The ianVisits guide to September's unusual events, tours, lectures and exhibitions happening around London.
Monday 1st September
No events are listed for today. Sorry.
More London events on Monday 1st September
Tuesday 2nd September
The Museum is lit by candlelight on the first Tuesday of each month, from 6 until 9pm.
6pm to 9pm
David Bownes gives an insight into the uses of posters for propaganda during the First World War.
Starts at 6:30pm
Professor Cox will discuss a range of topics in an conversation with broadcaster Sue Nelson.
6:30pm to 9:30pm
South Kensington
More London events on Tuesday 2nd September
Wednesday 3rd September
Free
Each year on 3rd September the Cromwell Association holds a service of commemoration for Cromwell on the anniversary of his death in 1658.
Starts at 3pm
£12.50
Peyton Skipwith will give a talk on these memorials of the Great War.
Starts at 7pm
Picadilly
More London events on Wednesday 3rd September
Thursday 4th September
Meet the Head of Horticulture and discover the secrets behind the Horniman Gardens
7pm to 8pm
More London events on Thursday 4th September
Friday 5th September
£8.00
Explore sonic London through creative installations, intimate gigs, workshops, and talks
All Day
Poplar
Royal Greenwich will host five days of activities as they welcome up to 50 majestic tall ships.
All Day
Greenwich
Displays from Clowns International's Archive are on show in and around the Grimaldi corner of Holy Trinity Church.
12pm to 5pm
Hackney
Hour long tour of the legal Inns of Court includes visits to the Old Hall, Great Hall and Chapel,
2pm to 9pm
Holborn
This tour follows the route of the River Fleet from Blackfriars Bridge to St Pancras.
6pm to 9pm
City of London
James Daunt, the Managing Director of Waterstones talks about the future of the bookshop trade.
7pm to 9pm
Battersea
Visit Maritime Greenwich to see the tall ships with a stunning backdrop of fireworks.
9:15pm to 9:30pm
Greenwich
More London events on Friday 5th September
Saturday 6th September
£7.50
2000 year old gold and emerald bracelets, brooches and ornate hair pins - explore ancient jewellery and personal adornment.
tba
The site-specific play set in Coppermill Fields features two local historians, a dragon slayer, a watercress seller and UFOs.
tba
Walthamstow
Royal Greenwich will host five days of activities as they welcome up to 50 majestic tall ships.
All Day
Greenwich
Join a Totally Thames archaeological walk and explore our maritime heritage.
tba
£10.00
Tom Bolton, author of London's Lost Rivers: A Walker's Guide, leads a walk along the full length of the River Peck.
Starts at 11am
Forest Hill
This walk will explore some of the history of the furniture trade as evidenced through its surviving buildings.
11am to 9pm
There will be a tea and cake tent, a dog show, fancy dress competition a beer and cider tent, plant stall and many other activities and stalls.
12pm to 5pm
Peckham
Free
Over 22 resident artists will be exhibiting work in their live/work studios and flats within the Balfron Tower block
12pm to 6pm
Poplar
Local country fair in the centre of London just behind Centrepoint
12pm to 6pm
Soho
On this walking tour of the riverside you will learn about the famous faces of the area, their lives and work.
Starts at 1pm
Hammersmith
This guided walking tour with Paul Talling follows the route of the River Westbourne from Bayswater down to Chelsea Bridge.
2pm to 5pm
Paddington
Monthly open day at one of London's more unusual, and delightful museums.
2pm to 5pm
This three-mile walk will demonstrate urban infrastructure, flood management engineering and natural beauty, all within the M25.
2pm to 5pm
Erith
Visit one of the Geffrye's 18th-century almshouses which has been fully restored to its original condition,
4pm to 5pm
Bethnal Green
More London events on Saturday 6th September
Sunday 7th September
Monthly opening of the museum inside the remains of Croydon Airport control tower
tba
Steam trains, vintage buses, fair etc -- to mark the 150th anniversary of the opening of the railway between Fulwell Junction and Shepperton.
All Day
Hampton
The site-specific play set in Coppermill Fields features two local historians, a dragon slayer, a watercress seller and UFOs.
tba
Walthamstow
Royal Greenwich will host five days of activities as they welcome up to 50 majestic tall ships.
All Day
Greenwich
See the original (startlingly loud!) metal testing machine in its full working glory for one day only.
10am to 4pm
An open day at the local bus garage -- usually has heritage rides and tours.
10am to 4pm
Dartford
A guided walk along the riverfront from Vauxhall to Battersea
11am to 9pm
Kennington
Tours of the custody suite and police station - along with a range of community events and displays.
