Rosie Hewitson

It’s the first weekend of October. Yes, Autumn is here. The trees have started turning a handsome burnt orange, conkers have started appearing on the pavements, and there’s a chill to the evenings that feels very far removed from this summer’s heatwaves. One of the best things about this time of year? The city’s cultural calendar comes out of its annual hibernation, and a big influx of gallery, exhibition, and theatre openings begins.  Looking for a culture-fix this week? You’re in luck. A slew of new art exhibitions and museum shows are opening up. Look out for the National Gallery’s Renoir and Love, which will focus on the most significant and prolific years of the artist’s career, or the Royal Academy of Arts Painting the French Riviera, packed full of artworks depicting the French southern coast from names including Monet, Braque, Picasso, Matisse, Cézanne, Renoir and Klein. For something more modern, seek out Es Devlin’s retrospective at The Design Museum, delving into the stories behind the London-based designer’s 30-year practice, from kinetic stage sculptures to monumental art installations. Spooky season is also on the horizon. Get prepped for it by checking out the wonderfully Gothic happenings taking place for London Month of the Dead, including beginners' tarot workshops and behind-the-scenes tours of funeral directors this weekend. Or, for something less macabre, charge your steins at the many Oktoberfest parties happening across the capital this week.It’s also t

October 2026: Autumn has arrived, peak holiday season is over, and with London’s busiest attractions somewhat less overrun with tourists than they have been for the last few months, it’s a great time to pay them a visit. October is arguably the best month of the whole year for London culture, with a slew of blockbuster exhibitions (‘The 90s’ at Tate Britian, ‘Korea’ at the British Museum and ‘Renoir and Love’ at the National Gallery, to name a few), plus the London Film Festival across the capital’s best cinemas, the Dua Lipa-curated London Literature Festival at the Southbank Centre, and major art fair Frieze returning to Regent’s Park. And that’s before we mention all the scary movies, pumpkin patches, family-friendly frights and fancy-dress fun as Halloween approaches. The London Eye. Hyde Park. Wembley. The Shard. London landmarks are iconic for a reason!  Even if you’ve lived here for years and pride yourself on steadfastly avoiding ‘tourist traps’, you really ought to check these places out at least once. Marvelling at the capital’s museums, galleries, monuments and parks is a London rite of passage, whether you’re a day-tripper visiting for the first time, or a lifelong local who knows the entire Tube map by heart.  But where to begin? Right here of course, with our massive list of the capital’s 50 best attractions. We’ve thought long and hard about what is worthy of your London bucket list, so you can expect to find a real mixture of iconic institutions known througho

Charge the steins! You don’t have to travel all the way to Germany for a lederhosen-clad knees-up this Oktoberfest – and you don’t even have to wait until October. Munich’s world-famous beer festival is very much on in London and the celebrations begin in September with big steins of beer, platters of excessively long wurst and loud oompah bands blowing brass like they don’t give a schnitzel.  Oktoberfest began over 200 years ago, as a mammoth wedding party for a Bavarian prince and princess. It turned out that beer, bratwurst and all-round silliness were a match made in heaven, so now it's an annual excuse for everyone to cut loose as autumn approaches. Whether you’re after a traditional take on the event or drag queen-led partying, authentic Bavarian beers or east London craft IPAs, you can find the perfect Oktoberfest for you right here in London. You're sure to get a warm willkommen at one of these London Oktoberfest events.  RECOMMENDED: The best things to do in London this October

October 2026: Grab your diary! The first month of autumn ‘proper’ is a big one for London’s museums and galleries. With more big exhibition openings than any other time of year, the culture vultures among us will need to be properly organised to pack everything in. Be sure to make time for the Design Museum’s big retrospective on superstar stage designer Es Devlin, the Science Museum’s exploration of how science shaped the United States, the Museum of Youth Culture’s celebration of the women behind the punk movement, and the British Museum’s second big autumn exhibition (after the phenomenally popular Bayeux Tapestry  one, of course) on 2000 years of Korean art and design. That’s basically one for each weekend right up to Halloween!  Museums are one of the things that London does best. This city boasts grand institutions housing ancient treasures, modern monoliths packed with intriguing exhibits, and tiny rooms containing deeply niche collections – and lots of them are totally free to anyone who wants to come in and take a gander. And with more than 170 London museums to choose from, there's bound to be one to pique your interest, whatever you're in to.  Want to explore the history of TfL? We’ve got a museum for that. Rather learn about advertising? We’ve got a museum for that too. History? Check. Science? Check. 1940s cinema memorabilia, grotesque eighteenth-century surgical instruments, or perhaps a wall of 4,000 mouse skeletons? Check, check and check! Being the cultured m

