Rosie Hewitson

With a bounty of great parties happening in the capital this Easter bank holiday, you can dance till you drop. Here’s our round-up of the long weekend’s best parties from Thursday April 2 to Monday April 6 2026, from (hopefully) sun-soaked daytime soirees to late-night ragers at some of the city’s best clubs.  If you’ve got the stamina, you could turn Easter into a proper bender. Just don’t count on a quick resurrection in time for work on Tuesday. RECOMMENDED:The best Easter events and activities in LondonThe 50 best nights out in London

Giddy up, horoscope fans! In 2026, we're cantering right into the Year of Horse. Like a cobra shedding it’s skin, we are slivering away from 2025’s Year of the Snake and into a brand new era. The Year of the Horse symbolises victorious success and good fortune, which is something we all need a bit of right now. And if you're born in the Year of the Horse then you'll really come into your own, as its a lucky year for this hardworking, warm-hearted and independent herd. Of course, the new year isn't just celebrated in Chinese culture. Also known as the Lunar New Year, the Spring Festival, Tet and Seollal, it’s celebrated across many more countries in South Asia including Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Taiwan, Malaysia and the Philippines, as well in many diaspora communities around the globe.  Traditionally a time for feasting, ritual and partying observed all over the globe, London will be heralding in the festivities in a mega way. In the capital, Chinatown hosts the biggest Lunar New Year celebration outside of Asia, while countless London attractions, cultural hubs, restaurants and other business will host their own bashes to bring in the Year of the Horse.  We’ll be updating this list as and when events are announced, so saddle up and get ready to join in.  When is Chinese New Year celebrated in London in 2026? In 2026, Chinese New Year falls on Tuesday February 17, ushering in the Year of the Horse. But the best of the festivities are saved for the follow

We’ve made it through the coldest month of the year, the endless wait for that post-Christmas payday is finally over, and festival season 2026 is on our minds. By the time summer rolls around, Londoners will be absolutley spoilt for choice. With something taking place almost every weekend throughout the warmer months, you can forget trekking across the country to live in a field for five days; simply hop on the tube and before you know it you’re listening to your favourite artists, tinny to hand, knowing that there’s a hot shower and a cosy bed waiting for you once the day is over.  The future of events in Brockwell Park was thrown up in the air in 2025, but you’ll be glad to know that most of the south London park’s usual lineup of events will return in 2026, with Cross The Tracks, Field Day and Mighty Hoopla all in the diary for late May. And the line-up announcements for next year’s events are already coming in thick fast, with huge acts like Tyler, The Creator, Lewis Capaldi, Lorde, Lily Allen, Blood Orange and Deftones all set to take to London stages come the summer. Have a scroll through our comprehensive guide – which we keep meticulously updated with all the latest line-up announcements – and see what takes your fancy. RECOMMENDED: ⛺ The best UK music festivals🌍 The best festivals in Europe

From top-tier off-licences to under-the-radar vintage shops, specialised delis, plant havens and everything in between, we’ve shopped (and dropped) our way through the capital’s retail offering. You really can buy whatever you want in this city – you just need to know where to look. That’s why we’ve put together this definitive list of the capital’s 50 best shops for 2025.  Featured in the list are a selection of excellent independent shops, some unmissable department stores, and a few delightfully quirky places you might have never known existed. Plus, for 2026 there’s an exciting pop-up from one of the world’s most beloved brands in one of London’s most renowned venues. This is our ultimate guide to shopping in the capital. Just don’t blame us if you get a little carried away next payday.  Rosie Hewitson is Time Out London’s Things to Do Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. RECOMMENDED:London’s best secondhand shops, picked by expertsThe best markets in London for shopping and browsingThe best car boot sales in London London’s best shops at a glance 📚 Best bookshop: Daunt Books 🏬 Best department store: Liberty 🍴 Best vintage shop: Blackout II 🥪 Best deli: Salvino 🎁 Best gift shop: Botanique