11am to 2pm
Sutton
Free
Local community fair based along the canal and side streets.
11am to 5pm
Islington
Local community fete with around 100 local businesses and groups on display.
12pm to 7pm
Palmers Green
Free
Local community fair takes over the road which is traffic free for the day.
12pm to 6pm
Holloway
Free
Over 22 resident artists will be exhibiting work in their live/work studios and flats within the Balfron Tower block
12pm to 6pm
Poplar
From a secret passage, to a hidden garden, there is much the public doesn't usually see.
Starts at 12:16pm
Islington
A parade and memorial service to those civilians who died in the merchant navy.
Starts at 12:30pm
Tower Hill
Autumn Show with tours of the best plots, and allotment produce, chutneys, jams, cakes and light lunches all available for sale.
1pm to 4:30pm
New Southgate
Learn about these obscure animal homes hidden in the woodland on this guided walk by Kew Garden expert Brian Spooner.
2pm to 4:30pm
Chiswick
£2.00
Visit Carshalton Water Tower to see for yourself this impressive building.
2:30pm to 5pm
Guided walk from the Tower to Wapping.
Starts at 3pm
Tower Hill
More London events on Sunday 7th September
Monday 8th September
Royal Greenwich will host five days of activities as they welcome up to 50 majestic tall ships.
All Day
Greenwich
How were Hilda Urlin, Margaret Murray, Winifred Brunton, Gertrude Caton-Thompson, and Beatrice Orm involved with Petrie, his excavations and teaching?
2pm to 3pm
Then and now – the influence of the Thames on the dynamic economy of the City of London.
5pm to 6:30pm
Food historian Annie Gray guides us through the fascinating history of ice cream
Starts at 6:30pm
Clerkenwell
Alan Rusbridger, Editor-in-Chief of Guardian News & Media, will share his views on freedom of the press.
Starts at 6:30pm
More London events on Monday 8th September
Tuesday 9th September
Royal Greenwich will host five days of activities as they welcome up to 50 majestic tall ships.
All Day
Greenwich
A talk by Dr Turi King who oversaw the DNA retrieval and sequencing from Richard III’s remains after they were discovered.
Starts at 1pm
British record-breaking polar explorer and adventurer Adrian Hayes recounts 60 years of the Savage Mountain;
7pm to 9pm
South Kensington
More London events on Tuesday 9th September
Wednesday 10th September
How Crossrail has used BIM to support asset tracking during its construction phase.
Starts at 6pm
Harley Street
One of Britain’s greatest paralympic athletes discusses the real legacy of the London 2012 Games and its impact on the nation’s health.
Starts at 6:30pm
Nick Catford, underground photographer, will discuss his underground exploration, it has taken him into a wide variety of underground sites,
7:30pm to 10pm
Croydon
More London events on Wednesday 10th September
Thursday 11th September
Professor John Shepherd explores the origins, character and impact of a turbulent period of industrial unrest in British history.
Starts at 2pm
In this public lecture, Dr. Andrew Siemion will discuss the history of the Search for Extra-terrestrial Intelligence (SETI).
Starts at 6pm
Euston
Dr Ward will give an illustrated talk based on extensive original research for his new book.
6:30pm to 8pm
A panel of experts will explain what they want and expect from the British Museum in London
Starts at 6:30pm
A talk about how close living with animals affected the lives of 19th century Londoners.
Starts at 6:30pm
A talk about how museums based inside homes reflect their former occupants lives.
Starts at 7pm
Richard Fitzwilliams is a film critic who has studied the genre. He will be discussing these films and showing clips from the best known epics.
Starts at 7:30pm
More London events on Thursday 11th September
Friday 12th September
No events are listed for today. Sorry.
More London events on Friday 12th September
Saturday 13th September
Come and learn what makes Tower Lifeboat Station the busiest in the RNLI in a behind the scenes tour.
tba
Strand
An exhibition looking at changes to the city and the lives of Londoners as the country went to war.
9:30am to 4:45pm
Semi-regular firing of an anti-tank gun in Woolwich.
10am to 5pm
£10.00
Occasional open weekend at the Transport Museum's 'overflow warehouse' in Acton
11am to 5pm
Free
An annual celebration of classic, historic and working boats in the world famous docks located next to Tower Bridge.
11am to 6:30pm
Wapping
An exhibition of photographs and recollections of farms in Worcester Park, Cuddington, Nonsuch, Stoneleigh and Old Malden.
11am to 5pm
Worcester Park
Join Niel Morley on a walk along the Regent's Canal and discover the history and the 'how it works now' of London's price of canals.
11am to 2pm
Clerkenwell
Archaeological tour of Putney's diverse and historically significant riverside.
