Past London Picks

A major National Portrait Gallery exhibition tracing Marilyn Monroe through photographs and artworks by figures from Alfred Eisenstaedt to Eve Arnold. More than a celebrity shrine, it looks at how photographers shaped her image across her career and beyond. Runs until early September.

London's month-long river festival returns with a programme of exhibitions, installations, walks, performances and river activities at venues along the Thames. Events range from free drop-ins to ticketed sessions, so it is worth browsing the What's On listings to find what suits your dates and area.

Meatopia fills Tobacco Dock with live-fire cooking, barbecue pits and street-food traders over four days in early September. Entry gets you into the festival site; food and drink are bought separately using MeatBucks on the day. Expect smoke, queues and indulgent portions.

Serpentine South's free spring/summer show brings together new paintings and drawings by Cecily Brown, drawing on Kensington Gardens outside the gallery. Expect vigorous brushwork, saturated colour and compositions that fold together landscape, memory and the body. Book a free timed ticket.

Eleven days of live podcast recordings at Kings Place near King's Cross—from news and science to comedy, conversation and audio drama. Shows are booked individually, so you can dip in for a favourite title or use the programme to discover something new.

Experience world-class orchestras, soloists and contemporary performances across a packed summer season of live music.

A two-day outdoor book festival in Queen's Park with author talks, panels and family programming across around 30 sessions. Most events are ticketed separately, with prices varying by session; check the programme for timings, writers and any free community-tent events before you go.

The Courtauld's Hepworth exhibition is the first to centre her use of colour—from painted 1940s carvings to bronzes and marbles from later decades. Around 20 sculptures and 30 drawings sit together, offering a less familiar route into one of Britain's best-known modern sculptors.

A major free outdoor arts festival showcasing a diverse lineup of street theatre, dance, circus, and immersive installations across London.

A fortnight of new-writing theatre across southeast London, with eight premiere plays staged at Jack Studio Theatre in Crofton Park and Bridge House Theatre in Penge. SE Fest celebrates distinct voices and studio-scale work—follow the lineup link to browse shows and book individual performances.

Inside Charles Dickens's preserved Bloomsbury home, this exhibition turns to the real women behind his work—family, friends and contemporaries whose lives rarely match his fictional portraits. Museum admission covers the historic house and the show. Open Wednesday to Sunday.

Hear classical favourites and modern hits reimagined by live musicians in atmospheric venues illuminated by hundreds of candles.

A major exhibition dedicated to the Victorian artist Richard Dadd, showcasing his painstakingly detailed, fairytale-inspired paintings and drawings—many of which were created while he was confined as a patient at London's Bethlem ("Bedlam") and Broadmoor psychiatric hospitals.

360-degree light projection mapping and live music experience telling the story of London, narrated by Hugh Bonneville and accompanied by a live choir and orchestra inside Westminster Cathedral.

A free interactive exhibition examining how science, ecology, and biotechnology are transforming global food systems, spanning historic artifacts (like 3,500-year-old bread) to lab-grown meat and sustainable farming innovations.

A major exhibition dedicated to the Victorian artist Richard Dadd, showcasing his painstakingly detailed, fairytale-inspired paintings and drawings—many of which were created while he was confined as a patient at London's Bethlem ("Bedlam") and Broadmoor psychiatric hospitals.

Experience world-class orchestras, soloists and contemporary performances across a packed summer season of live music.

Hear classical favourites and modern hits reimagined by live musicians in atmospheric venues illuminated by hundreds of candles.

London’s vibrant, month-long summer performing arts festival hosted across dozens of venues in North London. Serving as an accessible alternative to the Edinburgh Fringe, it features hundreds of individual shows spanning stand-up comedy, experimental theatre, cabaret, and dance.

An exhibition at the Museum of Soho celebrating the life and fantastical artwork of "Mole," a beloved local eccentric and regular at The French House pub. Curated with his family, it showcases his handmade jewelry, whimsical automata, and sculpted characters that became legendary across Soho and Covent Garden.

A major free outdoor arts festival showcasing a diverse lineup of street theatre, dance, circus, and immersive installations across London.

A vibrant, free-to-enter summer destination at Battersea Power Station featuring classic fairground rides, a retro roller rink, pétanque, street food, and a Big Wheel with skyline views.

An open-air film festival set in the brutalist Sculpture Court of the Barbican Centre, offering evening screenings of acclaimed international films, cult classics, and music documentaries alongside street food and drinks.

A multi-day pop culture festival featuring voice actor panels, gaming zones (video and tabletop), cosplay competitions, anime screenings, J-pop and idol performances, and a massive dealer hall for merchandise.

A free interactive exhibition examining how science, ecology, and biotechnology are transforming global food systems, spanning historic artifacts (like 3,500-year-old bread) to lab-grown meat and sustainable farming innovations.

A photo exhibition displaying the late Magnum photographer Peter Marlow's ethereal portraits of all 42 Church of England cathedral naves, captured in natural dawn light without artificial illumination.

