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October Half Term in South Kensington

Half term in South Kensington is packed with plenty of great events, exhibitions, performances and films to keep the kids entertained - from music, films, drop-in workshops, discovery days and activities at the museums, and so much more!

Design Camp: Digital Character Design for 11 to 14 year olds

31st Oct
10:15am –4:15pm
V&A South Kensington
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Participants will design their own characters with plasticine and then learn how to redesign them using 3D modelling software.

Halloween at the Museum

31st Oct
18:45–23.00
Natural History Museum
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A fright you'll never forget! Calling all fright night fans and museum lovers, join the Natural History Museum after hours this Halloween to explore our spooky side.

BOOST: Family Festival

2nd Nov
11am-4pm
V&A South Kensington
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Pop-up Performance: Mindful Movements

30th Oct- 1st Nov
11am-3:40pm
V&A South Kensington
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Come along to this drawing and movement session inspired by the collection, mindfulness, and our new families mindful activity.

Discovery Days: Hair Raising Halloween

29th-31st Oct
11am-3:30pm
The Royal Parks
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Come and join the Parks and take part in a host of free creepy crawly Autumn and Halloween-themed activities.

Otherworldly: Creating Tim Burton’s Universe

5th Nov
7pm-8:20pm
Design Museum
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Join Tim Burton's collaborators, puppeteers Ian Mackinnon and Pete Saunders, and sound artist Tomi Rose to reflect on their craft and the creation of Burton’s vivid characters and imaginative worlds.

Image credit: 1959 Barbie No. 1 © Mattel, Inc.

Barbie: The exhibition

5th July - 23rd Feb 2025
10am - 5pm
Design Museum
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A major exhibition exploring the design evolution of one of the world’s most famous dolls: Barbie®. Journey into the Barbie universe and discover over 250 remarkable objects, with rare, unique and innovative dolls dating from 1959 to the present day.

A Beautiful Planet 3D (U)

Dates & Times vary
Science Museum
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Experience Earth like never before in a breath-taking portrait of the planet captured from the International Space Station on the biggest screen in Europe. See fantastic images of the Earth from the Space Station and gain a new understanding of how wonderful and unique our planet is.

Go back in time with My Dino Mission AR

Free downloadable app
Natural History Museum
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Combining the latest augmented reality technology with STEM skills, children can recognise a dinosaurs’ species, what it eats, likes and needs to survive. Young explorers can care for and capture fun photos of themselves interacting with their new dinosaur friend in the backdrop of their home or back garden. Age 7-10

V&A trail: Explore as a family

Daily: 10am-5:45pm - Friday: 10am–10pm
V&A South Kensington
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Are you ready to go on an adventure? This trail takes you on a journey through V&A galleries, exploring some of the incredible cultures and traditions you can see. You will discover objects that are hundreds of years old, uncover secret meanings behind animals and colour in art, and learn about some of the wonders of the museum, from an emperor's throne to dragons, from plaster casts to wigs!

IMAX: The Ronson Theatre

Daily
Varies
Science Museum
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Experience this fully immersive IMAX, on one of the biggest cinema screens in the UK. With an IMAX laser 4k projector and an IMAX 70mm film projector, this experience is great for all cinema lovers. Regularly showing are scientific documentaries and the latest blockbuster releases.

Design Camp: Strange Designs for 8 to 11 year olds – Halloween

31st Oct
10am-4pm
Design Museum
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Children will be encouraged to reimagine everyday objects in this creative session, taking inspiration from the exhibition, 'The World of Tim Burton'.

Power Up

10am - 5.30pm
Science Museum
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Immerse yourself in this hands-on gaming zone, featuring the very best video games and consoles from the past 50 years. From Pong to Pacman and Minecraft to Mario, there’s something for everyone, whether you’re a retro games fan, a serious gamer or just want to beat your family at Mario Kart.

Ghostbusters in Concert

26th Oct
7.30pm
Royal Albert Hall
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The beloved ‘80s sci-fi comedy, Ghostbusters, will join the Royal Albert Hall’s Films in Concert series: Watch Ivan Reitman’s original 1984 classic on the big screen at Halloween - all whilst Elmer Bernstein’s famous score is performed live by a full orchestra conducted by Peter Bernstein.

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.

Haunted House at the Sambourne's

31st Oct
6:30pm-8pm
Leighton House and Sambourne House Museum
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Visit Sambourne House after hours for a "spooktacular" evening exploring this Victorian home on All Hallows’ Eve. Treat yourself to a night of intrigue and drama and hear from Mrs Sambourne herself.

Family Fun: Halloween at Sambourne House

28th Oct
2pm-4pm
Leighton House and Sambourne House Museum
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Enjoy some spooky family fun ahead of Halloween in the Victorian family home of the Sambourne's. Enjoy a variety of craft activities and a chance to explore the house following a spooky trail.

The River

26th July - 26th Jan 2025
10am - 4.30pm
Natural History Museum
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This new sound installation by artist Jana Winderen in collaboration with sound specialist Tony Myatt explores the watery depths of the River Thames. It features captivating recordings from an underwater habitat that’s often inaccessible to our ears.

The Garden

Daily
Open 10am- 3:40pm term time, 10am-5:40pm weekends and school holidays
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.

Astronights

Dates and times vary
Science Museum
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If your child has ever wanted to explore the museum after dark, or if the idea of spending the night in one an iconic galleries fills them with excitement, then they’ll love Astronights, a sleepover at the Museum!

Drop-in Design: Crafting with Colours

30th Oct- 1st Nov
11am- 4pm
V&A South Kensington
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Take part in a creative drop in where you can explore mindfulness through art and design.

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.

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.