the home of science, arts and inspiration

Free Events in South Kensington

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. 

Bibliothèque Quentin Blake

Daily
10am-9.30pm
Institut français
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The children's library has reopened providing children with easy access to a wide range of interactive resources.

Mathematics: The Winton Gallery

Daily
10am-6pm (last entry 5:15pm)
Science Museum
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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.

Ceramics

Daily: 10am-5:45pm - Friday: 10am–10pm
V&A South Kensington
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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.

Cocoon

Daily
Monday-Sunday 10am-5:50pm (last entry 5pm)
Natural History Museum
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Inside the Cocoon see hundreds of Museum specimens. Marvel at beetles and butterflies, metre-high plants, huge tarantulas and historic herbaria.

The Raphael Court

Daily
Daily: 10am-5:45pm - Friday: 10am–10pm
V&A South Kensington
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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 Museum & Guided Tours

10:15am–5:45pm
Royal College of Music
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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.

Tomorrow's World

Daily
10am-5:45pm
Science Museum
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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.

Theatre & Performence

Daily
Daily: 10am-5:45pm - Friday: 10am–10pm
V&A South Kensington
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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...

V&A free tours & talks

Daily: 10am-5:45pm - Friday: 10am–10pm
V&A South Kensington
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Get closer to the Museum and its incredible collections with our wide range of free or paid-for bespoke tours.

Atmosphere

Open Daily
10am-6pm
Science Museum
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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.

Medicine: The Wellcome Galleries

Daily
10-6pm (last entry 5:15pm)
Science Museum
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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

Daily
Open from 11.15 am
Science Museum
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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.

Self-Guided Tours at the Natural History Museum

Daily
10am-5:50pm
Natural History Museum
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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.

Hyde Park Self Guided Walks

All Year Round
Hyde Park
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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.

V&A Photography Centre

Daily: 10am-5:45pm - Friday: 10am–10pm
V&A South Kensington
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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

Open daily
Sun-Thurs 10am-6pm; Fri-Sat 10am-9pm
Design Museum Kensington
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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.

Europe 1600-1815

Daily
Daily: 10am-5:45pm - Friday: 10am–10pm
V&A South Kensington
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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.

Fashion

Daily
V&A South Kensington
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Spanning five centuries, the Fashion collection is the largest and most comprehensive collection of dresses in the world.

The V&A's Glass Collection

Open Daily
Daily: 10am-5:45pm - Friday: 10am–10pm
V&A South Kensington
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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.

V&A Lates

Last Friday of every month
6.30-10pm
V&A South Kensington
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An ever-changing, programme of live performances, fashion, film, installations, debates, special guests and DJs, with bars, food, and late-night exhibition openings.

V&A jewellery collection

Daily: 10am-5:45pm - Friday: 10am–10pm
V&A South Kensington
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One of the finest collections of jewelry in the world - over 3,500 jewels, including pendants given by Queen Elizabeth I.

Mission: Invertebrate

The Royal Parks
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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.

Princess Diana Memorial fountain

Daily
Hyde Park
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A unique fountain memorial to Princess Diana designed to reflect her spirit of life and love of children.

Princess Diana Memorial Playground

Daily
During winter/spring 6am-7:45pm
Kensington Gardens
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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.