The Six Nations rugby tournament is back for 2026, taking over boozers, beer gardens and outdoor screens across London most weekends from the start of February right up until the final on Saturday March 14.  Last year, France achieved a surprise win, while poor Wales landed the wooden spoon for failing to score any points. Games take place at venues including Paris’ Stade de France, Rome’s Stadio Olimpico, Dublin’s Aviva Stadium, and London’s very own Allianz Twickenham Stadium as England, France, Italy, Scotland, Wales and Ireland compete to take home the championship trophy.  You could just watch on your telly at home, but if you’d prefer to catch every scrimmage, try and conversion in a lively atmosphere with a nice freshly-poured Guinness in hand, head to one of the rugby pubs, bars, beer halls, markets and social clubs listed here, where you’ll find free-flowing pints, special guest appearances and countless renditions of ‘Swing Low, Sweet Chariot’. RECOMMENDED: More great things to do in London this weekend  First Round Fixtures Here are the first matches for 2026: Thursday 5 Feb 8:10pm kickoff – France vs Ireland Saturday 7 Feb 2:10pm kickoff – Italy vs Scotland 4.40pm kickoff – England vs Wales  

Easter is an underrated holiday. It doesn’t get anywhere near as much hype as Christmas, but is almost as good. Sure, you might not get sacks full of presents, but you still get an excuse to stuff your face with chocolate, tuck into a big roast dinner, and a whole four-day weekend to spend however you like. This year, this glorious double bank holiday lands between Good Friday on April 3 and Easter Monday on April 6. The only thing standing between you and a glorious four days of fun is figuring out how to fill all your extra time off. Don’t worry – as always, Time Out’s fun-loving editorial team have your back. There’s tons to do in the capital over Easter weekend, from checking out spring flowers and other kid-friendly activities to making the most of the spring sun (thankfully the weather isn’t lookimg too bad!) at one of London’s top rooftop bars and parks. You could also spend your time checking out a free art exhibition or, of course, treating yourself to a proper pub roast on Easter Sunday. The big weekend is still a way off, but rest assured we'll be keeping this page updated with all our top things to do in London this Easter, as they're announced. RECOMMENDED: Check out our eggcellent guide to Easter in London.

For a few magical weeks each spring, London turns pink. Ornamental cherry trees burst into bloom in parks and suburban streets, carpeting the pavements with petals and sweetly scenting the air. Outshining the cheery daffodils, delicate bluebells and bright spring flowers, these extravagant pale-pink blooms are a real showstopper (and an unmissable photo op). Think cherry blossom and you might imagine Japan's sakura season, where festivals celebrate these glorious trees. But ornamental cherry trees have been planted for centuries in the UK, too, bringing joyous pompoms of blossom to London's streets and parks as soon as the first warm days appear. When is cherry blossom in bloom in London? The pastel pink blooms tend to grace our parks from April, but in cooler years it might not come out until May, and in warmer years cherry blossom can be seen as early as mid-March. You can find cherry blossoms in some of London’s best parks and lining pretty suburban streets. From the candyfloss arches of Greenwich Park, to the Cherry Walk in Kew Gardens, London folk are spoilt for choice. Get your camera at the ready and find out if one of these top places to see cherry blossoms in London is conveniently on your doorstep. 🌸 Central London: St James' Park 🌳 North London: Cecile Park, Crouch End 💮 East London: Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park 🌿 South London: Greenwich Park 🌷 West London: Kyoto Gardens, Holland Park  RECOMMENDED: The best places to see spring flowers in London

January gets a pretty terrible rep. Now that the month is nearly over, routines are taking shape and good intentions are being put to the test. The combination of darker evenings and familiar schedules can make it tempting to stay in and write the month off as a social lull. But, what better way to fight the January blues than filling your diary with things to look forward to? See the magical five-star revival of Stephen Sondheim’s ‘Into the Woods’ at the Bridge Theatre, or, head on down to MimeLondon to soak up the silent talents. Trust us, there's lots to choose from, and you won't regret it.  Start planning: here’s our roundup of the best things to do in London this January In the loop: sign up to our free Time Out London newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox.

Pat yourselves on the back: you’ve made it to the last week of January. Although the cold, dark, bleak month does get a pretty terrible rep it’s not all doom and discipline. There’s still plenty of fun to be had. From small midweek treats to bigger plans worth braving the cold for.  Spend the week checking out the city’s brilliant five-star theatre, or get stuck into the season by heading out on a winter walk, visiting a warming pub or picking up spoils from London’s best markets. So don't just waste your week infront of the TV, waiting for the next episode of The Traitors. Get out there and start exploring the city! Start planning: here’s our roundup of the best things to do in January In the loop: sign up to our free Time Out London newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox.

