Where to Find Exhibitions in London

The best places and venues to find the coolest art, cinema, photography and interactive exhibitions around the city. 

Picture this—you’re visiting London with plans to walk around and explore the city, but the weather forecast has different ideas. If you’ve already seen enough coffee shops for one day and you don’t want to sit in a cinema, exhibitions could be the one. Whether it’s rain, hail or shine, check out our list of the best places to find the latest experiences in art, photography and culture during your London trip…

V&A Museum

If threads are your thing, the V&A’s got you. They’ve hosted previous exhibitions on sustainable fashion and the history of the wedding dress, next to retrospectives of Christian Dior, Mary Quant and Alexander McQueen. Beyond style, they’ve held photography exhibitions from Tim Walker and even a spotlight on the history of cars. Top tip: Book in advance if you can. 

Where: Cromwell Rd, Knightsbridge, London SW7 2RL

What’s On: https://www.vam.ac.uk/whatson?type=exhibition

The Store X at 180 The Strand

180 The Strand is a hub for creative people and projects, with its own event space, The Store X. Go here if you want to discover something that’s more on the alternative side, like an interactive VR journey to outer space, or a close-up view of the mind-blowing sets from Wes Anderson’s Isle of Dogs. Photo above by Jack Hems. 

Where: 180 Strand, Temple, London WC2R 1EA

What’s On: https://180thestrand.com/

Museum of Brands

From Nike’s iconic swoosh to Coca-Cola’s Christmas truck, brands have shaped culture for decades. This museum curates exhibitions that showcase the sweet spot between design, advertising and brand, like a century of life-saving campaigns and the future of sustainable packaging. 

Where: 111-117 Lancaster Rd, Notting Hill, London W11 1QT

What’s On :https://www.museumofbrands.com/#exhibitions

The Saatchi Gallery

If you’re looking for the unusual, head to the Saatchi Gallery—they’ve presented exhibitions on death, paper and treasures of the Golden Pharoah, Tutankhamun. The Art Newspaper found that in the last five years, the Saatchi Gallery delivered 15 of the 20 most visited museum exhibitions in London, so it’s safe to say, they’re a must-visit. 

Where: Duke of York's HQ, King's Rd, Chelsea, London SW3 4RY

What’s On: https://www.saatchigallery.com/whatson.php

Cartoon Museum

Even if there isn’t an exhibition on, the Cartoon Museum is worth seeing. They’ve dedicated their entire space to British cartoons and comics, including childhood favourites and some we’ve never seen before. Their exhibitions range from an ode to famous and forgotten cartoonists to evenings of creepy comics. 

Where: 63 Wells St, Fitzrovia, London W1A 3AE

What’s On: https://www.cartoonmuseum.org/whatson

Somerset House

“That sounds cool”—pretty much the go-to response for every Somerset House exhibition. Some highlights from the last few years? Hair by legendary stylist Sam Knight, Good Grief, Charlie Brown (a celebration of Snoopy and Peanuts), The Learned Society of Extra Ordinary Objects and of course, their annual hands-on gaming festival, Now Play This. 

Where: Strand, London WC2R 1LA

What’s On: https://www.somersethouse.org.uk/whats-on

The Barbican

From a quest into the unknown world of sci-fi, to sitting comfortably in the world of iconic Furniture Designers, Charles and Ray Eames, the Barbican delivers on those tell-all-your-mates-about-it exhibitions. They’re all about pushing the boundaries of performance, film, music, art & learning, which ticks all the boxes for the kind of exhibitions we want to see. 

Where: Silk St, Barbican, London EC2Y 8DS

What’s on: https://www.barbican.org.uk/whats-on

Our hotel’s right next to Hackney Overground, which means, you can make your way around these exhibition spots in no time. Looking for an affordable place to stay while you’re visiting London? Book a room with us.