We don’t often visit art galleries.
They always tell us off for taking pictures.
Nevertheless, London is awash with art – and so we’ve put together a running list of all the major (and quite a few independent) art galleries in London, complete with opening hours and the run-down on the exhibitions to see now:
JUMP TO: CENTRAL | NORTH | SOUTH | EAST | WEST
CENTRAL LONDON ART GALLERIES
180 Studios | Strand
Set in the concrete subterranean labyrinth of an iconic Brutalist building, 180 Studios is building a name for itself as the home for innovative, large-scale, tech-infused audio-visual art installations.
WHAT’S ON
The Vinyl Factory – REVERB (extended until 22nd December, £20) – a heavily cinematic exhibition that rewards slow looking. Artists like Es Devlin, Julianknxx and Virgil Abloh come together to showcase films, and stage set-ups, that bring together music and vision.
Address: 180 Studios, 180 Strand, WC2R 1EA | Opening Hours: Daily, 10am-7pm | Entry: Exhibitions ticketed individually, from £10-25
–
The Courtauld Gallery | Strand
Back open after the biggest refurbishment in its history, the Courtauld has an incredible collection of art particularly known for its trove of Impressionist paintings including Manet’s A Bar at the Folies Bergère and Van Gogh’s Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear. The permanent collection could keep you occupied for hours, but the gallery often plays host to visiting exhibitions, too.
WHAT’S ON
Monet and London. Views of the Thames (until 19th January 2025, £16) – At the turn of the century the French Impressionist figurehead spent a fair bit of time in London, painting views of the Thames and the Houses of Parliament from his room at the Savoy. He was desperate to show them here in the capital, but for some reason or other it never happened – until now.
Address: Somerset House, Strand, London WC2R 0RN | Opening Hours: Daily 10am-6pm (last entry 5.15pm) | Entry: Permanent collection £10-14, exhibitions £4+. Free entry for 18 and under.
–
Hayward Gallery | South Bank
A Brutalist and, quite frankly, brutal concrete metropolis is home to the Hayward Gallery; an exhibition space designed to receive touring work and host major modern collections. Sat within the cultural playground that is the Southbank Centre, it normally holds three to four temporary exhibitions a year and due to the sheer size of the space, they’re often huge installations that allow for lots of audience interaction. Retrospectives are also popular, with German photographer Andreas Gursky and our very own Bridget Riley showing off their illustrious careers here.
WHAT’S ON
Haegue Yang: Leap Year (until 5th January 2025) – The Seoul and Berlin-based artist brings her vast, alien-like structures and installations to the halls of the Hayward, addressing diverse topics from migration to East Asian folklore using found and hand-crafted materials.
Address: Southbank Centre, 337-338 Belvedere Road, SE1 8XX | Opening Hours: Tues-Fri 10am-6pm, Sat 10am-8pm, Sundays 10am-6pm | Entry: £18+
–
ICA | St James
The errant, wayward child of the RA, the ICA was established as a space for artists and scientists to discuss ideas freely and without limitation. An avid promoter of the avant-garde, it’s been an epicentre of experimental work ever since. With galleries, a theatre, and two cinemas you’re bound to find something, in some medium, that suits your fancy.
WHAT’S ON
Geumhyung Jeong: Under Construction (until 15th December, £6) – this is going to be a real one-of-a-kind: see sculptures, video and the occasional live performance by the South Korean artist who investigates the uncanny link between man and machine with her handmade animatronic body parts.
Check out upcoming screenings, talks and more on the ICA’s events page
Address: The Mall, St James’s, SW1Y 5AH | Opening Hours: Tue-Thurs 4-9pm, Fri-Sun 12pm-9pm | Entry: £6
–
National Gallery | Trafalgar Square
Pride of place in London’s art scene, presiding over the four lions of Trafalgar Square, is the National Gallery. Amongst the most visited art museums in the world, the National Gallery has a premier league roll call of great works amongst the 2,300 paintings in its possession. Van Gogh’s Sunflowers, Turner’s The Fighting Temeraire and Da Vinci’s The Virgin of the Rocks all adorn its walls. Most major Western artists are represented in some way or another here, making it an absolute mecca for Art History bingo.