Monday 26 January: January might feel like it lasts for a good 150 or so days, but we’ve almost made it through the coldest and darkest month of the year. From Valentine’s Day and the Lunar New Year, there’s plenty of fun stuff on the horizon in February. Be sure to check out our 2026 preview for more unmissable events coming up in London this year. Got a few hours to kill today? You’re in luck. London is one of the very best places on the planet to be when you find yourself with a bit of spare time. 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

April is an underrated month if you ask us. Winter is finally over and everyone starts to emerge from hibernation, ready to properly commit to socialising again. The sun has put in a few appearances, London’s parks and gardens are in full bloom and the city feels alive with all the possibilities of summer, but without all the sunburn and sweltering, sleepless nights.  Easter weekend is on the horizon, meaning a double bank holiday jam-packed with fun, from family-friendly days out to club nights galore.  There’s also a handful of spring music festivals, some cracking art exhibitions and theatre (including the first open-air shows of the year) and plenty more amazing things going on around the city, including the London Marathon and the Boat Race.  Check out our roundup of the best stuff happening throughout the month, and start planning an amazing spring now. RECOMMENDED: Find more inspiration with our roundup of the best things to do this week

The Irish really know how to celebrate, so when it comes to St Patrick’s Day in London, the city’s Celtic community has no problem showing us how it’s done. With an estimated 170,000 expats from the Emerald Isle living in the city, and many more Londoners with Irish heritage, the celebration of Ireland’s patron saint is always one big welcoming bash, involving plenty of dancing, hearty traditional dishes, a huge parade and as many pints of Guinness and drams of whiskey as you can handle. The Mayor of London’s annual St Patrick’s Day Festival celebration will take place on Sunday, March 15 – two days before the official holiday – and, as usual, thousands of revellers are expected to watch the parade wend its way from Hyde Park Corner to Trafalgar Square for a giant free party with Irish music, food and performances from 12noon to 6pm. If you don’t fancy braving the crowds of central London for the main event in the capital, there are still plenty of St Patrick’s Day parties and events to check out. We’ll be rounding up the best of them below as they get announced, so you’ve got plenty of time to get planning for a very green week. RECOMMENDED🍻 The best Irish pubs and bars in London☘️ Our ultimate guide to the St Patrick’s Day parade and festival🌱 The best London events in March

Brixton’s annual disco festival will make you feel like you’re dancing in hot pants even if you’re actually wearing dad jeans. Returning for its eighth year in 2026, it takes place across a host of SW9’s best venues, including Brixton Jamm, Phonox, Electric Brixton and the Black Cultural Archives. Line-up stalwarts returning in May include Norman Jay MBE, the Handson Family and Faith residents Terry Farley, Stuart Patterson and Dave Jarvis. Also featured are veteran house DJ Derrick Carter, Homoelectric founder Luke Una, NYC-based vinyl queen Natasha Diggs and Glitterbox resident Melvo Baptiste. And as well as plenty of music to get you up and dancing, there’ll be plenty of delicious food to try at Brixton Village’s late opening. Category is: an amazing night out!

Serving up an eclectic mix of live music, visual arts, spoken word, podcasts and club nights, Roundhouse Three Sixty is a springtime festival at Chalk Farm’s famous circular arts venue. After its first edition last year, it's back for a second run that coincides with the 20th anniversary of Roundhouse's big relaunch as a youth-centric arts space. The month is headlined by some massive names. Imogen Heap will drop in for an evening of songs and conversations with her AI-powered alias ai.mogen (Apr 17). Kae Tempest will introduce his new novel ‘Having Spent Life Seeking’ (Apr 16). And Amaarae's ‘Black Star Experience’ (Apr 23) is a live show based on her acclaimed latest album. But elsewhere on the line-up you'll find loads of opportunities for rising voices to make their mark. Academy Award-winning actor Daniel Kaluuya is collaborating with 21 emerging theatremakers to create new play ‘Centre 59’ (Apr 9-12). Gorillaz drummer and Ezra Collective bandleader Femi Koleoso will host ‘Good Vibes Day’ (Apr 25), with affordable family music workshops followed by a club night in the evening. And there's also an experiental exhibition based on the lives of young people called ‘From Soundboy to Streaming: Collective and Individual Joy.’ The prices are refreshingly low, too, with tickets for under-30s starting at just a fiver. Get down there for an affordable, inspiring dose of culture this spring.

From seduction, courtship and marriage to voyeurism, adultery and unrequited love; with over 2,000 paintings on display at the National Gallery, it’s no surprise that just about every kind of love story can be found on its walls. Led by award-winning tour guide Muriel Carré, this 90-minute tour takes in a whole bunch of romance-themed masterpieces by the likes of Van Eyck, Gainsborough, Rembrandt, Rubens and Velázquez. It’s a popular event and tickets are only available to members of the National Gallery – if you are one be sure to book tickets online in advance. 