Horror films aren’t just for Halloween, but they certainly make spooky season that bit more terrifyingly fun. Whether you’re a hide-behind-the-cushion kind of watcher or someone who revels in every jumpscare and nightmare-inducing villain, joining a Halloween film screening with fellow horror enthusiasts is guaranteed way to get your heart racing and your blood curdling this All Hallow’s Eve. If you’re firmly against any blood, guts and gore, you can still get involved – not all Halloween screenings are focused on bone-chilling bumps in the night. There are also plenty of more lighthearted picks to choose from. Recommended:🎃 Our guide to Halloween in London😱 The 100 best horror movies of all time👹 The 66 greatest movie monsters of all time

Every year, Christmas sees London transform from a colourless metropolis into a sparkling winter wonderland. Magnificent festive light displays start to fill the city in November, marking the beginning of the most wonderful time of the year. No matter how Scrooge-like you are, you can’t deny that they make the capital look utterly magical. The illuminations can be found all over London. There are the timeless classics like Regent Street’s trumpet-playing angels, and themed displays, like those found on Carnaby Street. There are fantastic trails like Christmas at Kew Gardens, and cosy local displays like the Chelsea Winter Village. Some you’ve got to book in advance to see, others you can just turn up and admire. So, ahead of the 2026 festive season, here are the best London illuminations to check out to get you in the Christmas spirit. When do the Christmas lights go on in London? Most of the city’s Christmas lights get switched on in early November and stay illuminated until the start of January. We’ll update this page with more light displays as their switch on dates are announced.  London’s best Christmas lights at a glance: ✨ Best for the biggest display in town: Oxford Street 🔔 Best for knockout festive extravagance: Covent Garden 🎄 Best for a Christmassy evening out: Kew Gardens Light Trail 🍺 Best for a crafty pint afterwards: The Churchill Arms  RECOMMENDED: ❄️ Find out about the most Christmassy events in the city. 🎄 Check out London's very best Christmas market

Okay, so you've bought your mince pies, written your shopping list, put up the lights and spent an obscene amount at some kind of tinsel-decked festive pop-up. But is it really Christmas until you've belted out ‘O Come All Ye Faithful’ into the chill winter air? There's nothing more festival than a carol concert at Christmas, something that'll reconnect you with centuries of tradition and remind you of childhood festivities gone by. As the city buzzes with light displays, festivals and big events, carol services are a chance to take a moment and remember what all this hubbub is all about. London plays host to a huge variety of Christmas concerts (many of them free) in the run-up to the day. And there’s enough to suit all styles and moods, from the iconic splendour of St Paul’s annual concerts to glam charity bashes and events that highlight cultural traditions.  Many concerts for 2026 haven't been announced yet, but we'll keep updating this list as they come in.  RECOMMENDED: Our comprehensive guide to Christmas in London

Once a byword for raucous nightlife, flamboyant fashion and a rough-and-ready kind of cool, Dalston has grown up quite a bit since its hipster heyday. Having lived in and around Dalston for the past seven years, I’d say it’s definitely still edgier than its chichi Islington neighbours Newington Green and Canonbury, more youthful than the young parent-filled Stoke Newington to the north, and grungier than Hackney Central and London Fields on its eastern border. But for the most part, it’s much like any other decent neighbourhood: home to a hugely diverse mix of multicultural communities who all find it a bit too expensive, plus an excellent offering of bargain shops and cheap eats that sit between an ever-growing number of natural wine bars and luxury boutiques.  🏘️ Ultimate guide to where to stay in London Long home to a strong Turkish community, it’s one of the best places in London to get a kebab, a crispy fade or a hammam scrub. And while the area’s once-legendary nightlife isn’t what it used to be – pour one out for our dearly departed Power Lunches, Plastic People and Alibi – its high street remains one of east London’s go-to destinations for after-hours fun, especially for Hackney’s large queer community. And that’s before you even start exploring the area’s lovely cultural offerings, or its residential streets dotted with great pubs and cafés. Read on for our guide to Dalston’s best bits, and get to grips with an area that’s a glorious blend of London’s many tastes an

In this city, you’re never too far away from a picturesque park, a lovely pub or a cracking cinema, and on any given day, you’ve got a wealth of world-class art shows, blockbuster theatre and top museum exhibitions to choose from if you’re twiddling your thumbs. Use your spare time wisely with our roundup of the best things happening in London today, which gets updated every single day and includes a specially selected top pick from our Things to Do Editor seven days a week. Bookmark this page, and you’ll have absolutely no excuse to be bored in London ever again! Find even more inspiration with our curated round-ups of the best things to do in London this week and weekend

