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Free Events in South Kensington

Discover an unforgettable day in South Kensington with our guide to free events. Delve into guided tours through galleries, embark on self-led walks, immerse yourself in our new series of Lates events, explore captivating free displays, and journey through miles of galleries showcasing art, science, design, natural history, and beyond. 

Blyth Gallery Retrospective

Until 31st July 2026
9 am - 5 pm
Imperial College London
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Photographs looking back through the past 20 years of exhibitions installed in the Blyth Gallery.

Star Trek Warp Trail

Until 8th Sept 2026
10 am - 6 pm
Science Museum
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Calling all Starfleet recruits! Discover iconic Star Trek objects and outfits across the Science Museum in this free trail.

Fixing Our Broken Planet: Generation Hope

23rd - 26th Apr
Times vary
Natural History Museum
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Join the Natural History Museum to explore how you can help shape a better future for people and the planet. Connect with scientists, youth climate activists, creatives, and policy and business experts through talks, tours, and workshops.

Crafts on Peel presents: Creative Cross-Pollination: The Future of Crafts

11th - 17th May 2026
Times vary
The Royal Society of Sculptors
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Crafts on Peel brings to you three events that celebrate Hong Kong crafts: an exhibition, a panel discussion and a material discovery and craft demonstration, all taking place at the Royal Society of Sculptors.

Open Samstag - Guided Library Tour

Every second Sat of the month
2 pm - 5 pm
Goethe-Institut
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Every second Saturday of the month, the library staff at the Goethe-Institut London offer an introduction to the collection and use of the library. The tour takes place from 2 pm on and lasts around 15 - 20 minutes.

Image credit: © Goethe-Institut London | Anne Tetzlaff

Creating the World of  Wuschel

17th Mar - 31st Jul 2026
Mon - Fri: 10 am - 8.30 pm; Sat: 1 pm - 5 pm
Goethe-Institut
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In this exhibition, visitors are invited into the imaginative world of Axel Scheffler through a series of original illustrations. Known for iconic works such as The Gruffalo and Room on the Broom, Axel reveals his work created for Wuschel auf der Erde.

Design Researchers in Residence: Mineral

Opens June 2026
Mon to Thur: 10 am – 5 pm; Fri to Sun: 10 am – 6 pm
Design Museum
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Discover how this year's Design Researchers in Residence are responding to the theme of ‘mineral’, interrogating the UK's intersecting mineral landscapes.

Friday Late: Lost Queer Venues

24th Apr 2026
6.30 pm - 10 pm
V&A South Kensington
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This Friday Late will celebrate the grassroots collectives and communities creating transient queer utopias in the capital

Royal Photographic Society International Photography Exhibition 166

23rd Mar - 28th Apr
10 am - 5 pm
Royal Geographical Society (with IBG)
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The International Photography Exhibition 166 (IPE) is the world’s longest-running photography exhibition, renowned for showcasing the diversity of contemporary photography from around the world.

The Great Exhibition Road Festival

6th - 7th June 2026
12 pm - 6 pm
Great Exhibition Road Festival
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Join us on 6-7 June 2026 to celebrate science and the arts! Expect a weekend packed with free exciting events for all ages: from hands-on workshops and inspiring talks to immersive performances and art installations.

African & Caribbean Heritage tour: Past Meets Present

Until 12th Dec 2026
3.30 pm - 4.30 pm
V&A South Kensington
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Join volunteer guides as they bring African and Caribbean heritage to life, uncovering powerful narratives that have too often been overlooked.

Future Observatory: Tools for Transition

Sept 2025 - Aug 2026
Design Museum
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In this free display, discover four research projects from across the UK that are driving change in housing, healthcare, local planning and resource management.

Hyakkō: 100+ Makers from Japan

3rd Dec- 10th May 2026
10 am - 8pm
Japan House London
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Involving more than 120 artists, craftspeople and self-taught makers from across Japan, Hyakkō is a celebration of contemporary Japanese craft aesthetics.

John Constable and David Lucas: A Unison of Feeling

On til 14 June
V&A South Kensington
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Marking 250 years since the birth of John Constable, this free display explores his collaboration with printmaker David Lucas in making the English Landscape print series and features Constable’s paintings alongside the prints they inspired.

Photography Now

15th Nov 2025 – 12th Sept 2026
10am-5:30pm
V&A South Kensington
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This free display explores some of today’s most pressing issues through diverse approaches to contemporary image-making.

Fixing Our Broken Planet Gallery

Open daily from 3rd April.
10:00am - 5:50pm
Natural History Museum
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The Museum is excited to finally share Fixing Our Broken Planet, their first new permanent gallery since 2016! Explore the biggest challenges facing the planet and discover science-backed, hopeful solutions that will help us to create a more sustainable world.

Space

Open daily
10am-6pm
Science Museum
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See iconic spacecraft and out-of-this-world objects in the Museum's exciting free gallery.

Lasting Impressions: Women Printmakers 1900 – Now

Closes 27th Sept 2026
Mon to Sun: 10 am - 5.45 pm; Fri: 10 am – 10 pm
V&A South Kensington
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Celebrate the innovative printmaking techniques and bold visions of 25 women printmakers from 1900 – Now. From Käthe Kollwitz to Faith Ringgold, explore the work of artists who have used print to make their own lasting impression. This event is free!

Water Pantanal Fire

6th Feb – 31st May
10 am - 6 pm
Science Museum
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This thought-provoking free photography exhibition reveals the fragile beauty of the Pantanal, the world’s largest wetland, and the threats to its rich wildlife.

Image credit: © David Hockney

David Hockney: A Year in Normandie and Some Other Thoughts about Painting

12th Mar - 23rd Aug 2026
10 am - 6 pm
Serpentine
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Presented at Serpentine North, the exhibition will showcase seminal works, shown in the UK for the first time. This event is free!

Sir Richard Owen: A Natural Legacy

18 July 2025 – 23 July 2026
10am-6pm
Natural History Museum
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In this free display, look at the life of the man whose vision led to the creation of the Natural History Museum. On display for the first time are a selection of his published works and original drawings.

John Madejski Garden & Café

Daily
10am - 5.45pm
V&A South Kensington
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Recharge and cool down in the heart of the V&A. A place for kids to paddle in the courtyard shallow pool or grab a drink while surrounded by summer planting and stunning Victorian architecture.

Dwellings, Rehomed

Until June 2027
Design Museum
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Visit the Design Museum garden and explore a vibrant collection of birdhouses by some of London’s most innovative designers.

American Photographs

Until 16th May 2027
10 am - 6 pm
V&A South Kensington
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Their collection of photography from the United States – one of the largest outside North America – reveals the breadth of the country's photographic traditions and the central role of image-making in American life.