Named after a tyranical teenage Roman Emperor who allegedly murdered the guests at one of their lavish dinner parties by smothering them with rose petals dropped from the ceiling, this secretive spot next to Dalston Junction station styles itself as a ‘Queer Clubhouse’, and is by quite some distance the fanciest LGBTQ+ venue in the city (and certainly the only one to have featured in World of Interiors). With plenty of conspiratorial nooks and sumptuous, low-lit interiors featuring burlwood cabinets, plaster busts, marbled vanity tables and bespoke leopard print carpets, this place has the rakish air of a branch of Soho House managed by Sebastian Flyte from Brideshead Revisited.  Patrons arriving at the inconspicous front door are given stickers with which to cover their phone cameras before they’re allowed to slip through the curtained entrance into a sumptuous ground-floor bar where a chic crowd of Hackney queers sip on cocktails from an ever-changing menu of booze-heavy modern classics – think boulevardiers, Trinidad sours and an arguably-too-dirty martini.  Wander even further into the warren-like venue – past a small ‘library’ stocked with erotic coffee table books – and you’ll find a cabaret space with a curved stage, where east London’s most outré drag acts keep guests entertained with weeknight cabaret shows catered by regularly-rotating chef pop-ups. Venture downstairs and you’ll discover a subterranean sweat box where DJs play on weekends, as well as a second bar an

Agatha Christie is widely regarded as the greatest ever crime novelist, and the Queen of Crime will be under investigation herself during the British Library’s 2026 season. Coinciding with the centenary of The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, one of the prolific writer’s most important and influential novels, the autumn exhibition will delve into the origins of iconic characters Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot, while also exploring the the eclectic range of interests that inspired the English author’s works, from archaeology to pharmacology, and illustrating the profound impact her ouevre continues to have on the whodunnit genre. 

Tony and Olivier Award-winning English artist and stage designer Es Devlin gets her first UK museum show this autumn. The Design Museum’s landmark retrospective will delve into the stories behind the London-based designer’s 30-year practice encompassing everything from kinetic stage sculptures to monumental art installations. Developed in close collaboration with Devlin – who has worked on everything from the Olympic opening ceremony to the Superbowl half-time show – it will feature rare maquettes, sketches, annotated texts and process materials, as well as new large scale installations conceived especially for the exhibition. 

The Wellcome Collection’s big spring exhibition is a deep dive into perceptions of ageing. Expect the Euston Road institution’s typical blend of art, science and pop culture in the 120+ artworks and objects on display, which range from16th century woodcuts made by German printmaker Sebald Beham to Deborah Roberts’ contemporary collages exploring Black childhood. There’ll also be a spotlight on the Wellcome Trust-funded health research project Age of Wonder – one of the largest studies of adoloscence in the world – and an exploration of how societies can adapt to improve everyone’s experience of ageing.

Best known for his eye-popping, fantastical fashion photography for titles including British Vogue, i-D, W, Vanity Fair and Another Man, British photographer Tim Walker has spent the past five years photographing the nation’s LGBTQ+ trailblazers in preparation for this major exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery. His first show in London since the V&A’s acclaimed exhibition in 2019, it will be accompanied by a book featuring contributions from Travis Alabanza, Russell T Davies, Shon Faye, Lisa Power and Joelle Taylor.

It’s difficult to talk about Ana Mendieta’s work without first mentioning her death. The Cuban-American artist was just 36 years old when she died in suspicious circumstances in 1985, after allegedly falling from the 34th-floor Manhattan apartment she shared with her husband, the revered modernist sculptor Carl Andre.  As a rising star of the avant garde art scene in 1980s New York, there’s no knowing what brilliant work Ana Mendieta might still be producing if her career hadn’t been cut tragically short, but it’s doubly unfortunate that the work she did produce is often obscured by conversations about her husband’s murder trial. Great news, then, that the Tate Modern is putting the art front and centre this summer, in the largest UK exhibition of Ana Mendieta’s work to date, featuring many pieces never exhibited in this country before. Delving into the Havana-born, Iowa-raised artist’s groundbreaking practice spanning performance, photography and video art, it will explore Mendieta’s deep affinity with the natural world, while making the case that she deserves to be remembered as one of the most important artists of the 20th century. 

