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The home of science, arts and inspiration
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Image credit: Ice Edge Journey © Bertie Gregory, Wildlife Photographer of the Year |
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Your November Guide to South Kensington
The clocks have gone back and the nights are drawing in - but South Kensington is glowing with creativity. Whether you’re chasing cosy inspiration indoors or discovering something new after dark, there’s plenty to lift your spirits this November.
Don’t forget - it’s your last chance to see Dress Codes at Kensington Palace before it closes at the end of the month, ahead of the exciting reveal of their next exhibition, The Last Princesses of Punjab.
And if you haven’t yet caught Kurt Cobain: Unplugged at the Royal College of Music, now’s your moment! The exhibition is coming to a close, with a special evening of electronic hybrid music by RCM composers inspired by Cobain’s enduring legacy marking the finale.
So don’t let the darker days slow you down - wrap up, head out, and let South Kensington light up your November.
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| Win a night at the Marriott Hotel Kensington and a visit to Leighton House & Sambourne House |
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| Enter for a chance to win an overnight stay for two at the stylish London Marriott Hotel Kensington complete with breakfast, plus two tickets to explore Leighton House and Sambourne House. |
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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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| This landmark retrospective is the first major museum exhibition devoted to Wes Anderson’s extensive and distinctive cinematic output. |
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| Dress Codes |
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Kensington Palace
On until 30th Nov 10am-4pm |
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| Last chance to see! Explore the codes and conventions of royal clothing, and the powerful impact fashion can make when boundaries are pushed and dress codes evolve. |
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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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| Cherishing Your Diasporic Photo Stories: Interpret, Preserve, Archive |
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V&A South Kensington
22nd Nov 2pm-4pm |
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| Don't miss this rare opportunity to acquire the basic skills to take care of your photographs and related stories with independent and creative archivist Cassia Clarke. |
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| Sofia Coppola’s Photography Bookshelf |
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V&A South Kensington
Until 22nd March 2026 10am-5:45pm |
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| Photography books delight and inspire filmmaker Sofia Coppola. For this display, she personally selected her favourite volumes. Visitors can turn their pages, immersing themselves in images that have helped shape Coppola's singular vision. |
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| Hyakkō: 100+ Makers from Japan |
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Japan House London
3rd Dec- 10th May 10am-8pm |
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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. |
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| Victoria’s Seaside Christmas |
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Kensington Palace
3rd Dec - 4th Jan 10am-6pm |
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| Discover Victoria’s Seaside Christmas this festive period at Kensington Palace. Join the future Queen Victoria and her family as they spend Christmas in the seaside town of Ramsgate, Kent. |
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| Kurt Cobain Unplugged |
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Royal College of Music
3rd June - 18th Nov 2025 11am-4pm |
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| Experience rock history up close – see Kurt Cobain’s legendary Martin guitar on display for the first time in Europe. Reunited with his famous green cardigan from the MTV Unplugged performance, this exhibition celebrates the enduring influence of Kurt Cobain and Nirvana. |
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| The Last Princesses of Punjab |
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Kensington Palace
Opening 26 March 2026 10am-6pm |
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| 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. |
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| Epic achievement: 11 traits of history’s boldest achievers - Brad Borkan |
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Royal Geographical Society (with IBG)
17th Nov 2:30pm-3:45pm |
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| For the past decade, author Brad Borkan explored the lives of extraordinary individuals who shaped the last two centuries in some way. In this entertaining talk, Brad reveals the 11 common traits that propelled these figures to greatness. This event is free! |
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| French Film Festival London 2025 |
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Institut français
12th–23rd Nov Various times |
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| With many UK premieres, the selection showcases the variety of voices, forms and budgets that altogether represent the wealth and diversity of French cinema production. |
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| Hunger Games: Catching Fire (12A) 70mm |
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Science Museum
11th Feb 2026 7:15pm |
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| Relive the unforgettable sequel to The Hunger Games in stunning IMAX 70mm at the Science Museum. |
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| Wildlife Photographer of the Year with the Royal College of Music |
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Royal College of Music
21st Nov 6pm |
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| See the world through a new lens as RCM composers present innovative compositions inspired by a selection of images from the Natural History Museum’s 2025 Wildlife Photographer of the Year. |
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| Kurt Cobain Unplugged: Closing Concert |
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Royal College of Music
18th Nov 6pm |
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| Experience an evening of electronic hybrid music by RCM composers, inspired by the legacy of Kurt Cobain. |
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| Ackroyd & Harvey: Beuys’ Acorns - The Prelude & The Planting |
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Goethe-Institut
20th Nov 6:30pm |
