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The home of science, arts and inspiration
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Half-Term Highlights and Big Giveaways
We’re in the full swing of October half-term, and South Kensington is bursting with things to do! It’s been a exciting few weeks - from watching sumo wrestlers take on South Ken to celebrating the opening of this year’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year at the Natural History Museum (don’t miss your chance to win tickets and a £50 voucher at Comptoir Libanais below!).
There’s something for everyone this week - families can dive into hands-on fun across the museums, from the Natural History Museum’s October Family Festival and the Royal College of Music’s treasure hunt to creative workshops and trails at Leighton House. Meanwhile, grown-ups can look forward to a vibrant line-up of talks, lates and screenings, from Imperial Lates: About Time to the V&A’s Marie Antoinette-inspired Friday Late.
As the festive season approaches, we’ve got an early surprise to get you in the spirit - a chance to win four tickets to Hyde Park Winter Wonderland, London’s ultimate Christmas adventure!
Whether you’re exploring with family, soaking up some art and culture, or planning your next big outing, South Kensington is the perfect spot to make the most of the season.
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| WIN 4 tickets to Hyde Park Winter Wonderland 2025 |
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The Royal Parks
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| The Royal Parks and Discover South Kensington have teamed up to give away 4 tickets to London’s spectacular festive destination. |
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| Win 2x Tickets to Wildlife Photographer of the Year & a £50 Voucher for Comptoir Libanais |
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| Enter for a chance to win an unforgettable day out in South Kensington - explore the breathtaking Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition at the Natural History Museum and enjoy a £50 dining experience at Comptoir Libanais! |
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| October Half Term in South Ken |
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| South Kensington's museums, galleries and cultural spaces are excited to welcome you this half-term with lots of exciting trails, pop-up events, workshops and more to keep the family entertained! There will also be plenty of free events to enjoy! |
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Image credit: © Jamie Smart
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| Wildlife Photographer of the Year |
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Natural History Museum
17th Oct - 12th July 2026 10am-6pm |
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| 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. |
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| Discover Dr Jane Goodall’s scientific journey |
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Science Museum
24 Oct – 24th Nov 10am-6pm |
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| In this new, free display inspired by the work of Roots & Shoots, Dr Goodall’s educational and environmental programme, visitors can follow the late Jane Goodall's journey from a curious child to a world-changing natural scientist. |
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| October Family Festival |
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Natural History Museum
25th Oct- 2nd Nov Various times |
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| Come and enjoy space-themed shows, activities, self-guided trails and much more at the Museum this October half-term. |
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| Sing for Science: The Chemistry of Breaking Bad |
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Natural History Museum
24th Nov 7pm - 9.15pm |
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| Beloved actor Bryan Cranston and our mineralogist Alan Hart explore the surprising intersections between science and storytelling. |
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| Hyde Park Winter Wonderland |
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Hyde Park
14th Nov - 1st January |
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| The ultimate destination for festive fun is back with over 150 rides and attractions for visitors of all ages to enjoy. |
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| GRAND SUMO highlights at Japan House London |
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Japan House London
7th– 23rd Nov 4:30pm- 5pm |
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| Following the sumo takeover of London in October, the wrestlers return to Japan for the November 2025 Grand Sumo Tournament. Watch the action and experience the excitement with a daily screening. |
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| Wes Anderson: The Archives |
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Design Museum
21 Nov 2025 – 4 May 2026 10am-6pm |
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| Tickets now on sale! This landmark retrospective is the first major museum exhibition devoted to Wes Anderson’s extensive and distinctive cinematic output. |
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| Museum Half Term Family Fun |
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Royal College of Music
26th Oct - 2nd Nov |
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| Enjoy a variety of family-friendly activities in the Royal College of Music Museum this half term. Discover and engage with their amazing collections through a treasure hunt in the Museum Gallery! |
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| 100 Years of Leighton House, After-Hours |
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Leighton House and Sambourne House
28th Nov 5:30pm - 8:30pm |
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| Join a festive after-hours exploration of the historic house and the three celebratory exhibitions to mark '100 Years of Leighton House'. |
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| Carols at the Royal Albert Hall |
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Royal Albert Hall
14th - 24th Dec Various times |
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| Christmas isn’t complete without carols at the Royal Albert Hall. Join the Hall for 15 magical performances over six days, featuring a mix of traditional and modern festive favourites. |
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| Family Fun: Storytelling and draw along with Nadine Kaadan |
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Leighton House and Sambourne House
22nd Nov 11am - 12:30pm & 2:30-4pm |
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| Join this fun, imaginative workshop where families will take part in life-drawing activities and draw-along challenges, to co-create a final illustration exploring the meaning of 'peace'. Only £5! |
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| Our Story with David Attenborough |
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Natural History Museum
Open now until Jan 2026 10am - 5:50pm |
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| Our Story with David Attenborough delves into the saga of our species from our earliest beginnings. Sir David draws on a nearly century-long career as he shares his hopes for people and planet. |
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| Ghost Objects: Summoning Leighton's Lost Collection |
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Leighton House and Sambourne House
11th Oct-1st March 2026 10am- 5:30pm |
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| Four missing objects from Leighton's original collection reappear as life-size paper sculptures, created by celebrated international artist, Annemarieke Kloosterhof. |
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| Imperial Lates: About Time |
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Imperial College London
20th Nov 6pm-9pm |
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| Come along to Imperial Lates! Step into a free evening of timely science, art and entertainment exploring the mysteries and mechanics of time: from the birth of the universe to the future of time-saving tech. |