Photography fans are in for a real treat this month, as Nan Goldin’s seminal series The Ballad of Sexual Dependency goes on display in full for the first time ever in the UK. Staged at the St Davis Street branch of Gagosian, the exhibition marks the 40th anniversary of the publication of Goldin’s formative photobook, featuring 126 photographs shot between 1973 and 1986. An intimate, wistful portrait of Goldin’s downtown NYC community it includes photographes of pop culture icons like Cookie Mueller and Greer Lankton, shot in Goldin’s signature saturated, moody hues. Don’t miss a very rare chance to see it in all its glory.

Alreet pet? First up, an admission. I might have been born in Newcastle and raised in Gateshead, but given my lifelong support for the other football team in Tyne and Wear, you’d be well within your rights to question whether I might harbour a slight bias against Gerry and Sewell, the stage play based on Geordie classic Purely Belter.  Set in the north-east of England at the turn of the millennium, and itself an adaptation of Jonathan Tulloch’s novel The Season Ticket, Mark Herman’s cult comedy film follows teenage ‘radgie gadgies’ Gerry and Sewell on an ill-fated quest to beg, borrow and steal enough cash to buy season tickets for their beloved Newcastle United, evading angry neighbours, bullish English teachers, sanctimonious social workers and the local constabulary in the process. With its blend of Byker Grove plotting and Ken Loach-esque social realism, even Mackems like myself have a soft spot for this cult piece of local heritage, but for Newcastle fans it apparently warrants almost as many re-watches as Kevin Keegan’s infamous Man United rant. Written and directed by Olivier-winning local lad Jamie Eastlake, the film’s second adaptation for the stage  – following one by Pilot Theatre and Northern Stage in 2016 –  was a hit when it premiered at North Tyneside’s tiny Laurel Theatre in 2022, transferring to Newcastle’s Live Theatre and then the still-larger Theatre Royal en route to its short run on the West End this month.  On for just two weeks, its stint at the Aldwyc

The National Portrait Gallery has been on a solid run in recent years, particularly when it comes to exhibitions on contemporary portraiture – we loved its exhibitions on The Face and Jenny Saville last year – so we have high hopes for this, the biggest exhibition to be shown in the UK to date from the iconic photographer Catherine Opie. Curated in collaboration with the artist, the exhibition will span the Ohio-born artist’s three-decade career, exploring representations of home, family, identity, politics and power structures through Opie’s vivid and colourful portrait photographs. Works featured in the exhibition will span her first major work, Being and Having (1991), her portraits of LGBTQ+ friends inspired by court painter Hans Holbein, to her Baroque-like portraits of artists.

When it comes to blockbuster sporting events, not much comes close to the Super Bowl. The NFL’s showpiece fixture is less a match and more a full-blown cultural phenomenon.  And while the game takes place thousands of miles away, London will be very much awake for it. With a huge American expat community and a substantial homegrown fanbase, the Super Bowl has become a booming fixture in the capital’s nightlife calendar.  Hosting the Super Bowl is a big deal, and for 2026, it heads west to Santa Clara. Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, around 45 miles southeast of San Francisco, the California city won a fiercely competitive bidding process to host the game (a privilege that reportedly costs close to $100m once security and production are factored in). It’s not Santa Clara’s first rodeo either, having previously hosted the Super Bowl 50 back in 2016. As ever, the action on the field will be joined by all the familiar Super Bowl trimmings: high-stakes drama and, most importantly, a globe-stopping half-time show. I mean, who could forget Beyoncé? And Rihanna? Prince? Pop-culture milestones one and all. So sure, you could watch it from your sofa with a multipack of crisps. But for anyone after a proper Super Bowl experience – big screens, booming sound systems, flowing pints and American food – London has plenty of late-night parties worth staying up for. These are the best places in the city to catch it. When is the Super Bowl?  Super Bowl LX takes place on Sunday February

Dun, dun-dun-dun dun, dun-dun-dun dun! If there’s one thing that’s gotten us through the dark, cold nights of January 2026, it’s been tuning into BBC 1 three nights a week to hear that melodramatic theme music. With traitor-on-traitor violence, multiple secret relationships, some truly iconic knitwear and more gasp-worthy plot twists than Claudia Winkleman has had spray tans, this might just have been the best series of the camp-as-Christmas gameshow yet. Can Rachel and Stephen’s Celtic alliance take them all the way? Does Faraaz know more than he’s letting on? Will James finally vote out an actual traitor? We’ll get all the answers from 9pm tomorrow during the climactic finale. And if you fancy watching it somewhere with a wee bit more atmosphere than your living room, there are a bunch of live screening parties happening across London, many of which are free to attend. So don your cloak, grab yourself a chalice of wine and settle in to catch all the drama at one of these London venues screening the final episode. The best Traitors finale screening parties in London Oslo, Hackney Hackney Central bar and nightclub Oslo will be showing the finale on two huge screens, with tables of 4, 6 and 8 available and £5 pints until 10pm.  1A Amhurst Road, E8 1JB. From £11.33 for a table of 4. Picturehouse, Finsbury Park Witness all the drama unfold from the cabaret-style seats in this plush cinema’s event screening room. Tickets include bottomless popcorn and a free Traitor’s Tipple co

