the home of science, arts and inspiration

Great exhibitions in South Kensington

South Kensington has some great exhibitions to enjoy. Find out how food must change to protect the planet, discover Cartier's legacy of art and design or stop for a drink and experience this year's Serpentine Pavilion, designed by Marina Tabassum, called A Capsule in Time.

V&A Collections: South Asia

Daily
Daily: 10 am- 5.45 pm; Friday: 10 am – 10 pm
V&A South Kensington
Map
Visit Website

The collections from South and South-East Asia comprise nearly 60,000 objects, including about 10,000 textiles and 6,000 paintings covering the Indian subcontinent south of the Himalayas, including India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan.

Behind the Scenes Tour: Spirit Collection

Daily
11 - 11.45 am, 3 - 3.45 pm
Natural History Museum
Map
Visit Website

Go behind the scenes with our knowledgeable science educators for a 45-minute behind-the-scenes tour of the Museum's fascinating zoology collection preserved in spirit.

Suzhou embroidery: the awakening of a 1,000-year tradition

6 - 16 Mar 2026
10 am - 5 pm
Royal Geographical Society (with IBG)
Map
Visit Website

The Last Princesses of Punjab

Opening 26 March 2026
10am-6pm
Kensington Palace
Map
Visit Website

Tickets now on sale! Discover the story of Punjabi princess and suffragette icon, Sophia Duleep Singh and five women who shaped her extraordinary life, in a new exhibition at Kensington Palace for 2026.

John Constable and David Lucas: A Unison of Feeling

On til 14 June
V&A South Kensington
Map
Visit Website

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
Map
Visit Website

This free display explores some of today’s most pressing issues through diverse approaches to contemporary image-making.

The View from Here: Contemporary Art from the Middle East and North Africa

11th Oct - 1st March 2026
10am–5:30pm
Leighton House and Sambourne House
Map
Visit Website

Presented in collaboration with the Oriental Museum, Durham University, this new exhibition showcases emerging creative voices from the MENA region exploring heritage, memory and identity through assemblage and collage.

Ghost Objects: Summoning Leighton's Lost Collection

11th Oct-1st March 2026
10am- 5:30pm
Leighton House and Sambourne House
Map
Visit Website

Four missing objects from Leighton's original collection reappear as life-size paper sculptures, created by celebrated international artist, Annemarieke Kloosterhof.

Leighton House: A Journey through 100 Years

11th Oct - 1st March 2026
10am- 5:30pm
Leighton House and Sambourne House
Map
Visit Website

A free exhibition that charts the museum’s transformation over the course of the last century, featuring never-before-seen archival material and original photographs.

Space

Open daily
10am-6pm
Science Museum
Map
Visit Website

See iconic spacecraft and out-of-this-world objects in the Museum's exciting free gallery.

Peter Doig: House of Music

10th Oct 2025 - 8th Feb 2026
10am-6pm
Serpentine
Map
Visit Website

Serpentine presents a new project by Peter Doig that explores the role of music, film, and sites of communal gathering, listening and creative exchange within his practice.

Lasting Impressions: Women Printmakers 1900 – Now

Opens 27th Sept
V&A South Kensington
Map
Visit Website

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!

Future Observatory: Tools for Transition

Sept 2025 - Aug 2026
Design Museum
Map
Visit Website

In this free display, discover four research projects from across the UK that are driving change in housing, healthcare, local planning and resource management.

Image credit: © Jamie Smart

Wildlife Photographer of the Year

17th Oct - 12th July 2026
10am-6pm
Natural History Museum
Map
Visit Website

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.

David Hockney

12th March - 23rd August 2026
10am-6pm
Serpentine
Map
Visit Website

Presented at Serpentine North, the exhibition will showcase seminal works, shown in the UK for the first time. This event is free!