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| Guest speakers Heather Ackroyd and Dan Harvey have been collaborating as an artistic duo since 1990 and over these recent decades have made a name for themselves as pioneers of activism through their artistic practice. |
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| Darbar Festival: Yogabliss with Kanwal Ahluwalia |
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Royal Albert Hall
29th Nov 10am |
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| Take a holistic journey of movement and melody all set to the sounds of live Indian classical music. This 60-minute hatha yoga class will build strength and balance, relieve stress, support wellbeing and centre the mind. |
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| Friday Late: Radical Kinship |
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V&A South Kensington
28th Nov 6:30pm-10pm |
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| Experience how artists and thinkers subvert the way we move, sense and co-create. Immerse yourselves in radical, interactive spaces, exploring diverse narratives around connections, rhythms and access. This event is free! |
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| Family Fun: Drawing from Life |
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Leighton House and Sambourne House
6th Dec 11am-12:30pm & 2:30pm-4pm |
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| Join us for a special family-friendly life drawing workshop to mark International Day of Persons with Disabilities. Only £5! |
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| An Evening with Charlie Mackesy |
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V&A South Kensington
2nd Dec 7pm-8:345pm |
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| Join Charlie Mackesy, beloved author and illustrator of the best-selling book ‘The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse’, for an uplifting evening of stories, conversation and live drawing. |
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Image credit: © DEFA-Stiftung, Werner Bergmann
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| Konrad Wolf: I was 19 |
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Goethe-Institut
15th & 22nd Nov 7pm |
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| Widely regarded as Konrad Wolf’s most significant and autobiographical film- and a landmark of postwar German cinema-I was 19 traces the experiences of a German-born soldier in the Soviet army as it approaches Berlin in the final days of World War II. |
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| The Costume House: The Inside Story of Cosprop |
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V&A South Kensington
27th Nov 7pm - 8:45pm |
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| From 'A Room with a View' to 'Game of Thrones', Cosprop has dressed some of the most celebrated film and television series of the past six decades. Learn about the history of Cosprop and its enduring influence on costume design and filmmaking. |
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Image credit: If, 2025 © Harland Miller. Photo © White Cube (Theo Christelis)
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| Harland Miller at the Design Museum |
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Design Museum
1oth Dec - 25th Jan 10am-5pm |
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| A new display showcasing monumental paintings by internationally acclaimed artist Harland Miller, including brand-new works specially created for the exhibition. |
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Image credit: © Madeleine Famurewa
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| Workshop: Make a Felted Christmas Decoration |
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Design Museum
6th Dec 10am– 12:30pm or 1:30pm – 4pm |
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| Inspired by the handmade puppets in Wes Anderson’s films and by Christmas decorations, create your own felted figure in this hands-on workshop. Design and make your own figure using wool and scrap fabrics. |
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| Storytelling with Santa |
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Natural History Museum
1st-21st Dec Various times |
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| Join Santa as he shares a magical Christmas story filled with surprises and cheer, perfect for little ones and grown-ups alike. |
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| Family Fun (5-10yrs): Drawing from Life |
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Leighton House and Sambourne House
6th Dec 11am-12:30pm & 2:30pm-4pm |
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| In this clothed, life-drawing class, children and parents will be invited to celebrate disability and difference through creative exploration, guided drawing prompts, and meaningful conversations. |
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| The View from Here: Contemporary Art from the Middle East and North Africa |
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Leighton House and Sambourne House
11th Oct - 1st March 2026 10am–5:30pm |
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| 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. |
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| Upstart: Careers in Fashion |
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V&A South Kensington
15th Nov 10.30am – 4.30pm |
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| Try free drop-in design workshops, digital design, careers fair exclusive talks from designers and fashion professionals, Illustration trails, open studios, showcases and networking. |
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| Workshop: Make Festive Paper Streamers with Bethan Laura Wood |
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Design Museum
14th Dec 11am-3pm |
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| Join designer Bethan Laura Wood as she guides you in creating swaying festive streamers from laminated paper pieces, inspired by seaweed and kites. |
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| Kurt Cobain's Plectrum Prize Draw |
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Royal College of Music
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| Enter now for your chance to win Kurt Cobain’s plectrum, used for the 1993 MTV Unplugged performance, and own a piece of rock history. |
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| Chestertons Coat Drive |
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| Chestertons, South Kensington |
We’re helping our local Chestertons branch collect as many coats as possible for those who need them most.
Your donation could make a real difference.
Bring your gently used coats and jackets to the Chestertons South Kensington branch by 22nd November and help someone in need. |
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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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