Happy New Year, art lovers! January tends to be a pretty quiet month for London’s art scene – what with all the collectors and gallerists off sunning themselves – but it’s the perfect time to get organised for the year ahead. And what a year it’s gonna be for the city’s gallery-botherers, with blockbuster exhibition after blockbuster exhibition on the way over the next twelve months. There’s monumental sculpture, pointillist landscapes and flashy photography, massive names from Renoir to Hockney, and so many big shows by women that the Guerrilla Girls might have to get a new schtick. RECOMMENDED: The best photography exhibitions in London for 2026. Stay tuned for loads more details on this year’s exhibitions, as many of the smaller commercial galleries are yet to announce their schedules for the coming year. And in the meantime, get this lot in your diary. The 12 best art exhibitions coming to London in 2026 1. Frida: ‘The Making of An Icon’ at Tate Modern Featuring more than 130 artworks, including some of Frida Kahlo’s most iconic paintings, the Tate Modern’s mammoth summer exhibition will explore how the Mexican painter became the kind of cultural phenomenon whose monobrowed likeness adorns everything from novelty socks to limited-edition eye shadow pallets. The first major London exhibition on the feminist icon since the V&A’s one in 2018, it promises to be a fascinating exploration of the transformative role of women artists in the 20th century, as well as notions of fan

We might only be a couple of weeks into the new year, but 2026 is already looking like a stellar vintage for London’s arts and culture scene, with major new venues on the horizon – including the new London Museum, the opening of V&A East and a permanent home for the Museum of Youth Culture – and some fabulous art shows and museum exhibitions to look forward to.  And if you haven’t already filled up your diary for the next few months, we’ve got even more unmissable culture for you in the form of some eye-catching photography exhibitions. Make the most of ‘planuary’ by organising your upcoming excursions to these shows encompassing everything from snapshots of queer communities and American urban life to cutting-edge wildlife and fashion photography.  RECOMMENDED: The 26 best things to do in London in 2026. The 8 best photography exhibitions coming to London in 2026 1. ‘Light and Magic: The Birth of Art Photography’ at Tate Modern When the camera was first invented, it was a wonder of science, able to capture images with an accuracy that had never been seen before. But soon, instead of being seen as a rival to painters and sculptors, photographers began to join them as artists, interested in all the creative possibilities of this new method of image making. Tate Modern’s autumn opening explores how art photography emerged as a discipline between the 1880s and 1960s, taking an international approach that spans places from Shanghai to Sydney, New York to Cape Town, and Brazil t

Great news, culture vultures; it’s the start of a brand new year, and that means a host of new exhibitions to look forward to. January is pretty quiet for new openings – we’re all too busy watching The Traitors and trying not to spend any money – but there’s plenty of unmissable culture on the horizon in the capital, from flashy fashion and design retrospectives to deep-dives into ageing, fandom and the studio behind everyone’s favourite claymation canine and inventor duo. Joyless health kicks got you feeling glum? Stop meal prepping and start planning an enriching cultural diet instead, with our guide to the biggest and best museum openings coming up over the next year.  RECOMMENDED: 🎨 The 12 best art exhibitions coming to London in 2026.🏗️ Developments that will transform London in 2026. The 8 best museum exhibitions coming to London in 2026 1. The Bayeux Tapestry at the British Museum Huge news for British history buffs; for the first time in 900 long years, the Bayeux Tapestry is going on display in Britain this autumn. The intricately embroidered 70-metre-long artwork depicts the 1066 Battle of Hastings, when William the Conquerer took the English throne. Although it’s believed to have been embroidered in Canterbury, the tapestry has resided in Bayeux, Normandy for the past nine centuries, so this is a super rare chance to see it on home soil. The British Museum. Sep 2026-Jun 2027. More details here.    Photograph: Shutterstock 2. Schiaparelli: ‘Fashion Becomes Art’

