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Great exhibitions in South Kensington

South Kensington has some great exhibitions to enjoy. Marvel at stunning photography, be inspired by fashion, see one of the world's largest dinosaurs, or explore the worldwide effort to develop vaccines at pandemic speed.

V&A Photography Centre: drop-in tours

Until 25th Nov
2:30pm-3pm
V&A South Kensington
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The V&A Photography Centre is the largest space in the UK dedicated to a permanent photography collection. Join a member of the Photography Team to explore the Centre’s current displays.

Image credit: Blooms_B6 — Criss Cross collection by Bethan Laura Wood, Italy, 2013

PLATFORM: Bethan Laura Wood

14th Feb- Jan 2026
10am-6pm
Design Museum
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Wood is a multi-disciplinary designer whose work is characterised by material investigation, artisan collaboration and a passion for colour, detail and decoration.

Image credit: Blooms_B6 — Criss Cross collection by Bethan Laura Wood, Italy, 2013

More Than Human

6 June – 5 October 2025
10am-6pm
Design Museum
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A major exhibition bringing together art, science and radical thinking to ask how design can help our planet thrive by shifting its focus beyond human needs.

Image credit: Blooms_B6 — Criss Cross collection by Bethan Laura Wood, Italy, 2013

Splash! A Century of Swimming and Style

28 March – 17 August 2025
10am-6pm
Design Museum
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Blitz: the club that shaped the 80s

19 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.

Wes Anderson: The Exhibition

21 Nov 2025 – 4 May 2026
10am-6pm
Design Museum
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The first retrospective exhibition of the work of film director Wes Anderson will follow the evolution of his films from his first experiments in the 90s, up to his recent, Oscar-winning frescoes.

Nature Study: Ecology and the Contemporary Photobook

Until 18th May 2025
10am-6pm
V&A South Kensington
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Landscape, flora and fauna have inspired photographers since the camera’s earliest days. Contemporary artists continue to experiment with the format of the book to adapt to the pressing challenges of our environment today.

Speculations on Capture

4th Sept-23rd Feb 2025
10am -5:30pm
V&A South Kensington
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Allahyari’s poetic film explores the stories of astronomical instruments made in Iran and Pakistan and now held at the V&A.

Africa Rising North Kensington Creative Take Over

3rd Nov
11am-5:30pm
V&A South Kensington
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The V&A South Kensington welcomes the North Kensington community to join them for a day of immersive and creative activities, talks, tours, design workshops with a Global African flavour,

Saturday Talks: Chris Bayley on Lauren Halsey: emajendat

30th Nov
12pm
Serpentine
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Chris Bayley, Exhibitions Curator, leads a tour of Lauren Halsey: emajendat. The exhibition transforms Serpentine South Gallery into an immersive ‘Funk garden’.

Victoria's Childhood Christmas

4th Dec-5th Jan 2025
10am-6pm
Kensington Palace
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Step into the home of Princess Victoria and experience the magical atmosphere of a Regency Christmas, brought back to life at Kensington Palace.

Assembly: Abraham Cruzvillegas and Celeste

5th Oct - 30th Nov
11am to 5pm
The Royal Society of Sculptors
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Assembly, a joint exhibition of Abraham Cruzvillegas and the artist duo Celeste (María Fernanda Camarena and Gabriel Rosas Alemán) is now open at Dora House, the home of the Royal Society of Sculptors.

Enchanted Bodies

6th Nov- 12th Dec
10am- 5pm
Imperial College London
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A group drawing, painting, photography and sculpture exhibition at Imperial's South Kensington Campus. Open to all and free to visit.

Versailles: Science and Splendour

12th Dec- 21st April 2025
10am-6pm
Science Museum
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Discover how the Palace of Versailles used science as a tool of power in this illuminating new exhibition.

Fables for our Time

Open now
10am-6pm
Design Museum
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Fables for our Time is a triptych of stories about environmental urgencies, that uses folktales and a new collection of emoji to examine humanity’s relationship with the natural environment.

Image credit: Surrounded, 1996 © Tim Burton

The World of Tim Burton

25th Oct- 21st April 2025
10am - 6:00pm
Design Museum
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Delve into the fantastical world of Tim Burton in this major exhibition exploring his remarkable creations and key collaborations with designers.

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.

Cartier

12th April- 16th Nov 2025
10am - 5:45pm
V&A South Kensington
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A major exhibition featuring more than 350 objects, charting the evolution of Cartier's legacy of art, design and craftsmanship since the turn of the 20th century.

Image credit: Antoinetta, 2005 by Manolo Blahnik

Marie Antoinette Style

20th Sept 2025 - 22nd March 2026
10am - 5:45pm
V&A South Kensington
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A complex fashion icon, Marie Antoinette's timeless appeal is defined by her style, youth and notoriety. Explore the lasting influence of the most fashionable (and ill-fated) queen in history.

Looks Delicious! Exploring Japan’s Food Replica Culture

2nd Oct- 16th Feb 2025
10am- 8pm
Japan House London
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Take a mouth-watering journey through the uniquely Japanese phenomenon of shokuhin sanpuru – the unexpectedly realistic food replicas displayed in front of restaurants across Japan.

Enthoven Unboxed: 100 Years of Collecting Performance

14th Sept 2024- 4th Jan 2026
10am - 5:45pm
V&A South Kensington
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Marking 100 years since Gabrielle Enthoven founded the theatre and performance collection, explore an A–Z of themes to show how performance continues to entertain, provoke and inspire

Visions of Nature: A Mixed Reality Experience

Opens 24th Oct
10am-5pm
Natural History Museum
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Equipped with a mixed reality headset, be transported a century into the future to explore what could lie ahead for the planet.