The trees have started turning a handsome burnt orange, conkers have started appearing on the pavements, and there’s a chill to the evenings that feels very far removed from this summer’s heatwaves. Yes, Autumn is officially here and the first days of October are on the horizon. One of the best things about this time of year? The city’s cultural calendar comes out of its annual hibernation, and a big influx of gallery, exhibition, and theatre openings begins.  Looking for a culture-fix this week? You’re in luck. A slew of new art exhibitions and museum shows are opening up. Look out for the National Gallery’s Renoir and Love, which will focus on the most significant and prolific years of the artist’s career, or the Royal Academy of Arts Painting the French Riviera, packed full of artworks depicting the French southern coast from names including Monet, Braque, Picasso, Matisse, Cézanne, Renoir and Klein. For something more modern, seek out Es Devlin’s retrospective at The Design Museum, delving into the stories behind the London-based designer’s 30-year practice, from kinetic stage sculptures to monumental art installations. Spooky season is also on the horizon. Get prepped for it by checking out the wonderfully Gothic happenings taking place for London Month of the Dead, including beginners' tarot workshops and behind-the-scenes tours of funeral directors this weekend. Or, for something less macabre, charge your steins at the many Oktoberfest parties happening across the capi

When you think of east London, you might picture a hipster’s paradise. The kind of place filled with the Tabi-wearing, Hackney Half-running, Torres crisp-worshiping acolytes of London’s most famous local meme pages (Real Housewives of Clapton, we’re looking at you).  But there’s more to east London than the run clubs of London Fields, the small plates restaurants of Hackney Central and the swarms of Lime bikes that take over the area’s streets every day during rush hour.  Each enclave of this vast area has its own unique identity. There’s the family-filled Walthamstow, the nightlife-packed Dalston, and the Bengali-influenced Brick Lane. East London packs in some of the city’s very best museums, markets, restaurants and green spaces. Plus, there are more than a few London institutions here: from teeth-stickingly chewy, late-night bagels on Brick Lane, full English breakfasts with a side of Italian/cockney banter at E Pellici and Columbia Road’s flower market (aka the best way to spend a Sunday morning in London).  There’s something for everyone out east, whether you’re looking for brilliant restaurants like Tiella and Miga, lovely green spaces like Dalston East Curve Garden and Walthamstow Wetlands, or dazzling London history like Dennis Severs’ House and the Museum of the Home. Whatever your tastes, here’s our selection of the most enticing attractions, picked by east London-loving Time Out editors. RECOMMENDED: The 50 best things to do in London This article includes affil

July 2026: We've highlighted some of the more appropriate seasonal spots for brunch. Try Johnny Boy's in Stoke Newington for LA-style breakfast burritos or Lolo in Bermondsey for a lively Spanish take on brunch or indulge in prawn toast scotch eggs at Jikoni in village-like Marylebone. We've also included a few places that prove brunch isn't just a weekend treat, with some places that serve brunch every single day, such as Permit Room Portobello - Dishoom's all-day cafe in Notting Hill - and excellent Syrian cafe Aram, which you can find in the glamorous Somerset House.  The humble brunch is perhaps one of the greatest inventions of the modern age, especially if it incorporates pancakes, bacon and eggs. London is particularly well stocked with places to indulge in the famous breakfast/lunch hybrid. Let us guide you to the best restaurants for a fabulous brunch, from a traditional full English to innovative twists on the majestic meal, such as a bacon bao brunch or fried eggs on chilli-cheese crumpets. Booze optional.  Best brunches in London at a glance: 🍖 Best for Spanish-style brunch: Lolo, Bermondsey 🏰 Best for a spectacular setting: Aram, Somerset House 🌳 Best for an al fresco brunch: Pavilion Cafe, Victoria Park  🌮 Best for a Mexican feast: Corrochio’s, Stoke Newington  RECOMMENDED: Like unlimited fizz with your fry-up? Here are the best bottomless brunches in London.  Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our e

Autumn is a busy time for London’s cinephiles, with a slew of film festivals arriving in the capital But alongside LFF, Doc ‘n’ Roll, the Hong Kong and French Film Festivals (to name a few!), be sure to save some room in your schedule for the inaugural London edition of MUBI Fest. The art-house lover’s streaming service of choice is hosting its very own mini film festival at Hackney’s Picturehouse cinema over three days this November, offering you the chance to catch some of the distributor’s buzziest upcoming titles on the big screen ahead of their theatrical release, alongside a programme of indie classics worth revisiting.  Highlights of the programme include Sandra Hüller’s stellar new period drama Rose, with director Markus Schleinzer in attendance for a Q&A (Fri Nov 13), World War I queer romance Coward (Sat Nov 14), with leads Valentin Campagne and Emmanuel Macchia answering questions afterwards, Andrew Haigh’s adaptation of a Colm Tóibín short story, A Long Winter (Sun Nov 15), and Paul Thomas Anderson’s concert doc capturing Cameron Winter’s 2025 solo show at Carnegie Hall (Sun Nov 15).  There’ll also be a 4k restoration screening of Donnie Darko (2001) followed by a live recording ot the Evolution of Horror podcast on ‘the horror of adolescence’, plus a special 15th anniversary screening of 2011 neo-noir thriller Drive, and a 10th anniversary showing of Park Chan-wook’s erotic thriller The Handmaiden.  Tickets go on sale to MUBI subscribers at 10am on Wednesday, Se

Gagosian’s Grosvenor Hill gallery will be filled with apples, hats, pipes and clouds this autumn as it hosts a free exhibition on Belgian surrealist René Magritte. A first major London exhibition of Magritte’s subverside artwork in more than 30 years, it will feature works on paper, sculptures and photography from Magritte’s four-decade-long career, many of which have been loaned by museums and private collectors. These include ‘La Lampe Philosophique (The Philosopher’s Lamp)’, made shortly before the International Surrealist Exhibition that took place in London in 1936, and last displayed in a landmark Magritte exhibition at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) 20 years ago. Gagosian’s exhibtiion will also explore Magritte’s legacy via works created specifically for the exhibition by several contemporary artists, including painters Harold Ancart, Allison Katz and Dana Schutz. 