WHAT’S ON
Van Gogh: Poets and Lovers (until 19th January 2025, £24+) – Yep, this one’s a biggie. The Dutch post-impressionist made over 2100 works of art in his short life, and here you’ll get to see some of his finest (including Sunflowers, The Yellow House and Starry Night over the Rhône), all made during his final two years in the south of France.
Address: Trafalgar Square, WC2N 5DN | Opening Hours: Daily, 10am-6pm (9pm Fridays) | Entry: Free / Exhibitions from £20
–
National Portrait Gallery | Trafalgar Square
David Parry
The National Portrait Gallery is back and better than ever, which isn’t too surprising considering the refurb cost £35 million and includes a new wing, a café and a late night cocktail bar. Of course in saying all that, the main attraction is still the portraits; showcasing famous Brits in painting, photo and sculpture form.
WHAT’S ON
Taylor Wessing Photo Portrait Prize 2024 (14th Nov – 16th Feb, £8.50) – The annual award returns, open to anyone around the world over the age of 18. This year it drew almost 5,000 entries, and this exhibition showcases the cream of the crop.
Francis Bacon: Human Presence (until 19th January, £23+) – A huge collection of portraits by the progressive artist, unfolding his life story through self-portraits and paintings of those he knew and loved.
Details: St Martin’s Place, Charing Cross, WC2H 0HE | Opening hours: Daily 10.30am-6pm (open until 9pm Friday & Saturday) | Entry: Main collection free, exhibitions £21+ or £5 for U25s, Fri-Sun
–
The Photographers’ Gallery | Soho
Christian Thompson
After snapping up a tea bar in Covent Garden, founder and director Sue Davies quickly developed the space into the UK’s first dedicated space for photography and photographers. The gallery’s now moved into an old textiles factory in Soho, but continues to act as a centre of excellence for, and research into the 20th century’s iconic medium, with plenty of wonderful camera work to admire over its six floors. Check out the Soho Photography Quarter outside, an old alleyway that’s been revamped as a kind of al fresco gallery space.
WHAT’S ON (All running until 23rd February 2025)
Letizia Battaglia: Life, Love and Death in Sicily, a solo show for the pioneering photographer
Deborah Turbeville: Photocollage, which explores the avant-garde fashion photography of the late American artist
Ten.8 In Focus: The Legacy of Black Image and Body Politics, an archival deep dive into two issues of the renowned photographers’ journal.
Address: 16-18 Ramillies Street, W1F 7LW | Opening Hours: Mon-Wed 10am-6pm, Thurs-Fri 10am-8pm, Sat 10am-6pm, Sun 11am-6pm | Entry: £10/8.50 online (entry to all exhibitions), free Fridays from 5pm
–
The King’s Gallery | St James
Once an exclusively royal affair but these days awash with the unwashed, the King’s Gallery is the dictionary definition of a fine art gallery – “a place that houses work created primarily for aesthetic and intellectual purposes”. The collection is, unsurprisingly, fit for a king and contains a revolving exhibit of works owned by the royals to ensure their protection for, and presumably from, the Great British public.
WHAT’S ON
Drawing the Italian Renaissance (until 9th March 2025, £19) – It’s a double whammy for Renaissance sketches alongside the RA’s current show (more on which below), though this exhibition takes a slightly wider scope with Titian and other artists joining the party.
Address: Buckingham Palace, Buckingham Palace Road, SW1A 1AA | Opening Hours: Daily 9.30am-5.30pm | Entry: £19
–
Royal Academy | Piccadilly
Perhaps in a moment of his famed “madness”, King George III dipped into his own pocket to establish the RA in order to raise the professional status of artists and foster a national school of art. Off his rocker or not, it proved a big success (alumni include Turner, Kauffman, Constable et al.), and the RA lives on to this day as a privately funded institution training, and promoting, artists and art appreciation. The gallery has moved with the ebbs and flows of artistic taste, and its annual open-call summer exhibition showcases the best new art on the scene.
WHAT’S ON
Michael Craig-Martin (until 10th December, £22-24.50) – The Dublin-born, American-raised artist fills the RA’s lofty halls with his signature large-scale, block colour renditions of everyday objects.
