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What's On

The Enchanted Cinema: Ghibli's Forest

27th May
10:30am or 1pm
Royal Albert Hall
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Create a live score to the mysterious bamboo forests and baby turtles of Studio Ghibli’s The Red Turtle (2016) and the fan-favourite cat-bus and flying scenes from My Neighbour Totoro (1988).

The Franklin London – Starhotels Collezione

Daily
The Franklin Hotel
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Set in an elegant Victorian building nestling in the lush beauty of the private Egerton Gardens, The Franklin combines the warmth of a private home with the impeccable service of a luxury hotel. The hotel has recently been refurbished by celebrity designer Anouska Hempel, who created a temple to hospitality.

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.

The Glastonbury Festival Archive

Online
V&A South Kensington
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Explore the Glastonbury Festival Archive at the V&A and find out how you can can add your memories to this eclectic and fascinating resource that documents how the Festival has developed over the past 50 years.

The Global Conference of the Birds

23rd May-1st June
10am-5pm
Ismaili Centre
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Tanzanian artist Shafina Jaffe blends spirituality, nature, and sustainable practice on Tanzanian bark cloth. Jaffer’s work reflects on the soul’s search for truth amid today’s climate crisis.

The Gore London – Starhotels Collezione

Daily
The Gore
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Brimming with Victorian eccentricity, The Gore represents a piece of British history. Since it opened in 1892, in an enviable location among the high-life hotspots of Kensington, it has been celebrated as one of London’s most enchanting hotels.

Image credit: Japan Sumo Association

The Grand Sumo Tournament

15th - 19th Oct 2025
2:00pm & 7:30pm
Royal Albert Hall
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Just announced! Step into a world of ancient rituals, extraordinary strength, and rich tradition as Sumo wrestling, one of the world’s oldest sports, returns to the Royal Albert Hall.

The Great Exhibition Augmented Reality Experience

Online
Hyde Park
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Visit Hyde Park, where the 1851 Great Exhibition was held. Download the free app to see a true-to-size recreation of the Crystal Palace. Explore the site, admire the building's scale and details, and learn about its fascinating history.

The Great Exhibition Virtual Tour

Online
Hyde Park
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Take a virtual tour of the magnificent Crystal Palace and experience its innovative design and beauty. Constructed in 1851, it defined Prince Albert's ambitions to showcase the best of Victoria's reign.

The Great Mughals: Art, Architecture and Opulence

on til 4 May 2025
10am - 5.45pm
V&A South Kensington
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This major exhibition celebrates the extraordinary creative output and internationalist culture of the Golden Age of the Mughal Court (about 1560 – 1660) during the reigns of its most famous emperors: Akbar, Jahangir and Shah Jahan.

The Hair in the Cable

3rd March-25th Aug
9:30am-5:30pm
V&A South Kensington
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A new display by Mimi Ọnụọha. In her ongoing series ‘The Hair In The Cable’, Ọnụọha reframes the cultural and philosophical roots of the internet.

The Italian Gardens

Daily
Kensington Gardens
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The Italian Gardens is a 150-year-old ornamental water garden located on the north side of Kensington Gardens near Lancaster Gate. It is believed to have been created as a gift from Prince Albert to his beloved Queen Victoria.

The K Bar

Daily
The Kensington
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The ambience of The Kensington hotel’s discreet cocktail bar is set by its elegant décor: the oak panels, polished brass accents, mirrored walls and slate floor lend a strong, sophisticated feel that is matched by the creative and classic cocktails mixed by the immaculate staff.

The Kensington

Daily
The Kensington
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Traditional service and Victorian grandeur come together with sleek style and contemporary comfort at the Kensington, in one of London’s most cosmopolitan neighbourhoods. Embrace a sophisticated member’s club vibe, whether over afternoon tea or all day dining in the light, lively drawing rooms, cocktails in the glamorous K Bar.

The King's State Apartments

Wednesday to Sunday
10:30-5pm; last admission 4pm
Kensington Palace
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This is the ideal time to explore Kensington Palace, the birthplace of Queen Victoria and home to young royals for over 300 years. Walk in the footsteps of royalty in Victoria's re-imagined childhood rooms and the magnificent King's State Apartments and Queen's State Apartments.

The Long Time Sessions

Free Online
Ongoing
Serpentine
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A fortnightly online talk series on cultivating care for the world beyond our lifetimes. It brings together leading thinkers and doers from art, culture, philosophy, science, technology, law, finance and politics to take a longer view. Speakers will explore how engaging with the long-term can change the way we act in the short term.

The Milestone

Daily
The Milestone
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Discover old world charm, beautiful rich furnishings, exquisite original arts, outstanding cuisine and an experienced and passionate team. This elegant historic hotel is perfectly located opposite Kensington Palace and Gardens, and close to the Royal Albert Hall. Enjoy Stable’s Bar and the signature ‘Smoking Old Fashioned’, Afternoon Tea in the Park Lounge or dine in Cheneston’s or The Oratory, the stunning original chapel.

The Natural History Museum Gardens

Daily
10am - 5.50pm
Natural History Museum
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Say hello to a full-size Diplodocus grazing in a Jurassic garden, come face-to-face with the earliest mammals and walk in the footsteps of our earliest ancestors. As you explore the grassland, wetland and woodland habitats, experience how nature can thrive in urban spaces. Booking not necessary.

The Natural History Museum's gardens are opening soon!

Opens 18th July
Natural History Museum
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Experience the transformed gardens at the Natural History Museum which will be open this Summer. The new gardens will tell the story of change on our planet over time and allow visitors to explore the museum in new ways!

Image credit: Historic Royal Palaces / Alex Rory Jacobs

The Orangery Restaurant

Daily
10am - 6pm
Kensington Palace
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After major conservation work, the 18th-century Orangery at Kensington Palace has reopened its doors. Visit the iconic restaurant in a stunning setting for an elegant lunch or an indulgent afternoon tea.

The Pelham London – Starhotels Collezione

Daily
The Pelham
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The Pelham is an elegant boutique hotel in the heart of South Kensington. It has the aristocratic atmosphere of a London townhouse and its interiors are a romantic mix of elegant patterns and rich tones, complemented by the warm welcome and flawless service of a noble residence.

The Pleasure of Misuse

30th May - 13th July
Thursday to Sunday, 11am to 5pm
The Royal Society of Sculptors
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This exhibition considers the comedy of mundane objects, cases of accidental or deliberate ‘misuse’ that can afford particularly liberating moments of laughter and joy.

The Queen's State Apartments

Daily
Kensington Palace
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William III and Mary II were crowned as joint monarchs in 1689, after they were invited by Parliament to take the throne in the place of Catholic King James II, Mary’s father. They bought Kensington Palace to become their new home, away from the bustle of Whitehall Palace, and transformed the building into a royal home.

The Raphael Court

Daily
Daily: 10am-5:45pm - Friday: 10am–10pm
V&A South Kensington
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Rediscover the newly refurbished V&A’s Raphael Court - home to the iconic Raphael Cartoons. Commissioned in 1515 by Pope Leo X for the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel, they depict the lives of the apostles, Saint Peter and Saint Paul.