Your landlord might disagree, but there really is no excuse for boring white walls. Pick up original work from local artists to brighten up your bedroom for as little as £100 at this accessible alternative to (the many) stuffier and more expensive fairs on the London art circuit. Over 150 independent artists will be exhibiting work at the annual event at the Truman Brewery, presented by Saatchi Art. There’ll also be immersive installations, performances, creative workshops, DJs and a fully stocked bar to entertain you. Tunes will be supplied by notorious Ibiza club night Manumission and London based collective Club Lune Bleue. Think of it as art served with a side of party.

Got a thirst for adventure and winter-themed beverages? Up at The O2 – the dare-devil tour that lets you climb up the outside of the Greenwich venue’s famous white dome – has been given a festive makeover. After being strapped into a harness and ascending to the top of the 52 metre-high dome, climbers will get to retreat into an immersive snow globe featuring falling snow, the sweet smell of cookies and a ‘whimsical winter set-up’ from which they’ll be able to enjoy breathtaking views of the city from. There’ll also be gingerbread cookies to snack on and glasses of bubbly, mulled wine and hot chocolates to purchase.   

Somerset House’s annual ice rink pop-up has long been one of the city’s favourite festive traditions, with thousands of Londoners and tourists alike making it part of their celebrations each year, and for good reason. Gliding (or nervously shuffling) around the rink, gazing upon the surrounding Georgian architecture and the courtyard’s magnificent 40ft Christmas tree feels like you’ve skated onto a movie set, ready to be watched by families settling in for their post-turkey food coma.  There’s more to this rink than just skating, though. This year's Skate Lates programme is sponsored by Aperol Spritz, who'll have an orange van parked rinkside for refreshments. Soar round the rink to a DJ soundtrack at these night time ice parties. The line-up for 2026 includes community sounds from Netil Radio, ground-shaking bass from UKF and BUMPAH, South Asian creative collective Daytimers, queer Latinx partystarters 2CPERREA, and selections from the team behind Gauchoworld. For the first time ever, there's also a K-Pop party (Nov 23) with a special live set from DY EMKAY. While you're at Somerset House, don't forget to head indoors for Through Our Eyes, a free group exhibition of works by indigenous Sámi artists, who'll explore their lives in snowy Nordic landscapes using sculpture, photography, video and performance art. How much does Skate at Somerset House cost? Ticket prices for Skate at Somerset House vary depending on what time you visit, with cheaper tickets at less popular times,

There's arguably nowhere in London more Christmassy than Covent Garden's Piazza in December. Every year, the shopping district aims to outdo itself for sheer festive pizzaz. In 2026, the theme is once again 'The Theatre of Christmas', which means that there'll be decorations taking inspiration from the nearby playhouses and the performances in them. And of course, this year will also see the return of Covent Garden's 55ft Christmas tree, decked with 30,000 lights  Meanwhile, the roof of the Market Building is adorned with 40 gigantic bells, 12 giant baubles and 8 spinning mirror balls in a reprise of its oh-so-festive annual display. There'll also be pop-ups and events to enjoy as the season unfolds, including mulled wine stations and a Santa's sleigh photo op. 

Returning for a fifth winter season in 2026, this ice-skating pop-up in the shadow of the rejuvenated Battersea Power Station is one of London’s most aesthetic. Returning to its usual spot right next to the Thames, it offers magnificent views over the riverside, a twinkling 30ft Christmas tree that forms the perfect backdrop for your on-ice selfies, and all the fun of the fair courtesy of an adjacent vintage fairground. It’s the perfect date night spot, Christmas party location or a well-earned reward after a hectic day of gift shopping.  Opening times: Varies throughout the week  Price: Adult £19.38-£22.80; child £11.98-£14.82  

For a rather luxe version of a scary movie night, head to Art’otel Battersea’s rooftop restaurant Joia, which is screening some spook-tastic classics alongside dinner and skyline views either side of All Hallow’s Eve. Guests will enjoy a selection of the restaurant’s dishes for dinner from 5.30pm, before cosying up on sofas to enjoy one of three seasonal classics from 7.30pm – Edward Scissorhands (Oct 29) Ghostbusters (Oct 30) or The Rocky Horror Picture Show (Oct 31) – with popcorn and a hot toddy. Blankets and hot water bottles will be on every seat to stave off the cold, and you’ll be able to purchase extra drinks and more popcorn if you still have room after dinner. Cosy and spooky in equal measure! RECOMMENDED: The best scary film screenings in London for Halloween

