You’re in a brilliant spot. Starting out at Imperial College London, the Royal College of Music or the Royal College of Art means you’re right in the middle of one of the world’s most exciting cultural neighbourhoods. South Kensington isn’t just about lectures, practice rooms and late-night library sessions; it’s packed with world-class museums and galleries, and most of them are free or student-friendly. To help you make the most of your first months here, we’ve picked out the key exhibitions running this year.
V&A South Kensington — Marie Antoinette Style
Step into the extravagant world of one of history’s most iconic queens. This major fashion exhibition at the V&A South Kensington traces how Marie Antoinette’s image has shaped style, interiors and even pop culture over the centuries. Expect stunning over-the-top gowns, glittering jewellery and eye-catching design, set inside one of London’s most beautiful museums.
📅 Closes Sunday, 22 March 2026.
🎟️ Adult: Weekday £20.00, Weekend £22.00.
🎟️ Under 26: Weekday £13.00, Weekend £15.00.
Natural History Museum — Our Story with David Attenborough + Sir Richard Owen: A Natural Legacy
If you fancy something immersive, the Natural History Museum’s Our Story with David Attenborough surrounds you with 360° visuals as Sir David narrates the story of life on Earth. It’s one of the most cinematic museum experiences in London.
📅 Closes January 2026.
On the quieter side, the free Sir Richard Owen: A Natural Legacy display tells the story of the man behind the museum’s founding, complete with historic illustrations and scientific insight.
📅 Closes Thursday, 23 July 2026.
🎟️ Free display, book your free Museum entry ticket.
Science Museum — Future of Food + Space gallery
The Science Museum is always a good bet for a free afternoon out, and right now it’s home to Future of Food, a playful, interactive look at how science and design will change the way we eat in years to come.
📅 Closes Sunday, 4 January 2026.
🎟️ Free exhibition, book your free Museum entry ticket.
Just around the corner inside the museum you’ll also find the newly opened permanent Space gallery, filled with rockets, satellites and meteorites.
Serpentine — THE DELUSION + Serpentine Pavilion
Over in Kensington Gardens, the Serpentine North Gallery is the place to see contemporary art that pushes boundaries. This autumn, artist Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley’s THE DELUSION drops you into a game-like digital world that’s part performance, part multiplayer artwork.
📅 Closes Sunday, 18 January 2026.
🎟️ Free exhibition, book your free Gallery entry ticket.
Just next door outside the Serpentine South, the annual Serpentine Pavilion — this year designed by Marina Tabassum — is a striking temporary structure and a social hub in the park. No need to book in advance, just stop by and enjoy the spectacular structure. On until Sunday, 26 October 2025.
Design Museum — Blitz: The Club That Shaped the 80's
Fashion, music and nightlife collide in this exhibition all about the legendary Blitz club; the London venue that launched a wave of New Romantic style in the 1980s. Expect clothes, photography, and the sounds of a scene that changed British culture.
📅 Closes Sunday, 29 March 2026.
🎟️ Pricing: Regular pricing is £14.38.
Top tip: you can get your student-rate ticket for £10.77! Student ID must be provided upon entry.
✅ Members visit free – become a member.
Japan House London — Pictograms: Iconic Japanese Designs
Small but perfectly formed, this free exhibition celebrates the clever simplicity of Japanese pictograms — those instantly recognisable symbols that shape how we navigate everyday life. It’s a short visit, but packed with inspiration for anyone studying design or visual communication.
📅 Closes Sunday, 9 November 2025.
🎟️ Free exhibition, pre-booking recommended.
Royal College of Music Museum — Kurt Cobain: Unplugged
If you’re at (or near) RCM, the RCM Museum is a brilliant local resource; rare instruments, portraits and music ephemera across 500+ years. They also run special temporary exhibitions. this year’s highlight is Kurt Cobain: Unplugged. The exhibition dives into Nirvana’s legendary 1993 MTV Unplugged performance, showcasing Cobain’s iconic guitar, handwritten set lists and behind-the-scenes material that connect classical and popular music in surprising ways. It’s a unique chance to see rock history presented in a conservatoire setting, right next door to your campus.
📅 Closes Tuesday, 18 November 2025.
🎟️ £5.00
With so much happening right on your doorstep, you don’t have to go far for world-class culture, or spend much, thanks to free admission and student discounts. Whether you’re into fashion, design, music, science or contemporary art, South Kensington has something fresh to see almost every week.
You can find loads more great exhibitions taking place across the neighbourhood here!
👉 Show us what you discover by tagging @discover.south.kensington on socials — we’d love to see your favourite exhibitions!
V&A South Kensington— Marie Antoinette Style