Black Friday has been and gone, London’s festive markets, Christmas shops and department stores are buzzing with activity, and the big day is less than three weeks away. So if you haven’t already made some serious headway on your gift shopping, you might be starting to feel a little panicked. But don’t worry about it! Time Out’s 2025 Christmas Gift Guide just landed, and it’s packed full of great pressie ideas, from nifty gadgets and stylish accessories to covetable homeware and fun stocking fillers. And we’ve also got some excellent ideas for what to get the small people in your life. Landed your primary school-aged cousin in the family Secret Santa, or got a boisterous little niece or nephew you usually get a little something for? Time Out’s Theatre Editor and resident kids’ expert Andrzej Lukowski has picked out the perfect thing; these cutesy little things from the venerable toymakers Ty (of Beanie Babies fame).  Setting you back less than the price of a central London pint, the Ty Beanie Bouncers have topped renowned toy shop Hamleys’ list of the most in-demand toys for Christmas 2025. If you’ve walked past the Regent Street shop in recent weeks, you might have noticed that its window display is dedicated to the colourful little spherical plushies.  Essentially a cross between a Beanie Baby and a bouncy ball, they come in a huge range of different designs, including the cheerful snowman pictured above, some adorable little animals, both real (we’d die for Banana the Monk

It’s been a busy couple of years for London’s iconic Victoria & Albert museum, with a whole bunch of major development projects on the go across the city. First, there was the £13 million revamp of the museum’s childhood-focused Bethnal Green outpost, which reopened as the Young V&A to  in June 2023 to critical acclaim, picking up the Art Fund Museum of the Year Award the following summer.  This spring then saw the opening of another very well-received project, the V&A East Storehouse, a ‘working museum’ purpose-built to house half a million objects from the museum’s various archives while offering Londoners a peek behind the scenes to see how a museum goes about curating and caring for the items in its collection.  And now, the museum group has announced the opening date for the second part of its east London development project, V&A East, which is due to open to the public on Saturday, April 18 2026. Opening just shy of a decade after it was first announced as part of the £1.1 billion development of Stratford’s East Bank cultural quarter, the 7,000 square metre museum will bring together exhibits that speak to both east London’s creative heritage and the voices that are shaping contemporary culture across the globe today.  Photograph: V&A East Museum Why We Make Galleries render © JA Projects Also announced today are details of the free-to-visit permanent galleries, new commissions and temporary exhibitions that comprise the museum’s opening displays. These include the Wh

It’s a huge weekend on the London social calendar, with Halloween parties galore, Day of the Dead fiestas, a smattering of early Bonfire Night celebrations and the final few days of October half-term entertainment all happening over the next couple of days.  But while that sounds really fun, it also sounds...expensive! Blown all your money on a killer Halloween costume and/or a week of entertaining the kids? No worries; it’s also an excellent weekend for wallet-friendly fun around the capital.  From great museum lates to fun pop-ups, here’s where to have fun this weekend without spending any more of your paycheque before November has even started.  RECOMMENDED: All the best things to do in London this weekend.  The best free things on in London this weekend 1. Learn about Nigerian modern art at a Tate Late  Inspired by its new exhibition Nigerian Modernism, the Tate Modern’s October late features talks, workshops and curator chats exploring food cultures, diaspora fashion and key African artworks in the Tate collection. There’ll also be plenty of music with DJ sets curated by Native Soundsystem, Tone and Sample Chief.  Tate Modern, SE1. Fri Oct 31. Free (some events are ticketed). 2. Or go rococo at a V&A Late hosted by Riposte  Have you heard the rumours that Marie Antoinette was actually queer? This late drawing off the V&A’s blockbuster exhibition all about the fated French queen, will be delving into the lesbian-coded history and symbolism of Marie Antoinette, in an ev