In a massive coup for the British Museum and for London as a whole, the Bayeux Tapestry is on display in Britain for the first time in 900 years. The 70-metre-long artwork is an intricately embroidered depiction of the 1066 Battle of Hastings, in which William the Conquerer took the English throne, and it’s coming to the British Museum. Although it’s believed to have been embroidered in Canterbury, the tapestry has resided in Bayeux, Normandy for the past nine centuries. Despite numerous attempts from Brits to borrow the masterpiece over the past century, it is finally on show on British soil for the first time, nearly 1000 years after it was made. You absolutely don’t want to miss an exhibition which feels like the most significant thing British Museum has done in our lifetimes. Read our full review of the exhibition here.

Standing proudly on St John’s Hill since 1900, the Clapham Grand is certainly old enough to be home to a ghost or two, so it’s a fitting place to enjoy some spooky antics in the form of a scary movie or two. As part of the venue’s epic Halloween programme, it’s hosting two OTT film screenings for spooky season, featuring costume competitions, dance offs, themed cocktails, creepy decor and one or two surprises. On Thursday October 29 you can catch camp classic Hocus Pocus on the venue’s huge 25ft screen, while Halloween night itself sees the return of the Grand’s longstanding Rocky Horror Picture Show night, hosted by local drag star Miss Leigh Ding (doing her best Frank-N-Furter impression), with tickets including entry to the Grand’s massive post-show Halloween Party, where you can do the time warp ’til 3am.  RECOMMENDED: The best scary film screenings in London for Halloween

Once again, Hyde Park has had its annual transformation into a dazzling, snow-covered, Alpine-themed, 350-acre festive funscape. One of the largest Christmas events in the UK, Winter Wonderland returns for its nineteeth year in 2026, and is expected to welcome around 2.5 million visitors over six magical weeks.  As you make your way around the space, you’ll find fairground rides, a child-friendly Santa Land (including a Santa’s Grotto, where presents lie in wait) and traditional Christmas markets where you’ll be able to buy gifts for all your loved one. Other highlights include voguish new circus show Gandeys K-Pop Dragon Circus, which takes place three to five times every day, and does indeed feature K-Pop, (puppet) dragons, and circus. Surrounding the park’s Victorian bandstand, the 1,795 square foot rink is lit up by a canopy of more than 100,000 lights. The theme of this year’s Magical Ice Kingdom indoor ice scupture park is Neverland, with the various stunning scuptures - including a slide made of ice – based on JM Barrie’s Peter Pan.  'Mystical, Mythical Fantasy World', a Real Ice Slide and ice sculpting workshops, after which you can warm yourself up later with frothing steins and steaming cups of mulled wine at the endless drinking options. The usual line-up of rollercoasters and fairground rides is sure to keep thrill-se

A humongous light trail that takes over south west London’s 300-acre World Heritage Site botanic garden, Christmas at Kew has become a key date in London’s festive calendar since its first iteration in 2013. Visitors embarking on the 3km trail will get see the space lit up with dozens of larger-than-life illuminations, with both the venue’s glass houses and the trees that cover its grounds drenched in different hues. The whole thing is stunning, but don’t miss the lake, where you’ll catch reflections of the vibrant bulbs dancing on the water, taking the magical feeling to another level. Specific details for the light trail 2026 are yet to be unveiled but, as ever, the traditional fairground and warming winter snacks from food vendors are sure to be there.  How to get Christmas at Kew 2026 tickets  Tickets for Christmas at Kew 2026 are on sale right now. The sooner you book the better – as the UK’s original festive light trail, it sells out fast, especially for December. If you’re willing to wait until the New Year, there are normally a decent number of tickets available for the first week of January. And if your desired dates are booked up, it’s worth checking back regularly for returns.  What are the prices and opening times? Tickets for non-members start at £28.50 for off-peak slots and £36 at peak times. Members can get 15 percent off.  Christmas at Kew is open from 4.20pm to 10pm. Each visitor is given a specific time slot, with the last entry at 8pm.  How long does it