Michelangelo, Leonardo, Raphael (until 16th February, £19-21) – It’s a big ol’ party of Renaissance masters, structured around their fleeting overlap in Florence in 1504 as they vied for the attentions of a wealthy patron.
Address: Burlington House, Piccadilly, Mayfair, W1J 0BD | Opening Hours: Tues-Sun, 10am-6pm (9pm Fri) | Entry: Free / Exhibitions from ~£20
–
Somerset House | Strand
Kevin Meredith
Originally the Tudor crib to end all cribs, this imposing residence on the river Thames became a Stuart royal palace, a brief home of the Royal Academy, and now holds the offices of over a hundred creative organisations and artists, alongside numerous exhibition spaces for a range of different media. The Duke of Somerset, despite being executed before it was completed, would no doubt lose his head over how brilliant it’s become.
WHAT’S ON
Making A Rukus! (until 19th January 2025, PWYC) – An exhibition curated by Topher Campbell celebrating the activism, connections and creative endeavours of Britain’s Black LGBTQIA+ community.
Aut-OOO-Arcadia: Louis Morlæ (until 23rd February 2025, free) – Robotic sculptures, video art and interactive pieces come together to visualise an AI-driven future where humans don’t have to work at all…
Address: Strand, WC2R 1LA | Opening Hours: Sun-Thurs 10am-6pm, Fri & Sat 12-9pm | Entry: Free/£15+ for exhibitions
–
Tate Britain | Pimlico
The epicurean, slightly dotty uncle of the Tate Modern is concerned with one thing only – old Blighty (and the artists who come from within it). A national treasure full of national treasures, expect to see all the big names from 1500 to the present day –Turner, Constable, Bacon, Blake, and Emin – and there’s even a series of exhibitions titled Art Now that shines a light on our stars of tomorrow.
WHAT’S ON
Alvaro Barrington: Grace (until 26th January 2025, free display) – The artist raised between the Caribbean and NYC stages a trio of monumental installations to honour the women in his family.
Turner Prize 2024 (until 16th February 2025, £14) – The prestigious (and famously bonkers) British art award returns to its original home at Tate Britain for the prize’s 40th anniversary.
The 80s: Photographing Britain (until 5th May 2025, £20) – A dive into how photography was used to capture protest, resistance and socio-political activism in the 80s – unfortunately it’s been pretty poorly reviewed in the press.
Address: Millbank, SW1P 4RG | Opening Hours: Daily, 10am-6pm | Entry: Free / Exhibitions from £16
–
Tate Modern | Bankside
Some people think modern art is just a load of Pollocks. And they’d be right. But he’s not the only artist you’ll find in this behemoth of modern and contemporary works. Tate Modern holds the British collection of pieces from 1900 to the present day, and is one of the largest modern art museums in the world. Housed within the old Bankside power station, it has become an iconic landmark on the Thames’ riverscape. Pieces from Picasso, Dali and Matisse lead the permanent line-up, while the old turbine hall dwarfs its visitors and holds specially commissioned, larger-than-life exhibits.
WHAT’S ON
Zanele Muholi
Zanele Muholi (until 26th January 2025) – A critically acclaimed mid-career survey of the artist’s work photographing the LGBTQIA+ community in South Africa, veering from the haunting images of abuse survivors to celebratory images and Muholi’s defiant series of self-portraits that reclaim their Blackness.
Mike Kelley: Ghost and Spirit (until 9th March 2025, £18) – a cacophonous, sensory-overloading retrospective of the prolific American artist who fixated on lost innocence, the impermanence of memory and the way pop culture shapes our own identities. It’s a real marmite number.
Anthony McCall: Solid Light (until 27th April 2025, £14) – A quartet of installations from the 1970s, in which the artist plays with sculpting light using projectors and misty air. Unfortunately, given how much this concept’s been developed over recent years, the show feels a little underpowered and overpriced.
Electric Dreams (until 1st June 2025, £22) – Pioneering pieces from artists around the world who were experimenting with technology in the optimistic age before the internet.
