the home of science, arts and inspiration

What's On

Places to Eat

Various
Visit Website

If you are planning a day out in South Kensington, there are lots of delicious places to eat or enjoy a drink both inside and outside depending on the weather. From cafes, bars, afternoon tea to indoor picnic areas - there is plenty of choice!

Image credit: Blooms_B6 — Criss Cross collection by Bethan Laura Wood, Italy, 2013

PLATFORM: Bethan Laura Wood

14th Feb- Jan 2026
10am-6pm
Design Museum
Map
Visit Website

Wood is a multi-disciplinary designer whose work is characterised by material investigation, artisan collaboration and a passion for colour, detail and decoration.

PLATFORM: Simone Brewster

13th Feb– Jan 2027
10am-6pm
Design Museum
Map
Visit Website

PLATFORM is an annual display dedicated to showcasing contemporary design practice. Opening in February 2026, the second edition in the series will present the fascinating work of designer Simone Brewster.

Play the Perfect Pot Project Game

Imperial College London
Map
Visit Website

Can beauty be measured? Prof Armand Leroi and his team at Imperial College think so – and they need your help! They’ve devised a game to discover the most beautiful pot shape. Art and Science meet! Play this quick game to take part and help them discover The Perfect Pot!

Power Up

10am - 5.30pm
Science Museum
Map
Visit Website

Immerse yourself in this hands-on gaming zone, featuring the very best video games and consoles from the past 50 years. From Pong to Pacman and Minecraft to Mario, there’s something for everyone, whether you’re a retro games fan, a serious gamer or just want to beat your family at Mario Kart.

Resources for teachers

Design Museum
Map
Visit Website

Supporting the National Curriculum for Design and Technology and tailored for key stages 2 – 5, the Museum offers students and educators design education facilities and workshops.

Royal Albert Hall's Gift Shop

Royal Albert Hall
Map
Visit Website

Discover the Royal Albert Hall's full range of products, featuring exclusive prints, Royal Albert Hall gifts, souvenirs and the ever-popular Steward Bear online.

Saturday Talks: Alexa Chow on Peter Doig: House of Music

31st Jan
3pm
Serpentine
Map
Visit Website

Alexa Chow, Assistant Exhibitions Curator, leads a tour of Peter Doig: House of Music. Transforming the gallery into a listening space, House of Music brings together recent paintings and, for the first time, integrates sound into Doig’s work.

Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art

21st March – 1 November 2026
10am-6pm
V&A South Kensington
Map
Visit Website

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.

Schools bursary scheme

The Royal Parks
Map
Visit Website

The Royal Parks offers a limited number of bursaries for schools who would otherwise be unable to visit

Science Afternoon Tea

Available Thurs-Sun
12pm and 3pm
Science Museum
Map
Visit Website

Enjoy a luxury afternoon tea with a science-inspired twist.

Science City 1550-1800: the Linbury gallery

Daily
Science Museum
Map
Visit Website

Discover the world’s oldest collection of timepieces at the Science Museum. See over 600 watches and clocks charting the history of clock making in London.

Science Museum's Gift Shop

Science Museum
Map
Visit Website

Engage your inner scientist with science-inspired gifts, gadgets, robots, games, puzzles, toys, chemistry sets and more from the Science Museum Shop.

Seeing Things Queerly

10am-6pm
Science Museum
Map
Visit Website

Follow this self-led trail to discover some of the objects on display at the Science Museum that tell stories of queer communities, experiences, and identities.

Self-guided visits for learning groups

Design Museum
Map
Visit Website

The Design Museum welcomes schools, colleges and universities for self-guided visits of its exhibitions.

Self-led school visits

The Royal Parks
Map
Visit Website

Visit one of London’s Royal Parks on your own with your school, home school group or uniform group (e.g. Scouts, Girl Guides).

Serpentine Lido

Mid-May to mid-Sept
10am-6pm
The Royal Parks
Map
Visit Website

The Serpentine Lido is, arguably, London's most iconic 'open water' swimming location. The Lido is open for public swimming on weekends from mid-May, and every day between June and Mid-September.

Sir Richard Owen: A Natural Legacy

18 July 2025 – 23 July 2026
10am-6pm
Natural History Museum
Map
Visit Website

In this free display, look at the life of the man whose vision led to the creation of the Natural History Museum. On display for the first time are a selection of his published works and original drawings.

Sofia Coppola’s Photography Bookshelf

Until 22nd March 2026
10am-5:45pm
V&A South Kensington
Map
Visit Website

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.

Space

Open daily
10am-6pm
Science Museum
Map
Visit Website

See iconic spacecraft and out-of-this-world objects in the Museum's exciting free gallery.

Space: Could Life Exist Beyond Earth?

16th May-22nd Feb 2026
10am-6pm
Natural History Museum
Map
Visit Website

Touch a piece of Mars, wrap your hands around a fragment of the Moon and snap a selfie with the Allende meteorite, which – at 4.567 billion years old – is even older than Earth!

Space: Could Life Exist Beyond Earth? Relaxed Exhibition Viewing

4th June 2025- 7th Feb 2026
10am-11am
Natural History Museum
Map
Visit Website

Experience this out-of-this-world exhibition away from busy daytime crowds at one of our relaxed exhibition viewings, designed specifically for disabled and neurodiverse visitors.

Sustainable Design Schools Programme

Design Museum
Map
Visit Website

Drawing on the recent exhibition 'Waste Age: What can design do?', these creative, design-led workshops will teach students how to become better-informed consumers and responsible future designers. Enquiry now and bring design to your school.

Image credit: Getty images

Tailor-Made German Courses at the Goethe-Institut

Various
Online & Onsite
Goethe-Institut
Map
Visit Website

Study German at the Goethe-Institut London with their tailor-made courses. Whether online in their virtual classrooms at your own pace or onsite in South Ken, choose your level from beginner to intermediate to advanced.