London summer may be drawing to a close, but if you’re already dreading the day when you have to retrieve your chunky knits from that old suitcase under your bed, then allow us to give you something – or, in fact, 10 things – to look forward to as the nights get darker.  London’s parks are looking a little lifeless after a season of back-to-back heatwaves and non-stop festivals, but the capital’s art scene is bursting into life. Autumn is unquestionably the best season of the year for art-lovers, with loads of art fairs in town – including major industry fixtures Frieze and Frieze Masters – and blockbuster exhibitions opening at the city’s biggest galleries. From renaissance portraiture to contemporary fashion photography, major impressionists to minimalist pioneers, there are so many great shows on the horizon that it’ll require some deft planning to pack them all in. So grab your diary and read on for our pick of the best exhibitions coming to London this autumn.  RECOMMENDED: The London non-art museum exhibitions we’re looking forward to this autumn. 10 London art exhibitions we’re most excited about in autumn 2026 Image: Jenkin Van ZylStill from ‘Enclosure’ by Jenkin Van Zyl 1. Jenkin Van Zyl: ‘Enclosure’ at Somerset House Named one of Time Out's young London artists to watch a few years back, Jenkin Van Zyl asks pertinent questions about the systems we create for ourselves and the human need for self-preservation. His immersive installations cast visitors in a variet

Autumn doesn’t technically arrive until next week, but if you’re anything like us your calendar is fast filling up with fun things to do. Not only does autumn promise beer-chugging, spooks and big bangs, it’s also arguably the biggest season of the year for London’s cultural quarters, with loads of exciting new theatre shows and blockbuster art exhibitions on the horizon.  And that’s not all; London’s museums are nice and busy over the next few months too, with big exhibitions touching on everything from Korea’s rich tradition of decorative arts to the literary legacy of a beloved 20th-century crime writer, as well as the long-awaited reopening of one of the city’s most significant cultural institutions.  Have your diary to hand, and read on for our pick of the best exhibitions coming to London’s museums this autumn.  8 London museum exhibitions we’re most excited about in autumn 2026 1. ‘The Bayeux Tapestry’ at The British Museum You don’t really need us to explain the significance of the British Museum’s blockbuster autumn exhibition. Back on English soil for the first time since it was actually woven nearly 1,000 years ago, the Bayeux Tapestry is not just a spectacular piece of craftsmanship, but also the primary source for our understanding of surely the most momentous year in the story of our own country. Laid out flat in one continuous 70-metre strip, it’s an astonishing artefact that teeters somewhere between outsider art, medieval illumination, action cartoon, histo

September is a hectic time for London’s art galleries. Not only does it signal the beginning of the busiest period of the year for major exhibition openings, and the impending arrival of some major art fairs, but it’s also when a lot of the big galleries announce their exhibition programmes for the following year.  We’ve heard what’s in store at Tate and the Courtauld, and now the National Portrait Gallery has revealed its programme for the new year. The smaller of Trafalgar Square’s two popular galleries has had a great year in 2026, with an excellent exhibition on Catherine Opie and a hugely popular show marking the centenary of Marilyn Monroe’s birth. An enticing exhibition from Tim Walker is opening next month.  And next year’s programme looks just as exciting, with major shows on a cult post-war figurative painter, an underrated female Impressionist and a major figurehead of British Pop Art on the cards.  National Portrait Gallery 2027 exhibition programme Image: Whitworth, The University of Manchester. Photograph by Michael Pollard.‘Got a Girl’ (1960-61) by Peter Blake © Peter Blake. All rights reserved, DACS 2026. The year kicks off with Peter Blake: Pop Art Life (Feb 11-May 23), a major retrospective for the 94-year-old artist who was a key figure of the British pop art movement. A first major institutional show dedicated to the Royal Academician’s portraits, it will bring together highlights from his eight-decade-long career, including images of musical icons like

Housed in the North Wing of Somerset House, the Courtauld Gallery might be relatively small compared to some of London’s other major art institutions, but gosh does it punch above its weight. Founded in 1932 by art collector Samuel Courtauld, the gallery boasts a genuinely jaw-dropping collection of paintings and drawings dating from the Middle Ages through to the modern day, with a particularly impressive collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art. And alongside its stellar permanent collection, the gallery has an excellent reputation when it comes to its programme of temporary exhibitions; recent hits have included Monet and London and Seurat and the Sea, while the coming months promise hotly anticipated exhibitions on Pakistani painter Salman Toor and Bloomsbury group artist Winifred Gill.  And next year’s schedule looks equally exciting, featuring the mother of American Modernist painting, one of the twenty-first century’s best-loved female artists, and a Flemish Baroque master.  Image: Courtesy of The Estate of Paula RegoPaula Rego, ‘Scavengers’ (1994), pastel on canvas. Private Collection © The Estate of Paula Rego. The 2027 season kicks off with Paula Rego: Dog Woman (Feb 5-May 23), exhibition focused on a series of sensual and unsettling pastel works exploring ‘the animal in the human’ created by the late British-Portuguese artist in the mid-nineties. The exhibition constitutes the most comprehensive display of these groundbreaking works since their crea

