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The home of science, arts and inspiration
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Your First Festive Highlights in South Ken
South Kensington is getting into the Christmas spirit, and with Museum Shop Sunday coming up, it’s the perfect time to make your gift shopping a bit more meaningful. This weekend, browse beautifully curated museum shops across South Ken - with exclusive discounts, limited-edition presents, design finds and great stocking fillers. And if you need an easy win, a museum membership makes a brilliant gift that lasts all year.
As we look to the festive season, Carols return to the Royal Albert Hall, the V&A’s Christmas programme opens on 1 December, and Hyde Park Winter Wonderland is now in full swing. There are creative workshops, handy gift-making sessions and museum lates too - from printing your own tote at the V&A to after-hours exploring at Leighton House.
Plus, some great competitions are live: an overnight stay at the Marriott Hotel Kensington with tickets to Leighton House, premiere seats for Cirque du Soleil’s OVO, and cinema tickets for The Ice Tower at the Institut français.
Whether you're shopping, celebrating, or planning December outings, South Kensington is full of festive inspiration.
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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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| Win 2x Tickets to Cirque du Soleil's OVO Premiere at the Royal Albert Hall |
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Royal Albert Hall
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| The critically acclaimed OVO by Cirque du Soleil returns to the Royal Albert Hall in January 2026, and we're offering you the chance to win 2 tickets to the premiere! |
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| Win 2x Tickets to The Ice Tower at the Ciné Lumière |
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Institut français
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| To celebrate the French Film Festival London and the UK release of The Ice Tower, starring Marion Cotillard, we've partnered up with the Institut français to give you the chance to win 2x tickets at the Ciné Lumière! |
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| Christmas Shopping in South Kensington |
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| This festive season, make your Christmas shopping an experience to remember! South Kensington’s iconic museums and galleries are brimming with one-of-a-kind treasures. Gifting a museum membership is a thoughtful way to share access to world-class exhibitions, exclusive events, and year-round inspiration. |
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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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| Print a Tote Bag with Maya Barter |
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V&A South Kensington
5th Dec 5:30pm-9pm |
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| Create your own stencils and print onto a bag to take home. Using ceramic tiles from the V&A collection to inspire you, you will work with artist Maya Barter to create your own tile stencil. This event is free! |
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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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| Christmas 2025 |
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V&A South Kensington
Opens 1st Dec Various times |
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| Experience the magic of Christmas at the V&A South Kensington with a month of spectacular displays, installations, family activities, film screenings, performances and more. |
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| New Year’s Eve: Party at the Museum |
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Natural History Museum
31st December 8pm-1:30am |
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| Tickets now on sale! Prepare your moves to get the earth quaking, get ready to heat up the dancefloor and make meteoric waves into an unforgettable 2026. |
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| Carol singers in the Royal Parks |
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The Royal Parks
6th & 13th Dec Various times |
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| This December, the parks will be welcoming a quartet of carol singers, performing festive favourites and helping to spread the joy of the season. |
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| Cirque du Soleil's OVO |
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Royal Albert Hall
9th Jan - 1st March Various times |
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| The bugs are back in town. The critically acclaimed OVO by Cirque du Soleil returns to the Royal Albert Hall in January 2026. An exhilarating experience for the whole family, the classic is back and better than ever. |
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| Christmas Late Opening |
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Science Museum
12th Dec 5:15pm-10pm |
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| Join us for awe-inspiring shows, festive treats and, of course, Christmas shopping. |
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| Paper Poinsettias with Carta & Wood |
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V&A South Kensington
13th Dec 10:30am-4:30pm |
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| Join Claire, paper artist and founder of CARTA & WOOD for a festive 90-minute workshop inspired by the decorative new exhibition Marie Antionette Style. |
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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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| 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'. With an extra festive flavour, brought by the RBKC Choir and Luc Sebastian will be playing the piano and singing Christmas carols throughout the evening. |
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| Marcel Santa and the Little Pizza Delivery Man |
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Institut français
14th-21st Dec Various times |
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| Christmas Eve, somewhere in a gray suburb, a young daydreaming pizza delivery boy named Abdou, meets the real Father Christmas, whose name is Marcel. |
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| 10 Minute Portraits with Rachel Sale |
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V&A South Kensington
5th Dec 5:30-9pm |
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| Join the Museum in the Cafe for Live Drawing with models. You will have 10 minutes to draw a portrait, and you can even volunteer to be a model yourself! |
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| Lord of the Flies |
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Institut français
30th Nov-16th Dec Various times |
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| Amidst a nuclear war, a plane carrying a group of schoolboys crash lands on a deserted island. With no adult survivors, the boys are forced to fend for themselves. |
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| Tim Peake: Celebrating 10 Years Since Blast Off |
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Science Museum
14th Dec Various times |
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| Join us for a day of exciting free activities to celebrate the 10th anniversary of astronaut Tim Peake’s mission to the International Space Station. Look out for Tim Peake, who will be at the museum all day! |
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| Dino Disco for Kids |
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Natural History Museum
19th Dec 7am-9pm |
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| What could be better than a dino disco? Join us for the best party in town! Bring along the kids, show off your Jurassic jive and listen to your favourite tunes at our family-friendly headphone disco. |
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| Design Baby |
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V&A South Kensington
3rd Dec 11am-2pm |
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| Play with unusual and experimental materials and mix them up with your little ones! Explore the space and sensory areas. Share your experience with other families and create new connections. This event is free! |
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| Christmas quiz: London |
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Royal Geographical Society (with IBG)
18th Dec 7.30pm-10.00pm |
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| Get ready for a holly, jolly evening filled with festive cheer and brain-teasing fun at our Christmas quiz organised by the London regional committee! |
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| Distilling moments: Tea demonstration with maker Ichikawa Takashi. |
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Japan House London
6th Dec 3pm-4pm |
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| Step into the quaint and quiet world of Ichikawa Takashi, one of more than 120 of artists and makers featured in Hyakkō: 100+ Makers from Japan, to celebrate the exhibition opening. This event is free! |
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| Harry Potter And The Philosopher’s Stone™ In Concert (PG) |
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Royal Albert Hall
25th-27th Sept 2026 Various times |
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| Tickets now on sale! Watch the film on a giant HD screen and experience every unforgettable moment - from the wand choosing the wizard to the chaos of a troll in the dungeon, as you reunite once more with Harry, Ron and Hermione in their first adventure. |
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| Konrad Wolf: Divided Heaven |
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Goethe-Institut
6th-12th Dec 7pm |
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| Based on Christa Wolf’s breakthrough novel, Konrad Wolf’s 1964 Nouvelle Vague influenced film is an ambitious and artfully composed response to the construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961, conveyed through the poignant unraveling of a couple’s love. |
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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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