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The home of science, arts and inspiration
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'Tis the Season
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas in South Ken… and there’s no better place to get into the festive spirit. Museum shops are bursting with unique gifts, limited-edition treats, and one-of-a-kind stocking fillers. And if you’re after something that lasts beyond the holidays, a museum membership makes a thoughtful, year-round gift of inspiration.
There’s plenty to enjoy beyond the gift hunt too. From The Nutcracker at the Royal Albert Hall and a roaring Dino Disco at the Natural History Museum, to Japan House London’s new free exhibition Hyakkō: 100+ Makers from Japan - perfect for breaking up your Christmas shopping.
As 2025 wraps up, we’ve also snuck in a few highlights to look forward to in 2026, including a fantastic new series of Films in Concert at the Royal Albert Hall and a fresh wave of exciting exhibitions across South Kensington.
Thanks for joining us this year - we can’t wait to share more South Kensington magic with you in 2026.
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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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| Last chance to enter! 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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| 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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| The Nutcracker |
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Royal Albert Hall
29th-31st Dec 12pm, 2pm, 4pm & 7pm |
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| It’s not Christmas without The Nutcracker! Birmingham Royal Ballet's enchanting production, featuring Tchaikovsky’s glorious score, is a sparkling festive treat for the whole family. |
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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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| Dino Disco for Kids |
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Natural History Museum
19th Dec 7pm-9pm |
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| What could be better than a dino disco? Join the Museum 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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| Christmas Late Opening |
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Science Museum
12th Dec 5:15pm-10pm |
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| Join the Museum for awe-inspiring shows, festive treats and, of course, Christmas shopping. |
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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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| New Year’s Eve: Party at the Museum |
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Natural History Museum
31st December 8pm-1:30am |
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| 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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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
10th 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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| Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art |
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V&A South Kensington
21st March – 1 November 2026 10am-6pm |
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| Tickets on sale now! The UK’s first exhibition on Elsa Schiaparelli spans the 1920s to today, celebrating the innovative designer's influence. It traces the fashion house’s groundbreaking origins and its evolution under current creative director Daniel Roseberry. |
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| Friendship Matinee: Carols at the Royal Albert Hall |
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Royal Albert Hall
21st Dec 11am |
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| Join the Hall this Christmas for a Friendship Matinee of Carols. This delightful programme of timeless classics and contemporary carols will undoubtedly get you in the festive spirit! Tickets only £5! |
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| 2001: A Space Odyssey unrestored 70mm (U) |
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Science Museum
23rd Dec 9.15pm |
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| Experience Stanley Kubrick's Academy Award-winning masterpiece in glorious IMAX 70mm this winter. |
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| London Community Gospel Choir at Christmas |
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Royal Albert Hall
16th Dec 7:30pm |
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| The London Community Gospel Choir are back with their annual festive party. Expect Christmas tunes and gospel classics, plus a host of special guests. |
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| Imperial Lates: Happiness and Health |
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Imperial College London
29th Jan 6pm-9pm |
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| Beat the winter blues and start 2026 afresh with an evening of science, music and fun for your body and mind. This event is free! |
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| Kids Tour: The Young Explorers |
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Natural History Museum
12th Dec 3pm |
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| This fun, interactive tour is packed with stories, activities and surprises for young explorers. Prepare to discover a world of dinosaurs, giant mammals and much more. |
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| dRMM: Building from Forests |
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V&A South Kensington
25 Nov 2025 - 30th Oct 2026 10am-5:30pm |
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| What if the design and construction of buildings were shaped by local, climate-resilient, mixed-species forest? |
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| Power Up Evening Session |
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Science Museum
12th Dec From 7pm |
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| The museum's sell-out adults-only Power Up evening sessions return this autumn with an out-of-this-world twist. |
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| Hook |
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Institut français
13th Dec 12:50pm |
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| When a forgotten old-time enemy, Captain Hook, kidnaps Peter Banning's two children, he is forced to dig back into his childhood and fly to Neverland. Will he be able to remember what youthfulness is and that his name is actually Peter Pan? |
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| Lunchtime Lectures: Pop Art and Beyond- A History of Screenprints |
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V&A South Kensington
8th Jan 1pm-2pm |
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| In this free talk, Gill Saunders, author of Screenprints: A History, will explain the process and its origins, and introduce some of the finest works in the medium by names such as Andy Warhol, Bridget Riley and Damien Hirst. |
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| An Evening with Harland Miller |
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Design Museum
20th Jan 7pm-8:20pm |
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| Join celebrated artist and author Harland Miller in conversation with the Design Museum’s Director Tim Marlow. |
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| Make it: Trinket Trays |
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V&A South Kensington
10th-24th Jan 11am-4pm |
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| Experimenting with style, colour and texture from the Rococo period, you will be able to hand-build your own trinket box or tray using Porcelain clay. |
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Image credit: © Madeleine Famurew
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| Workshop: Make a Needle Felted Animal |
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Design Museum
7th Feb 10am or 2pm |
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| Inspired by handmade puppets in director Wes Anderson’s films, create your own felted character using sustainable materials. |
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| Cinema Film Screening - Konrad Wolf: Stars |
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Goethe-Institut
21st Jan 7pm |
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| Winner of the Special Jury Prize at Cannes in 1959, Stars - the first German film to directly confront the persecution of Jews - finds poetic imagery to explore inaction and complicity, hope and resistance. |
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| La La Land in Concert (12A) 2026 |
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Royal Albert Hall
31st Dec 2026 1:00pm & 5:30pm |
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| Just announced! Revisit the 2016 Academy Award® winning Lionsgate film, La La Land, starring Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone, written and directed by Damien Chazelle, in a swoon-worthy live concert experience. |
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| David Hockney |
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Serpentine
12th March - 23rd August 2026 10am-6pm |
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| Presented at Serpentine North, the exhibition will showcase seminal works, shown in the UK for the first time. This event is free! |
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| Take part in Kensington and Chelsea’s Budget Consultation |
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The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea have asked us to share this important information with residents:
Kensington and Chelsea Council is facing an £82 million budget cut over the next four years due to the Government’s Fairer Funding Review. The loss of Government funding and rising costs of delivering services means the Council needs to look at every area of spend and find savings.
The Council is doing whatever it can to protect essential services and continue supporting those most in need, but the Council will need to make some difficult decisions.
Share your views in the Council’s budget consultation by Friday 9th January 2026. |
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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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