With commercial galleries closed for the month while collectors and gallerists head off to the Mediterranean on their yachts, and major institutions busy preparing for a hectic schedule of autumn openings, August is famously a pretty quiet month for London’s art scene.  But don’t let the lack of new exhibitions dissuade you from making time in your busy schedule of summer festivals, day trips and Aperol dates to see some art. Late summer is the perfect time to catch up on all those big shows you’ve not had a chance to see yet, not least because several of the year’s biggest and most talked-about exhibitions are entering their final days. Clear your weekend, and head to one of these in the nick of time.  RECOMMENDED: The top 10 exhibitions in London. Five amazing London art exhibitions closing in August 2026 Zurbarán at The National Gallery From still lifes of plump, waxy lemons to monumental saints, bloodied martyrs and ecstatic Virgins, baroque master Francisco de Zurbarán did it all. He painted vast multi-canvas scenes that once lined the walls of convents and monasteries across Spain, worked for private patrons, the court of Philip IV of Spain and clients across the Spanish Americas, where more than 100 of his paintings ended up. And now, improbably, many of them are at the National Gallery. The artist’s first UK exhibition is a chance to see more than 40 of his monumental, awe-inspiring pieces in the same room, thanks to major loans from the Louvre, the Art Institute of

Wherever you go tonight, you won't be able to miss England vs Argentina. Pretty much the whole of London will be glued to the TV screen from 8pm tonight, as the Three Lions take on the current world champions for a place in the World Cup final. And each triumphant goal celebration or agonising near miss will be accompanied by a surround sound of roars and groans, spilling out of houses and pubs in every corner of London. Still, why settle for secondhand excitement? Even if you’ve left it til today to figure out where to watch tonight’s game, it’s not too late to watch the match somewhere with bags of atmosphere. The keen beans might have booked tables weeks ago, Big Penny Social and Boxpark might have sold out in seconds, but there are still pubs, bars and public screenings taking walk-ins all across town. Show up early to bag a good spot for the most hotly-anticipated game since, well, the last international final – whatever happens, you won't regret coming along for the ride. RECOMMENDED: Where to watch the World Cup in London. The best walk-in venues for England’s World Cup semi-final Central London The Box, Piccadilly A 7,200 sports bar on the corner of Piccadilly Circus, The Box has plenty of room for walk-ins, and serves up some hefty World Cup-themed sharing platters alongside beer buckets and cocktail steins.  23 Shaftesbury Ave, W1D 7EF Mercato Metropolitano, Elephant & Castle  Spanning 17,000 square feet and featuring more than 40 food and drink vendors, the OG

We’ve seen screamers galore, a few absolute howlers, some controversial calls and a couple of shocking early exits. We’ve witnessed everything from turgid 0-0 draws (England vs Ghana) to edge-of-your-seat, five-goal thrillers (Argentina vs Egypt). We’ve heard the words ‘altitude’ and ‘hydration break’ more times than we care to remember, spotted dozens of American celebs in the stands, and shared literally hundreds of memes comparing Erling Haaland to a spring onion.  And now, after five weeks, 100 games and nearly 300 goals, 48 teams have been whittled down to just four, with the 2026 World Cup semi-finals taking place over the coming days. With England having reached another semi-final, the atmosphere in the capital has pretty much reached fever pitch.  But not everyone is supporting the Three Lions. London prides itself on being a gloriously diverse city, so you’ll find several watch parties for fans of the other semi-finalists across the capital too. Whether you’re an expat, a Scotland fan planning a hate watch, or just want to cheer on your sweepstake team, here’s where to go to watch Spain, France or Argentina with a home crowd in London.  RECOMMENDED: Where to watch the World Cup in London. When is each World Cup semi-final match?  France v Spain Tuesday July 14, 8pm BST England v Argentina Wednesday July 15, 8pm BST – find walk-in venues here. Best places to watch the 2026 World Cup semi-finals for each team France France’s World Cup semi-final happens to fall on

Hot on the heels of the Chelsea Flower Show, the first week of June sees the arrival of the second biggest event in the calendar for London’s flower fanatics.  London Open Gardens is back this weekend, offering dedicated horticulturists, amateur botanists and other admirers of a colourful wall trellis or an artfully deployed water feature the chance to have a peek at whole bunch of fabulous gardens across the city, the vast majority of which are not usually open to the public.  A £26 weekend ticket grants visitors access to over 120 venues around London, from floating oases and rooftop hideaways to sculpture gardens and historic plots. But there’s only so much time to snoop around, so before you go trekking round the capital in search of blooms, have a look at our roundup of eight brilliant gardens that are definitely worth taking a look at.  The 8 best gardens to visit during London Open Gardens 2026 The Sanctuary Garden at Freedom from Torture, Islington The Sanctuary Garden earned a silver medal at the Chelsea Flower Show in 2024. After that, it was relocated to Freedom from Torture’s London Therapy Centre in Finsbury Park and for most of the year, it functions as a place where survivors of torture can find calm and partake in horticultural therapy. Willow structures curve and sweep around the space, and plants like figs, nigella seeds, chickpeas, pomegranate and a strawberry tree have been installed to evoke happier memories of home. For Open Gardens, experts will be on