Address: Bankside, SE1 9TG | Opening Hours: Daily 10am-6pm | Entry: Free / Exhibitions from £22
–
Wallace Collection | Marylebone
A collecting hobby that got a little out of hand is now a major collection of 18th and 19th century works collected by subsequent Marquesses of Hertford, and bequeathed to the public. Housed within an imposing regency townhouse, the Wallace is famed for its triumphant collection of French decorative arts; the grandest one outside of Gaul. It’s a fancy family’s fancy private collection, so expect gilded frames, suits of armour, and offensive levels of wealth to dominate your surroundings on your sojourn through the wings.
WHAT’S ON
Currently main collection only.
Address: Hertford House, Manchester Square, W1U 3BN | Opening Hours: Daily, 10am-5pm | Entry: Free / £14 for exhibitions
–
NORTH LONDON ART GALLERIES
Camden Art Centre | Hampstead
What began as a local Arts scheme providing the Hampstead community with classes in everything from painting to pottery, has grown, over the past 50 years, into an internationally acclaimed centre for the arts. Housed on the leafier side of Finchley this enclave of ever rotating, multi disciplinary artistry favours edgy, young contemporary artists and has a bookshop, cafe, and garden to boot.
WHAT’S ON
Nicola L.: I am the Last Woman Object (until 29th December, free) – A rare, all-encompassing retrospective of the subversive and creative feminist artist, bringing together the breadth of her work from interactive soft sculptures (intended to let all viewers share a skin), to her furniture inspired by dismembered body parts.
Jack O’Brien, The Reward (until 29th December, free) – A special commission from the Frieze Focus prize-winning artist, whose signature polythene-wrapped sculptures aim to probe capitalism, societal taboos and the history of the objects within.
Address: Arkwright Road, London NW3 6DG | Opening Hours: Tues-Sun 11am-6pm, late opening Thursday until 9pm | Entry: Free
–
Estorick Collection of Modern Italian Art | Islington
The frontage exudes the class and posture of Georgian England, but step inside and you’ll tumble down into the kaleidoscopic world of Italian Futurist Art. Futurism was one of Italy’s most significant contributions to the 20th century and this museum is Britain’s only one dedicated to the movement. Expect sculptures, paintings, landscapes, and the downright bizarre – all from a young nation looking to find la dolce vita.
WHAT’S ON
Antonio Calderara: A Certain Light (until 22nd December) – Over 50 works are on show by this versatile 20th century artist, who moved from figurative works and magic realism in the interwar period, to pure, harmonious geometric abstraction in the 60s onwards.
Address: 39A Canonbury Square, N1 2AN | Opening Hours: Wed-Sat 11am-6pm (8pm Thurs), Sun 12pm-5pm | Entry: £7.50/£5.50 (concession)
–
Victoria Miro | Islington
Representing 40 established and emerging artists, Victoria Miro is one of the largest commercial art galleries in London – and a great place to wile away the afternoon pretending you can afford to buy even one item. The Wharf Road gallery is a converted furniture factory and now houses Grayson Perry’s 15m Walthamstow Tapestry amongst numerous other works including the garden itself, landscaped specifically for the gallery.
WHAT’S ON
Gallery currently closed.
Address: 16 Wharf Road, N1 7RW | Opening Hours: Tue-Sat 10am-6pm | Entry: Free
–
William Morris Gallery | Walthamstow
The original hipster, Morris eschewed Victorian trends in favour of more “retro” Medieval vibes – before going on to propagate the socialist movement in Britain and then sow the seeds of fantasy literature by translating Icelandic epic poetry. His life was as intricate and interconnected as his infamous wallpaper designs, and this delightful museum celebrates every facet of his fascinating existence. Plus, there are haggis toasties in the café.
WHAT’S ON
William Morris & Art from the Islamic World (until 9th March 2025, suggested £5 donation) – A beautiful selection of objects from the arts and crafts pioneer’s personal collection, illuminating how Islamic art and design inspired his own patterns and image-making.
Address: Lloyd Park, Forest Road, E17 4PP | Opening Hours: Tues-Sun 10am-5pm (8pm Thursdays) | Entry: Free
SOUTH LONDON ART GALLERIES
Dulwich Picture Gallery | Dulwich
Do the names Rembrandt and Rubens get your blood racing? Does stroking your chin over classic art make you feel peckish? Then you’re probably gonna like what’s on offer at England’s oldest public gallery. Expect Dutch paintings of cows on bridges, splendid nudity in reenactments of Greco Roman mythology, and a handful of Italian masters. There’s also a variety of more modern-ish temporary exhibitions, if you’ve seen enough classical buttocks for one day. As for the food part: check out the alfresco cafe doing all-day brunch.
