We have an abundance of free events in South Kensington for a great day out. From guided tours through the galleries, self-led walks, a new series of Lates events, free displays and miles of galleries covering art, science, design, natural history and so much more.
The collections document current practice and the history of all areas of performing arts in the UK, including drama, dance, opera, circus, puppetry, comedy, musical theatre, costume, set design, pantomime, popular music and much more...
One of the finest collections of jewelry in the world - over 3,500 jewels, including pendants given by Queen Elizabeth I.
Download Mission: Invertebrate's free activities and information sheets to see London’s green spaces in a whole new way. Whether you’re at home, in your local park or one of the incredible Royal Parks, these resources will help you and your family discover fascinating nature on your doorstep.
Local artist, Azarra Amoy, celebrates neurodiverse people and their contribution to the arts and sciences in South Kensington, through a series of colourful kaleidoscopic artworks on Exhibition Road. Azarra uses a kaleidoscopic spectrum of colours to represent the uniqueness of an individual’s neurodiversity.
A unique fountain memorial to Princess Diana designed to reflect her spirit of life and love of children.
Last chance to see the Serpentine Pavilion 2022: Black Chapel - designed by Chicago-based artist Theaster Gates with the architectural support of Adjaye Associates, drawing inspiration from the architectural typologies of chapels and the great kilns of Stoke-on-Trent.
Explore and have a great adventure in the playground with a huge wooden pirate ship which is the centrepiece of the Diana, Princess of Wales' Memorial Playground.
Mathematics is too often perceived as dry and complex, but this new gallery will tell stories that place the subject at the heart of our lives, exploring how mathematicians, their tools and ideas have helped to shape the modern world.
The children's library has reopened providing children with easy access to a wide range of interactive resources.
Visit the V&A's amazing collection of ceramics, first opened in 1868. The galleries include the stunning Ceramic Staircase which was designed by Frank Moody, a master in the Schools of Design, together with his students.
From busting myths about the causes of cancer to exploring how the latest cancer science, early detection technologies, and immunotherapies are advancing cancer care today. This exhibition shows how far we have come in the prevention, detection and treatment of cancer.
Inside the Cocoon see hundreds of Museum specimens. Marvel at beetles and butterflies, metre-high plants, huge tarantulas and historic herbaria.
Rediscover the newly refurbished V&A’s Raphael Court - home to the iconic Raphael Cartoons. Commissioned in 1515 by Pope Leo X for the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel, they depict the lives of the apostles, Saint Peter and Saint Paul.
The Royal College of Music's Museum offers a unique opportunity to interact with over 500 years of musical history. Items include the world’s oldest guitar and earliest keyboard instrument with strings. Enjoy a tour of the Museum, led by their knowledgeable team on Wednesdays at 12:30pm.
How do today’s scientific discoveries shape tomorrow’s world? Get the scoop on the most surprising science stories and the biggest breakthroughs in the Tomorrow's World gallery.
The Science Museum has acquired a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to acquire Professor Stephen Hawking's office - including his personal reference library, innovative wheelchairs and communications equipment, medals, memorabilia and even the office furniture.
Don't miss your chance to see Dippy, the first Diplodocus to go on display anywhere in the world, when it returns to the Museum for a short visit. Now you can see Dippy's memories of UK landscapes and hear how nature inspires different communities.
Get closer to the Museum and its incredible collections with our wide range of free or paid-for bespoke tours.
Discover space firsts such as Sputnik, Yuri Gagarin and the work of Sergei Koralev. Delve into an amazing history, bringing to life objects from our Exploring Space gallery.
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.
Showcasing extraordinary medical artefacts including the world’s first MRI scanner, Fleming’s penicillin mould, a professional pianist’s prosthetic arm and even robotic surgery equipment.
The Garden is an exciting interactive space, created especially for children aged 3–6 and their parents and carers in the basement of the Museum.
Whether you're visiting for the first time or the fiftieth, these tours and free things to do, will take you through the best the Museum has to offer.
Discover the magic of Hyde Park and head on a self-guided walk. All of the activities are guaranteed to get you walking and discovering interesting things about the history, wildlife and horticulture around you.
The Photography Centre at the V&A houses over 600 spellbinding photos including some of the oldest known photographs to modern masters. The Museum began acquiring photographs in 1852, and its collection is now one of the largest and most important in the world.