The clocks have gone back, there’s a chill on the air and central London’s fancy dress shops suddenly have queues out the door. It can only mean one thing; Halloween is just days away! Pretty soon, the streets will be full of the raving dead, as Londoners head out to Halloween parties around the city. And with the spookiest holiday on the calendar happening to fall on a Friday this year, we’re even more spoilt for choice than usual when it comes to late-night antics on All Hallows’ Eve. Still trying to decide which club night deserves to be graced by your haunted labubu costume?  We know which one we’ll be doing the monster mash at, because one north London party has topped our list of London’s best Halloween parties for 2025, thanks to a killer line-up headlined by Kurupt FM and special guest Aitch.  With the likes of DJ AG, Eliza Rose, SBTRKT, Mike Skinner, Eats Everything, Yung Singh and Flowdan featuring across three huge rooms, Drumsheds Presents Halloween is promising more bangers than Dracula has had bloody dinners this October 31.  The north London superclub – which recently announced major upgrades ahead of its 25/26 winter season – will be kicking things off nice and early at 7pm, meaning partygoers will have eight whole hours of raving ahead of the 3am curfew.  The venue has also told partygoers to ‘Expect the unexpected,’ which we imagine means it’s got some spook-tastic surprises planned for the scariest night of the year. We reckon those high-tech screens in Roo

October is a huge month for culture in the capital. Hot on the heels of the London Film Festival, Frieze London, London Cocktail Week and a whole bunch of theatre and gallery openings, it’s time for the city’s literary scene to take centre stage.  London Literature Festival arrives at the Southbank Centre this week, with 13 days of talks, readings, workshops, screenings, performances and award ceremonies celebrating the written and spoken word. Both rising stars and literary titans appear on a stacked line-up co-curated by Rebecca Lucy Taylor, AKA Self Esteem. The BRIT Award-nominated singer (and former Time Out cover star) will be taking over the venue on Saturday November 1, appearing in conversation with Dolly Alderton to discuss her new book, A Complicated Woman, before hosting a Saturday night music and spoken word variety show featuring some of her writers and performers, including Travis Alabanza, Tom Rasmussen and Pam Ayres. So celebrate the festival’s arrival this week, we asked the pop star, her line-up and a few names from the wider festival programme to tell us which one book they would take to a desert island. Rebecca Lucy Taylor, AKA Self Esteem  Photograph: Scarlett Carlos Clarke ‘I wish I could remember who suggested I read Women Who Run with the Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estés. I was about 30 and so very angry, and this was the first time I read that my anger was perfectly reasonable. Not only was it reasonable, it was NATURAL. Were I on a desert island

In a crowded field, The Serpentine is earily one of London’s most influential modern art galleries. Nestled in leafy Kensington Gardens, its pair venues on either side of Hyde Park’s winding artificial lake stage some of the most adventurous temporary art exhibitions in town, alongside huge names like Marina Abramović, Damien Hirst and Jeff Koons.  The gallery has been on a solid run in recent months, with a well-received edition of its annual Serpentine Pavilion designed by Bangladeshi artist and architect Marina Tabassum, and two buzzy autumn shows in the first major solo exhibition from young British artist and video game designer Danielle Brathwaite Shirley and the latest show from Peter Doig – famed for being the most expensive living artist in Europe – inspired by sound system culture.  And there are more big shows on the horizon, with the Serpentine having just announced its 2026 programme, featuring two very different British painters, and Indian video artist and a landmark anniversary commission.  Image: David Hockney David Hockney Kicking of 2026 is an already-announced show from one of Britain’s most iconic living artists, David Hockney (Mar 12-Aug 23) at Serpentine North. The octogenarian’s first exhibition with Serpentine will focus on recent works, including the celebrated Moon Room, reflecting the painter’s lifelong interest in the lunar cycle, plus several digital paintings created as part of his Sunrise series, paintings made on an iPad during a prolific pe

It’s the first weekend of October, and London is looking properly autumnal, but while the leaves are turning brown and the Regent’s Park hedgehogs prepare for hibernation, the capital’s cultural scene is bursting into life. There’s arguably no better month of the year for culture in London, with the London Film Festival, London Literature Festival and Frieze London all arriving in the next couple of weeks, not to mention the plethora of major theatre and gallery openings happening in the coming days. But if all those hot tickets are burning a hole in your wallet, there’s plenty of free fun to be had too. From a harvest festival at the UK’s biggest beer hall to a makers market in honour of Black History Month, here are the best free activities around London this weekend.  RECOMMENDED: The best things to do in London this weekend. The best free things to do in London this weekend, October 3-5 1. Join a barn dance during the Blackhorse Beer Mile Harvest Festival If your memories of Harvest Festival involve bringing a tin of baked beans into primary school for a special assembly, it's time to update them. Walthamstow’s Blackhorse Beer Mile is celebrating the bounties of the season with all manner of country-style entertainment. The main venue is the cavernous Big Penny Social, which is hosting morris dancing and a barn dance with live music, but you can also enjoy tours and tastings, live country and bluegrass music, seasonal drinks specials and a hog roast the area’s taprooms