Introducing the South Ken Culture Quarter | London’s Cultural Hub

You may have noticed some exciting changes. We’ve evolved from Discover South Kensington into the South Ken Culture Quarter, and alongside our new name we’re delighted to launch a brand-new website and visual identity. So perhaps you are curious as to who we are and why we made the change?

South Ken Culture Quarter is our collective of 22 iconic and extraordinary institutions welcoming over 20 million visitors a year. In the heart of South Kensington, you’ll find one of the world’s greatest collections of museums, galleries, parks and cultural destinations.  With an exceptional mix of cultural, scientific, and artistic institutions — many offering free entry and programming — the Quarter opens up endless opportunities to explore, learn and be inspired.

Our new name says it all. This area is alive with culture – from our member’s world-class museums and cultural venues, including the Science Museum, Natural History Museum,  V&A South Kensington and the Royal Albert Hall, to more than 600 acres of the Royal Parks  – all within walking distance of each other.

At its core lies curiosity.

Our message, ‘Curious since 1851’ acknowledges the legacy of the Great Exhibition, which has shaped this neighbourhood into the cultural quarter today.  This year marks the 175th anniversary of the Great Exhibition, which opened in Hyde Park and drew over six million visitors to see exhibits showcasing industrial and technological progress from around the world, housed within the iconic Crystal Palace.

The spirit of curiosity connects us, and it is common ground for the experiences and opportunities that visitors, students, staff and also residents can experience here. 

Follow your curiosity, and explore some of South Kensington's historic collections, hidden gems and remarkable free galleries, including:

• The world’s largest collection of coloured diamonds that also glow in the dark, in The Vault at the Natural History Museum.
• Experience the opulent period decorated rooms in the world’s oldest museum restaurant in the V&A South Kensington café.
• A three-billion-year-old piece of the moon, brought back to Earth by the Apollo 15, in the Science Museum’s free Space Gallery.
• The Royal College of Music Museum collection includes the earliest dated guitar (Blechior Dias, Lisbon, 1581) and the earliest known stringed keyboard instrument (clavicytherium, Ulm, c.1480).
• Delve into the Royal Albert Hall archive and bring the history of this iconic Grade I listed building to life by searching through their catalogues, event histories and performers.
• The exquisite Arab Hall in Leighton House, has a collection of tiles, mostly from Damascus and mostly dating from the end of the 16th and beginning of the 17th century, are as important as any collection of tiles held in the UK.

Here, in the world’s first planned cultural quarter, globally significant research and innovation across science, technology, design, engineering and music are reshaping our understanding of the world. Every day this is a place where ideas come to life.

Together we are committed to making the South Ken Culture Quarter a welcoming and thriving place to visit, live, study, and work — as well as a landmark destination that sparks curiosity and deepens our understanding of ourselves and our world. We also work collaboratively to become a global exemplar of a zero‑emissions, nature‑positive neighbourhood, responding to the urgent challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss.

Want to follow your curiosity? Sign up to our brilliant fortnightly newsletter, packed with the latest exhibitions, festivals, music and talks, plus fun, free and unexpected events, competitions and special offers. It’s the perfect way to plan your next visit to South Kensington. Sign up here