WHAT’S ON
Tirzah Garwood: Beyond Ravilious (19th Nov – 26th May 2025, £20) – Tirzah Garwood steps out from the shadow of her famous artist husband Eric Ravilious in the DPG’s upcoming show, which brings together pieces in various media from throughout her productive career.
Address: Gallery Road, SE21 7AD | Opening Hours: Tues-Sun 10am-5pm | Entry: £20 (inc. main collection & exhibitions); 50% off for 18-30s
–
Fashion & Textile Museum | Bermondsey
A Bermondsey Street treasure specialising in contemporary fashion design, founded by the legendary Dame Zandra Rhodes. Rather than housing a permanent collection, they stage exhibitions on particular designers, printmakers, or fashion periods and trends, gathering items from around the globe.
WHAT’S ON
Outlaws: Fashion Renegades of 80s London (until 9th March, £12.65) – dazzle your eyes with outfits worn by icons like Boy George, Pam Hogg and Leigh Bowery at Bowery’s outré nightclub Taboo (where the dress code was ‘dress as though your life depends on it, or don’t bother’).
Address: 83 Bermondsey Street, London SE1 3XF | Opening Hours: Tues-Sat 11am-6pm | Entry: £12.65
–
NOW Gallery | Greenwich
NOW Gallery is, unsurprisingly, all about cutting-edge, contemporary art; but it’s also art that’s accessible and unpretentious, often taking the form of large-scale, walk-through installations. Commissioned artists are often up-and-coming and from a blend of creative backgrounds – art, fashion and design – with the kinds of ideas that not only spark conversation but plenty of social media opps too.
WHAT’S ON
Socks: The Art of Care and Repair (6th December – 9th March 2025, free) – Well, this looks darn good. It’s an exhibition dedicated to the reemerging movement to ‘make do and mend’, making fashion more sustainable and creating unique pieces in the process. At its centre is a vast installation of 488 socks mended by Southwark school children, who learnt their skills from textile artist Celia Pym.
Address: The Gateway Pavilions, Peninsula Square, London SE10 0SQ | Opening Hours: Tues-Fri 10am-7pm, Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 11am-4pm | Entry: Free
–
South London Gallery | Peckham
Camberwell’s contemporary art gallery has always been at the forefront of the South London art scene. Originally the gallery of a local working men’s college, it has always sought to celebrate current artists. That trend continued and, in 1995, it was the first venue to showcase Emin’s infamous “tent”. Now spread across two listed buildings, the SLG houses a number of permanent exhibits with revolving temporary installations.
WHAT’S ON
Nairy Baghramian: Jumbled Alphabet (until 12th January 2025, free) – a joyous collection of odd, surprising and dysfunctional sculpture designed to make you reassess your sense of space and self.
See SLG’s event page for upcoming talks, workshops and screenings.
Address: 65-67 Peckham Road, SE5 8UH | Opening Hours: Tues-Sun 11am-6pm (9pm Weds) | Entry: Free
–
White Cube Bermondsey & Mason’s Yard | Bermondsey & St James
Al Held
Europe’s biggest commercial gallery has come under its fair share of criticism. Owned and run by an old Etonian and known for displaying works in a cold and clinical manner, it’s easy to see why. But representing the likes of Tracey Emin and Damien Hirst, you can guarantee that the stars of British contemporary art will shine bright on any visit. The whitewashed walls, and strip lighting, can make it feel like a bit like a trip to the hospital, but this institution of the ever-fractious art scene is well worth a wander.
WHAT’S ON
Mason’s Yard | Lynne Drexler: The Sixties (until 10th January, free) – Europe’s first major solo show for the late American artist, who created dynamically vibrant abstract paintings during the 50s & 60s.
Bermondsey | Jeff Wall: Life in Pictures (until 12th January 2025, free) – A major solo exhibition for the influential photographer, with over 30 artworks on show (and a mulled wine & gingerbread-fuelled opening on the 21st).