A free four-day festival celebrating the historic craftsmanship of Two Temple Place, featuring live artisan demonstrations (wood and stone carving, gilding, stained glass), family workshops, talks, and a maker’s market.

Created with Bompas & Parr, this exhibition uses a live observation beehive ("Bee-nomics"), scent challenges, and historic artifacts to draw unexpected parallels between bee colony behavior, food fraud, and modern financial security.

A free four-day midweek community festival in Victoria Park offering open-air cinema, live music, dance classes, outdoor sports, family theater, craft workshops, and street food between the main festival weekends.

360-degree light projection mapping and live music experience telling the story of London, narrated by Hugh Bonneville and accompanied by a live choir and orchestra inside Westminster Cathedral.

A major exhibition dedicated to the Victorian artist Richard Dadd, showcasing his painstakingly detailed, fairytale-inspired paintings and drawings—many of which were created while he was confined as a patient at London's Bethlem ("Bedlam") and Broadmoor psychiatric hospitals.

Experience world-class orchestras, soloists and contemporary performances across a packed summer season of live music.

Wander through sweeping purple lavender fields, take seasonal photos and enjoy a peaceful summer escape just outside London.

Hear classical favourites and modern hits reimagined by live musicians in atmospheric venues illuminated by hundreds of candles.

London’s vibrant, month-long summer performing arts festival hosted across dozens of venues in North London. Serving as an accessible alternative to the Edinburgh Fringe, it features hundreds of individual shows spanning stand-up comedy, experimental theatre, cabaret, and dance.

A popular, free open-air music and performance festival held annually at Coal Drops Yard in King's Cross, featuring a multi-day lineup of live jazz, folk, soul, classical opera, and community performances.

An exhibition at the Museum of Soho celebrating the life and fantastical artwork of "Mole," a beloved local eccentric and regular at The French House pub. Curated with his family, it showcases his handmade jewelry, whimsical automata, and sculpted characters that became legendary across Soho and Covent Garden.

A major free outdoor arts festival showcasing a diverse lineup of street theatre, dance, circus, and immersive installations across London.

A vibrant, free-to-enter summer destination at Battersea Power Station featuring classic fairground rides, a retro roller rink, pétanque, street food, and a Big Wheel with skyline views.

An intimate exhibition organized by the Royal Drawing School featuring over 60 years of drawings, sketches, collages, and archive works by celebrated abstract artist Sir Frank Bowling.

An open-air film festival set in the brutalist Sculpture Court of the Barbican Centre, offering evening screenings of acclaimed international films, cult classics, and music documentaries alongside street food and drinks.

A major exhibition dedicated to the Victorian artist Richard Dadd, showcasing his painstakingly detailed, fairytale-inspired paintings and drawings—many of which were created while he was confined as a patient at London's Bethlem ("Bedlam") and Broadmoor psychiatric hospitals.

Experience world-class orchestras, soloists and contemporary performances across a packed summer season of live music.

Watch cult classics, family favourites and blockbuster films beside the canal at King's Cross' open-air waterfront cinema.

Wander through sweeping purple lavender fields, take seasonal photos and enjoy a peaceful summer escape just outside London.

Hear classical favourites and modern hits reimagined by live musicians in atmospheric venues illuminated by hundreds of candles.

London's vibrant, month-long summer performing arts festival hosted across dozens of venues in North London. Serving as an accessible alternative to the Edinburgh Fringe, it features hundreds of individual shows spanning stand-up comedy, experimental theatre, cabaret, and dance.

A retrospective exhibition at London's Design Museum exploring the meticulous visual craftsmanship of filmmaker Wes Anderson. It showcases over 700 original props, costumes, puppets, miniature models, and storyboards drawn directly from his personal career archives.

A popular, free open-air music and performance festival held annually at Coal Drops Yard in King's Cross, featuring a multi-day lineup of live jazz, folk, soul, classical opera, and community performances.

An exhibition at the Museum of Soho celebrating the life and fantastical artwork of "Mole," a beloved local eccentric and regular at The French House pub. Curated with his family, it showcases his handmade jewelry, whimsical automata, and sculpted characters that became legendary across Soho and Covent Garden.

A multi-day comedy showcase hosted inside Camden's historic, circular Roundhouse venue. Produced in association with Berk's Nest, it brings together a mix of headline stand-up comedians, live podcast tapings, and rising comedic talent.

Step inside Delcy Morelos’ monumental earth installation, where tunnels of soil, clay and spices create a multisensory space for reflection.

A vibrant weekend food haven tucked into Bermondsey's historic railway arches. Featuring exceptional independent traders serving global street food, artisan pastries, and gourmet snacks.

Watch cult classics, family favourites and blockbuster films beside the canal at King’s Cross’ open-air waterfront cinema.

Wander through sweeping purple lavender fields, take seasonal photos and enjoy a peaceful summer escape just outside London.

Hear classical favourites and modern hits reimagined by live musicians in atmospheric venues illuminated by hundreds of candles.