4th Jan
10am-6pm
Kensington Palace
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Discover Victoria’s Seaside Christmas this festive period at Kensington Palace. Join the future Queen Victoria and her family as they spend Christmas in the seaside town of Ramsgate, Kent.

Marcel Santa and the Little Pizza Delivery Man

14th-21st Dec
Various times
Institut français
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Christmas Eve, somewhere in a gray suburb, a young daydreaming pizza delivery boy named Abdou, meets the real Father Christmas, whose name is Marcel.

Friendship Matinee: Carols at the Royal Albert Hall

21st Dec
11am
Royal Albert Hall
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Join the Hall this Christmas for a Friendship Matinee of Carols. This delightful programme of timeless classics and contemporary carols will undoubtedly get you in the festive spirit! Tickets only £5!