11am to 1:30pm
Putney
Local fete with all the usual entertainments of a country fair.
12pm to 6pm
South Lambeth
The Central Hornsey & District Allotments & Horticultural Society Produce Show.
Starts at 2pm
Hornsey
A 75 minute guided walk around the area looking at the history of Brixton market.
Starts at 2:30pm
Stockwell
£10.00
Games pioneers Katherine Bidwell, Mike Bithell, Jo Twist and Anna Marsh share their experiences with Iain Simons.
Starts at 6pm
More London events on Saturday 13th September
Sunday 14th September
Occasional open day at the Great Barn, once described as the Cathedral of Middlesex.
10am to 5pm
West Drayton
Free
Lots of fun for all the family, including stalls, arena events and a chance to meet the Keepers and their horses.
10am to 5:30pm
Wimbledon
£10.00
Occasional open weekend at the Transport Museum's 'overflow warehouse' in Acton
11am to 5pm
Free
An annual celebration of classic, historic and working boats in the world famous docks located next to Tower Bridge.
11am to 6:30pm
Wapping
Free
A rare opportunity to enjoy the once bustling London beach at Tower Bridge.
11am to 1:30pm
Free
A chance to see traditional lighterage skills being carried out as they were up until about 50 years ago.
11am to 3pm
£15.00
A light-hearted evening with Simon Fisher-Becker, better known to sci-fi fans as Dorium Maldovar from BBC’s Doctor Who.
Starts at 3pm
Barking
More London events on Sunday 14th September
Monday 15th September
No events are listed for today. Sorry.
More London events on Monday 15th September
Tuesday 16th September
An all-day conference about the historic gas holders that once dominated the skyline of industrial cities.
All Day
Free
A talk about the famous seventeenth century mathematician Pierre de Fermat.
Starts at 1pm
A talk on the wealth of modern and contemporary public art to be found on the historic streets of the City of London.
2pm to 3pm
£12.00
ZSL conservation scientists and keepers team up with leading writers to talk about the animals in ZSL London Zoo.
Starts at 6:30pm
Camden
A talk about the history of Southwark's medical officers of health, and their modern counterparts.
6:30pm to 7:30pm
Southwark
Join curator Gary Haines and Carolynda MacDonald, niece of artist Noel Gibson for an informal conversation on the life and work of Noel.
7pm to 8:30pm
Bow
A talk by the ngineering Director, Capital Programmes for London Underground.
Starts at 7pm
Hammersmith
£16.55
How can you tell what you’re drinking? Can you taste colour?
Starts at 7:30pm
Opening of the library's exhibition of Tom Phillips' ever-changing creation, A Humument.
7:30pm to 8pm
More London events on Tuesday 16th September
Wednesday 17th September
£3.50
A guided walk which traces the course of the New River between Myddelton House Gardens through the Forty Hall Estate and Whitewebbs.
10am to 1pm
Enfield Town
Food historian Ivan Day investigates the evolution of royal dining, the nature of the food itself and how it was served at the table.
Starts at 1pm
A lecture from the head of Surface Transport at TfL on turning its traditional red buses 'green'
Starts at 6:30pm
Join an expert from the London Bat Group and delve into the nocturnal world of bats.
Starts at 7pm
Kensington
More London events on Wednesday 17th September
Thursday 18th September
The Bank of England Museum’s latest exhibition looks at the dramatic impact of the Great War on the economy.
6pm to 8pm
£16.55
A cruise and talk on board the MV Elizabethan.
Starts at 6:30pm
Southwark
More London events on Thursday 18th September
Friday 19th September
A talk about area's history from the ancient Hospital Of St Katharine to modern times.
4:15pm to 5:45pm
Whitechapel
Tower Bridge is offering a rare and extended tour to the hidden depths of the most famous bridge in the world.
8pm to 9pm
The winter openings of the telescopes at the Hampstead Observatory takes place tonight -- weather permitting.
8pm to 10pm
More London events on Friday 19th September
Saturday 20th September
All-day conference to discuss Charles Dickens final, and incomplete novel.
All Day
Euston
Bermondsey Street Festival is an annual celebration of music, dance, arts, cuisine and creativity.
All Day
Southwark
Free
Hundreds of otherwise closed buildings open to the public in this annual event.
All Day
£5.00
A day of talks, stalls and celeb signings -- all related to cult films.
10am to 5pm
Vauxhall Bridge
The Museum tells the story of the mansion house, as it was used as the Headquarters for Fighter Command during WW2.
10am to 5pm
Stanmore
A guided walk to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the closure of the railway line between Nunhead and the Crystal Palace in 1954.