Address: 144-152 Bermondsey Street, SE1 3TQ | 25-26 Mason’s Yard, SW1Y 6BU | Opening Hours: Tues-Sat 10am-6pm, Bermondsey also open Sun 12-6pm | Entry: Free
EAST / THE CITY GALLERIES
The Barbican | Barbican
One of the city’s Brutalist icons, the Barbican isn’t just home to theatre, cinemas, concert halls (and an unexpected urban jungle, the Barbican Conservatory). It also boasts a two-storey gallery space that has hosted exhibitions on everything from AI to Japanese architecture, and a retrospective of the pioneering street artist Basquiat.
WHAT’S ON
The Imaginary Institution of India: Art 1975-1998 (until 5th January 2025, £20) – a major exhibition showcasing artwork from 30+ artists who were working through some of the nation’s most turbulent sociopolitical times.
Address: Barbican Centre, Silk Street, London, EC2Y 8DS | Opening Hours: Sat-Wed 10am-6pm, Thurs-Fri 10am-8pm | Entry: Free/Exhibitions from £17 – pay what you can on Mondays 10-11.45am & Thursdays, 5-7pm
–
Guildhall Art Gallery | The City
Established in 1886 as ‘a collection of art treasures worthy of the capital city’, the Guildhall Gallery is exactly that – a sumptuous assembly of art that you’d expect the captains of industry from centuries past to have amassed. Big sexy frames, portraits of gentlemen with enormous wigs, and an impressive number of Pre-Raphaelite masterpieces are the mainstay of their throng which seeks to show off in telling the story of London town.
WHAT’S ON
Anne Desmet: Kaleidoscope/London (until 12th January 2025, PWYC) – see the city through a new lens: artist Anne Desmet has revisited her early lino cuts, sketches and wood engravings to create fragmented, mosaic-like digital collages of the London skyline.
Address: Guildhall Yard, EC2V 5AE | Opening Hours: Daily 10am-5pm | Entry: Free/exhibitions from £10
–
Whitechapel Gallery | Whitechapel
Founded in 1901, this gallery set out to give great art to the masses. Since then it’s had some pretty impressive mates round for tea: Picasso’s Guernica popped by; Pollock, Hockney, and Lucian Freud all logged stays. It hasn’t lost any of its mojo from following expansion in 2009 where it doubled in size; Theaster Gates and Mark Dion are just a few of the famous to have dropped by in recent years.
WHAT’S ON
Archipelago: Visions in Orbit (until 5th January, free) – The gallery uses the framework of an archipelago to bring together disparate artists in one united show, exploring themes of belonging, migration and connection.
Peter Kennard: Archive of Dissent (until 19th January 2025, free) – a retrospective of the artist’s distinctive, politically charged works addressing everything from nuclear disarmament to climate change, plus a couple of brand new installations.
Address: 77-82 Whitechapel High Street, E1 7QX | Opening Hours: Tue-Sun 11am-6pm, 9pm Thursdays | Entry: Free/ Exhibitions from £9.50
WEST LONDON ART GALLERIES
Design Museum | Kensington
The Design Museum is, as you’d expect, very well put together. In the bustling cultural quarter of Kensington, its three floors and two basements serve up permanent exhibitions, learning centres, glass-walled design studios and temporary gallery spaces. The permanent gallery is the only one in the UK to be dedicated completely to contemporary design.
WHAT’S ON
Barbie®: The Exhibition (until 23rd February 2025, £14.38+) – A colourful, nostalgic romp through 65 years of the doll’s indomitable global influence, with over 250 items on display charting the design evolution of Barbie, her friends and her accessories.
Address: 224-238 Kensington High Street, W8 6AG | Opening Hours: Mon-Thurs 10am-5pm, Fri-Sun 10am-6pm | Entry: Free, £16+ for temporary exhibitions
–
Graffik Gallery | Ladbroke Grove
Street art off the street is the focus of this gritty and urban gallery. Derived from the Italian to scratch, the ancient form of expression that is graffiti has taken on a new lease of life in our modern times. This collection gives you a vast overview of the city’s strongest pieces – without ever making you step outside. Unless, of course, you want to try your hand at one of their graffiti workshops.
WHAT’S ON: Main collection only.