The 2025/26 football season has almost come to a close, but while most football fans are turning their thoughts towards this summer’s World Cup, Arsenal fans are gearing up for a huge weekend for their club. After winning their first league title in 22 years last week – which fans will get to celebrate at a huge trophy parade around north London this Sunday – Mikel Arteta’s team will be attempting to clinch a second major piece of silverware as they face Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League Final on Saturday night in Budapest’s Puskás Aréna. Many Gooners will be flying to Hungary for the occasion, with a further 60,000 watching live at the Emirates Stadium. Not got a ticket for either, but still keen to catch the nail-biting action somewhere with a bit more atmosphere than your living room? Local fans will be also be heading to the boozers and beer gardens of north London to watch Ødegaard, Rice and Eze battling it out against Dembélé and co. So if you fancy joining them, look no further than our roundup of London’s best Gooner pubs. Just be sure to book where possible, or show up very early if not, because venues will be packed out for the club’s biggest game in 18 years. RECOMMENDED: London’s best football pubs. The best Arsenal pubs in London The Drayton Park A bar stool at the Drayton is basically as close as you can get to pitchside without a ticket. You can see the stadium from the window, which means you can hear the roar from inside the stadium when Arsenal sco

World-renowned multi-disciplinary festival SXSW launched its London outpost last summer, and it was a pretty major affair, with a whopping 600 talks, 600 gigs and 200 films screenings all taking place around Shoreditch over six days in June. And with the festival’s sophomore edition only a couple of months away (it takes place Tue June 2-Sun June 7) and we’re getting very excited about what’s in store. Some major names have already been announced for the conference and film strands of the multi-disciplinary festival, and now we also have details of the music line-up, with some huge artists set to headline. Taking top billing across the six-day festival are a host of internationally-renowned artists including critically acclaimed US rapper Earl Sweatshirt, Afrobeats star Tiwa Savage, moody electronic producer Sega Bodega, indie-rock outfit Circa Waves, post-punk band Shame, indie-pop singer Rachel Chinouriri, veteran radio DJ Pete Tong and Time Out’s 2024 Londoner of the Year DJ AG.  But it’s not just the big stars to look out for on the line-up. SXSW has long been known as a launchpad for emerging artists and a discovery platform for keen music fans looking for their next favourite band, and the London 2026 festival will be no different. As usual, the festival’s enormous, hugely eclectic musical programme has been co-curated with a variety of esteemed partners, including Clash magazine, Notion, and The Crack, emerging artist platforms like BBC Introducing, Bite Back and Gener

If, like us, your bank account is reeling after a double bank holiday spent tapping your credit card with joyful abandon, then you may be in need of a somewhat more frugal couple of days this weekend. Well, fear not. The second weekend of April is shaping up to be an excellent one for penny-pinching Londoners looking for a good time. From classical concerts on council estates to a major new regular flea market in east London, there are loads of reasons to get out and about this weekend, even if the glorious mid-week sunshine is, in typical fashion, set to be replaced by clouds and showers as the weekend arrives. Ah well. Us Londoners know better than to let a little rain ruin our plans.  RECOMMENDED: 📍 The best things to do in London this weekend.❌ London travel disruption this weekend: full list of tube and train closures for April 11-12. The best free things on in London this weekend, April 10-12 2026 1. Get a free dose of youth culture at Roundhouse Three Sixty Iconic Camden arts venue The Roundhouse will be buzzing this weekend, as the Three Sixty festival fills its walls with music, poetry and performances heralding a new generation of artists and fans. Book a free slot at interactive exhibition From Soundboy to Streaming and you’ll get to experience all the highs of London’s underground music cultures, as curated by local young people, including photographs, gig tickets, zines and more. Or tune in to Transmission, a live podcast recording with special guests from the

More bad news for London’s festival lovers. Just days after it was announced that Wireless festival would no longer go ahead this year after the UK Government revoked headliner Kanye West’s right to enter the UK, the capital’s summer music schedule has been dealt another blow, with the cancellation of the majority of dates for this year’s Lido festival.  Victoria Park’s newest summer event, the 35,000 capacity Lido festival debuted last June, with Charli xcx, Jamie xx and London Grammar headlining. This year’s sophomore edition of the festival was set to take place in mid-June, but the majority of the festival will no longer take place owing to ground conditions in the Tower Hamlets park.  RECOMMENDED: The best music festivals in London. Cancelled and rescheduled dates for Lido Festival Headline shows from Irish country singer CMAT on Friday 12 June and London indie rockers Bombay Bicycle Club on Sunday 14 June have been cancelled, while the festival’s third day, headlined by electronic duo Maribou State, has been rescheduled for the bank holiday on Monday 31 August.  Why has Lido Festival been cancelled and rescheduled? Announcing the cancellation on Instagram, festival organisers wrote, ‘LIDO 2026 is unable to take place in June to protect park ground conditions and will instead move to late August as a one-off date adjustment.’ They were also keen to stress that the changes ‘are in no way the fault of the artists or London Borough of Tower Hamlets (LBTH), all of whom have