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| Friday Late: Let’s All Have Some Cake |
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V&A South Kensington
31st Oct 6:30pm-10pm |
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| Whether you believe the rumours or not, join the Museum at this FLINTA*-focussed Friday Late to celebrate the lesbian-coded history and symbolism of Marie Antoinette, co-curated with the queer art-rave collective Riposte. |
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| Women Shaping the World |
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Institut français
From 12th Nov Various times |
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| The Institut français addresses the issues and perspectives on women’s rights through a series of events, film screenings and discussions with and about women shaping the world. |
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| Ackroyd & Harvey: The Art of Activism by Fiona Cunningham-Reid |
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Goethe-Institut
14th Nov 7pm |
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| As part of London Art+Climate Week, running parallel to COP30, you are invited to a free screening of Ackroyd & Harvey: The Art of Activism by award winning documentary maker Fiona Cunningham-Reid. |
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| Music for Youth Proms |
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Royal Albert Hall
10th - 11th Nov 7pm |
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| Known for its electric atmosphere and diverse musical performances, each night, over 1000 amazing young musicians perform at the iconic Royal Albert Hall. |
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| Black Joy Day - Marie Antoinette Style and the Afrocentric Wardrobe |
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V&A South Kensington
6th Nov 10:30am-5pm |
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| Marie Antoinette’s image still shapes global culture, yet during her reign, Black elites in France and the Caribbean made vital contributions to the arts, military, politics, and more. Explore how their contributions intersected with her legacy. |
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| Halloween Lates |
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Science Museum
31st Oct 6:45pm-10pm |
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| Join the Museum for a night of spooky science at a very special Lates. Watch the galleries come alive after hours at the Museum's annual Halloween party that you’d be a ghoul to miss. This event is free! |
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| Discovery Days: Hair raising Halloween |
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The Royal Parks
28th - 30th Oct 11am - 3pm |
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| Spook-tacular free family activities! Come and join this October half-term at the Hyde Park Learning Centre for our scarily good Halloween Discovery Days. |
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| Halloween at the Museum |
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Design Museum
20th Oct - 1st Nov |
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| Join us for an afternoon of spooky craft activities, enjoy a special menu offer, browse our shop range, and dress up in 1980s-inspired attire for a late opening of Blitz: the club that shaped the 80s. |
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| Haunted House at the Sambourne's |
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Leighton House and Sambourne House
31 Oct 2025 6:30pm & 7:30pm |
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| Back by popular demand, the "spooktacular" after-hours tours at Sambourne House return for one night only on All Hallows’ Eve. Treat yourself to a night of intrigue and drama and hear from Mrs Sambourne herself, as she tells her guests about all things Victorian. |
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| Peter Doig, House of Music: Sound Service |
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Serpentine
Until Feb 8th Various times |
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| A live programme that activates Peter Doig’s House of Music on Sundays and select weekdays and evenings. |
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| The Fashion Awards 2025 |
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Royal Albert Hall
1st Dec 8pm |
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| The Fashion Awards presented by Pandora brings together a global community in London, the home of fashion creativity, to amplify leaders of change, celebrate excellence in creativity and support the next generation of creative talent. |
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| John Constable and David Lucas: A Unison of Feeling |
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V&A South Kensington
From 15th Nov |
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| Marking 250 years since the birth of John Constable, this 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. This exhibition is free! |
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| UK child poverty: the state we’re in |
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Royal Geographical Society (with IBG)
6th Nov 7.00pm-8.30pm |
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| Join leading experts to explore the geography, causes, and consequences of child poverty in the UK today, and what urgent actions are needed to build a fairer future |
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| Tony Hadley - The Christmas Big Band Tour |
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Royal Albert Hall
2nd Dec 7pm |
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| Join Spandau Ballet's Tony Hadley, for a truly magical evening of Christmas tunes and big band hits. Performing some of his favourite Swing and Big Band songs from a classic era of music. |
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| Apocalypse Now: The Final Cut |
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Institut français
8th Nov 3:30pm |
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| Francis Ford Coppola’s legendary film used Joseph Conrad’s 1899 novella Heart of Darkness as the basis for an epic, hallucinatory fantasia on the Vietnam War. |
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| Lunchtime Lecture: Artefacts or Relics? |
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V&A South Kensington
4th Nov 1pm-2pm |
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| Professor Ahuja will explain how relics are defined in Buddhism, their role in geopolitics, changes in the law, and how these shifts impact museology. This event is free! |
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Image credit: Andy Stagg 2023
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| Café & Restaurant: Friends Of Ours at Serpentine North |
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Serpentine
Tuesday - Sunday 8.30am - 4.30pm |
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| Enjoy brunch, lunch, coffee & drinks at the café and restaurant at Serpentine North. Friends Of Ours offer creative seasonal menus, locally sourced produce and friendly, relaxed service. |
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Discover South Kensington is an initiative of the Exhibition Road Cultural Group, a partnership of the cultural and educational organisations in and around Exhibition Road, South Kensington.
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Our partners include:
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The Design Museum
Goethe-Institut
Imperial College London
Institut franҫais
The Ismaili Centre
Kensington Palace
Natural History Museum
Royal Albert Hall
South Kensington Estates
Royal College of Art
Westminster City Council
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Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
Royal Brompton Hospital
Royal College of Music
Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851
Royal Geographical Society (with IBG)
The Royal Parks
Serpentine Galleries
The Science Museum
V&A South Kensington
The Royal Society of Sculptors
Japan House London
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