10am to 4pm
Sydenham
Library Tours, Lectures & Advice on how to start your family history research.
11am to 6pm
£4.00
A practical talk with local beekeeper then have a go at making your own beeswax candles.
2pm to 4pm
Tottenham
Mark Watson’s illustrated talk paints a bustling picture of Barking and Dagenham crammed with busy wharves,
2pm to 3pm
Becontree Heath
More London events on Saturday 20th September
Sunday 21st September
Free
Hundreds of otherwise closed buildings open to the public in this annual event.
All Day
Free
The vicar of St John's Church will appear before his congregation on a horse
Starts at 10am
Paddington
More London events on Sunday 21st September
Monday 22nd September
Tower Bridge is offering a rare and extended tour to the hidden depths of the most famous bridge in the world.
8pm to 9pm
More London events on Monday 22nd September
Tuesday 23rd September
An art display based on works inspired by the location - the crypt beneath St Pancras church.
11am to 6pm
Camden
Roy Hamilton will narrate his experiences of working in this dying trade, and talk about typefaces, typesetting and page production.
12:30pm to 1:30pm
Whitechapel
A talk about the first ever Labour election victory, in 1945.
6pm to 6pm
Dr Gavin Dixon explores brass instrument manufacture in early 20th-century London,
6pm to 7pm
£8.00
Guided walk based on locations associated with King Charles II.
6:30pm to 8:30pm
Whitehall
Vigils have been held on the 23rd of every month since June 2004. They are inclusive, secular events, open 'to all faiths and none'.
Starts at 7pm
Southwark
More London events on Tuesday 23rd September
Wednesday 24th September
Rob Jeffries, retired Police Officer and Curator of the Thames River Police Museum, will speak about the history of the service.
2pm to 3pm
A talk about the spaces in which Egypt has entered London and offer ways of physically and virtually connecting Egypt to London.
Starts at 6pm
Join Barrie Tullet as he guides us through three centuries of typewriter art and special guest Keira Rathbone who will be live typing.
6:30pm to 9pm
Free
Monthly late night adults only opening at the Science Museum.
6:45pm to 10pm
What happens to notions of originality and uniqueness in artworks, as the advance of 3D printing brings us closer to an era of perfect replication?
7pm to 9pm
Whitechapel
More London events on Wednesday 24th September
Thursday 25th September
Hear from the authors as they explain who made these maps, why they were made and what they tell us about the politics of the time.
Starts at 2pm
Christine Hallett introduces her new book, which delves behind the romantic myths of First World War nursing.
5:30pm to 7pm
Harley Street
Visitors will be taken on a tour of the stores by specialist staff who will pick out highlights from the collections.
Starts at 6:30pm
Exclusive after dark access to the recently restored folly in South-East London
6:30pm to 8:30pm
A talk by two wartime era book authors.
7:30pm to 9:30pm
Clapton
More London events on Thursday 25th September
Friday 26th September
Panel discuss the various lures and perils of urban life,the rise of mega-cities, and the nature of city living.
Starts at 6:30pm
More London events on Friday 26th September
Saturday 27th September
Free
A weekend of free guided walks all around the city. Most are turn up on the day -- some need booking.
All Day
Visitors to ZSL London Zoo are invited to take a step back in time and embark on a historical tour of the world’s oldest scientific Zoo.
10am to 11am
Camden
Free
Around 300 boats race from Millwall to Ham along the Thames.
12:30pm to 7pm
More London events on Saturday 27th September
Sunday 28th September
Free
A weekend of free guided walks all around the city. Most are turn up on the day -- some need booking.
All Day
Free
Twelve local societies will be ready and willing to talk to visitors about their particular interests
10am to 4pm
Dartford
More than 50 magnificent pre- and post-war vehicles on display at the steam engine museum.
10:30am to 4pm
Get your Victoriana on in this celebration of the wacky and wonderful world of steampunk set in the awe-inspiring Crossness Pumping Station.
10:30am to 6pm
Annual display and festival of the Pearly Monarchs in the Guildhall courtyard.
Starts at 1pm
More London events on Sunday 28th September
Monday 29th September
This lecture explores new ways of understanding the crisis that brought war to Europe in the summer of 1914
Starts at 6pm
More London events on Monday 29th September
Tuesday 30th September
Stuart Wood, Head of Innovation at Heatherwick Studio, led the team that designed the bus and reveals the thinking behind the design decisions.
6:30pm to 8pm
£12.00
The architects shortlisted for the RIBA Stirling Prize 2014 come together to reveal the stories behind their buildings
6:30pm to 8pm