Address: 284 Portobello Road, W10 5TE | Opening Hours: Daily 11am-6pm | Entry: Free
–
Leighton House Museum and Art Gallery | Holland Park
©Leighton-House/RBKC. Image courtesy of Will Pryce
When a noted painter and lord of the realm commissions you to design his house, you’d better bring your A-game. Well, George Aitchison did just that and his creation is now a Grade II listed building, widely revered for its Orientalist and aesthetic interiors – and the home of the Leighton House Museum. The permanent gallery, predictably, contains numerous works from Lord Leighton himself; so expect to cast your eye over lavish oil panoramas of Greek myths, lords and ladies, and ecclesiastical scenes.
WHAT’S ON
Leighton and Landscape (until 27th April 2025, free with house admission) – In the last 40 years of his life, Lord Leighton travelled extensively and moved away from his trademark Biblical and mythological scenes, instead crafting dozens of landscape paintings for his own enjoyment which were barely ever exhibited in public… until now.
Address: 12 Holland Park Road, W14 8LZ | Opening Hours: Wed-Mon 10am-5:30pm | Entry: £14
–
Saatchi Gallery | Chelsea
A controversial centre headed by a controversial curator, the Saatchi Gallery has always sought to challenge. Its guiding principle has always been to operate as the quirkier B-side to places like the Tate Modern – so expect to find new and unknown works from artists all hoping to be the Hockney of tomorrow.
WHAT’S ON
Winter Exhibitions (until 20th January 2025, admission to everything from £6)
As We Rise: Photography From The Black Atlantic – a vibrant, exciting and diverse collection of photographic portraiture by artists from across the African diaspora.
Anastasia Samoylova: Adaptation – A striking, candy-coloured array of photographs by the American artist, charting mankind’s uneasy interaction with the environment.
Aneesa Dawoojee: March of the Hummingbirds – Immensely powerful portraiture from the award-winning photographer, documenting personal histories from the Caribbean and Mauritius.
Address: Duke of York’s HQ, Kings Road, SW3 4RY | Opening Hours: Daily 10am-6pm | Entry: Free/Exhibitions from £10
–
Serpentine Galleries | Kensington
A gallery double-act tucked away in Kensington Gardens, mainly dabbling in the modern, avant-garde side of art. Come here for the daring contemporary stuff and to marvel at the temporary outdoor pavilion, designed by a different world-renowned artist each summer.
WHAT’S ON
Holly Herndon & Mat Dryhurst: The Call (until 2nd February 2025, free) – an audio installation featuring AI trained on recorded voices from choirs across the country.
Lauren Halsey: emajendat (until 2nd March 2025, free) – A life-sized installation of the collage-like sculptures made by LA-based artist Lauren Halsey, featuring walls made of CDs, water fountains, and ‘funkmounds’.
Address: Kensington Gardens, W2 3XA | Opening Hours: Tues-Sun 10am-6pm | Entry: Free
–
V&A | South Kensington
Like the Queen whose name it bears, the Victoria & Albert is imposing, vast, and spans decades. With 145 galleries and over 5,000 years of art in its free permanent collection, it really is an encyclopaedia of design. Since its inception in 1852, the museum has always adopted a policy of “wide art”; attempting to inspire, dazzle, and entertain with its eclectic collection. Today is no different and you can travel the world and back without ever leaving the building (except to look at the courtyard).
WHAT’S ON
The Great Mughals (until 5th May 2025, £22) – An exquisite peek into the richly cultured court of the South Asian empire during its Golden Age (1560-1660), featuring immensely detailed prints, jewellery and more.
Fragile Beauty (until 5th January 2025, £22) – Elton John and David Furnish have a mind-blowing personal collection of photography, and this is just a slice of it. But you’ll get to see striking images from some of the art form’s biggest names, including Mario Testino, Diane Arbus, Nan Goldin, David LaChapelle and Irving Penn.
NAOMI: In Fashion (until 3rd March 2025, £18) – A celebration of the supermodel, fashion icon and activist, created in collaboration with Naomi Campbell herself for a uniquely personal perspective.
Address: Cromwell Road, SW7 2RL | Opening Hours: Daily 10am-5.45pm (10pm Fridays) | Entry: Free / Exhibitions from £12
Looking for more inspiration? Take a peek at our 101 London Date Ideas