Designer Maker User, the Design Museum's only permanent exhibition, features almost 1000 items of twentieth and twenty-first century design viewed through the angles of the designer, manufacturer and user, including a crowdsourced wall.
Join one of the V&A's volunteer guides on this free tour and discover the origins of the Museum while learning about the many fascinating treasures held in the V&A’s extensive collection. Every day at 10:30am and 2pm
Showcasing over 1100 objects from the V&A’s collections of 17th- and 18th-century European art and design in a suite of seven galleries.
Spanning five centuries, the Fashion collection is the largest and most comprehensive collection of dresses in the world.
The V&A's glass collection is one of the largest and the most comprehensive in the world, showcasing the development of design and technology in glass-making over 3,500 years. Find the exhibition in rooms 131, 129 and 83-84.
Maurice Broomfield's dramatic photographs captured factories and their workers in an era of rapid transition, depicting the remnants of the industrial revolution alongside emerging technologies.
An ever-changing, programme of live performances, fashion, film, installations, debates, special guests and DJs, with bars, food, and late-night exhibition openings.
Local artist, Azarra Amoy, celebrates neurodiverse people and their contribution to the arts and sciences in South Kensington, through a series of colourful kaleidoscopic artworks on Exhibition Road. Azarra uses a kaleidoscopic spectrum of colours to represent the uniqueness of an individual’s neurodiversity.
One of the greatest city parks in the world covering 142 hectares with over 4,000 trees, a large lake, a meadow and further ornamental flower gardens, all here in the home of London’s arts and science district.
A free event in Exhibition Road hosted by the UK Space Agency to mark the first satellite launch from UK soil, A 72ft life-size replica rocket that will be on display together with a range of free hands-on educational activities hosted by the UK Space Agency, Spaceport Cornwall, Virgin Orbit the Science Museum, Imperial College London & the Natural History Museum.
Drawing on his recent book Expert, Professor Roger Kneebone explores the nature of expert practice and asks how craftspeople, performers, clinicians and scientists can enrich one another’s understanding of the embodied activity on which their work depends. Free, but book ahead.
Discover the fascinating work of women scientists - past & present - who have focused on space, meteorites and planetary materials as you take a guided tour of the first floor Hintze Hall balconies and the Minerals gallery Meet at 'Guy' the Gorilla, Hinze Hall.
For Dear Life will feature the latest works from the ongoing painting installation series, Viscous Worlds (2017-present), Atlas (2020-present) and a selection of solo canvases exemplifying Siopis’ long-term engagement with the notion, ‘the poetics of vulnerability’. Free to visit!
The display showcases key elements of Ilori’s vibrant aesthetic where visitors will discover 100 objects ranging from artworks, photographs and furniture, to textiles, books and personal possessions. The display offers an unprecedented glimpse into Ilori’s use of the power of design to absorb cultural influences and express London’s rich mix of identities.
Invent a character and get creative thinking about where they live, their hopes and dreams, and how they dance, sing and perform their story. Then animate your drawings with easy-to-use animation tools and with a chance to bring your character to life! This free event is drop-in but entry tickets must be booked.
Celebrate Halloween with the little ones and take part in a host of free creepy crawly activities including guessing the gruesome contents of the feely boxes, exploring the eerie nature trail and learning about the brilliant bats in the Royal Parks.
A new free exhibition explores the worldwide effort to develop vaccines at pandemic speed. See how scientists and researchers adapted to the various challenges of this massive programme.
Sainsbury Centre Norwich’s exhibition 'Visions of Ancient Egypt', in partnership with the V&A, explores how artists and designers have looked to Egypt as inspiration for centuries. Co-curator Benjamin Hinson will shine a spotlight on the V&A’s relationship with ancient Egypt. Free, drop-in.
This free display of historic and contemporary images and specimens marks the 150th anniversary of the Challenger expedition - a ground-breaking scientific endeavour to sail around the world and systematically study the oceans for the very first time.
The Society’s new exhibition marking the centenary of the Everest expeditions in the 1920s explores how Captain John Noel’s films shaped the popular image of the mountain while sometimes obscuring the role of local intermediaries.
Discover one major aspect of Japanese craftsmanship in this free exhibition which explores 1,300 years of master woodworking from the densely forested Hida region of Gifu Prefecture in central Japan.
