The ianVisits guide to February's unusual events, tours, lectures and exhibitions happening around London.
Saturday 1st February
Monthly open day at one of London's more curious and delightful museums, devoted to the history of the sewing machine.
2pm to 5pm
TootingMore London events on Saturday 1st February
Sunday 2nd February
Monthly opening of the organ collection, with many playing music through the day.
11am to 5pm
A monthly opening of the Victorian museum of industrial testing equipment.
11am to 5pm SouthwarkMore London events on Sunday 2nd February
Monday 3rd February
This lecture will offer a surprising exploration of the wide-ranging consequences of Einstein’s ideas, and how they shape our everyday lives.
1pm to 2pm BarbicanThis panel discussion will focus on assessing the implications of the Brexit process for the future of Anglo-German relations.
6:30pm to 8pm HolbornNorthern Ireland expert, Brendan O’Leary, assesses what we’ve learnt from previous union break-ups to discover the potential futures that may unfold from the UK’s exit from the EU.
6:30pm to 8pm HolbornMore London events on Monday 3rd February
Tuesday 4th February
Free
Peace
What factors promote peace and what actions are justified to achieve it? Join us as we discuss the history, ethics, and politics of peace.
6:30pm to 8pm HolbornThe speaker is a space scientist who has worked on the Webb’s instruments; she will take the audience on a tour of both systems, showing how they can give us an understanding of the life cycle of our universe right back to the Big Bang.
1pm to 2pm BarbicanMore London events on Tuesday 4th February
Wednesday 5th February
This Winter Southwark Cathedral would like to invite all amateur and professional photographers to spend an evening taking photos of the Cathedral lit by candlelight.
7pm to 9pm Southwark
This lecture will ask how these events came to be so notorious, how and why they were remembered on each side, and how they shaped the history of civil conflict and ideas of coexistence and nationhood in the societies that endured them.
6pm to 7pm BarbicanMore London events on Wednesday 5th February
Thursday 6th February
Free
Capital and Ideology
In the epic successor to one of the most important books of the century, Thomas Piketty challenges us revolutionize how we think about politics, ideology, and history.
6:30pm to 8pm HolbornMore London events on Thursday 6th February
Saturday 8th February
Home to Doorkins Magnificat, Southwark Cathedral are delighted to be hosting this day all about cats.
10am to 5pm Southwark
More London events on Saturday 8th February
Sunday 9th February
Harmful practices due to belief in witchcraft have seen a huge increase in the past six years both globally and in the UK and Kirsty Brimelow QC and author and campaigner Syd Moore have joined forces to expose this phenomenon.
3pm to 4:30pm HolbornMore London events on Sunday 9th February
Tuesday 11th February
Free
The Death of Stalin
Following a full screening of The Death of Stalin, director Armando Iannucci will take part in a Q&A based on politics in film and TV.
6pm to 8:30pm HolbornThis lecture looks at the mythology that has gathered around the Golden Ratio, and also consider the fairness of cake-cutting, and changing choices in "the Monty Hall problem".
1pm to 2pm BarbicanMore London events on Tuesday 11th February
Wednesday 12th February
Make your own medical romance cover, play surgical Top Trumps, join a mystery treasure hunt, and hear short talks on the often surprising history of emotions in surgical care.
6pm to 9pm Harley Street
Free
Ideals Made Concrete
A special edition of BBC Radio 3’s Free Thinking explores how visions of a better future are realised through architecture and design.
6:30pm to 8pm HolbornMore London events on Wednesday 12th February
Thursday 13th February
A talk about historic crimes such as The Great Train Robbery and the techniques used to bring the criminals to justice and how modern resources could have resulted in a faster result.
7:30pm to 9pm Farringdon
More London events on Thursday 13th February
Tuesday 18th February
We explore the philosophy and politics of immigration detention and ask whether the state should be allowed indefinitely detain people who have committed no crime.
6:30pm to 8pm HolbornMore London events on Tuesday 18th February
Wednesday 19th February
This lecture uses examples from cutting-edge science and medicine to explore the ethical questions which advances in robotics, personalised medicine, transplantation and artificial intelligence pose for doctors, patients and society.
6pm to 7pm BarbicanMore London events on Wednesday 19th February
Thursday 20th February
Game theory is the 'science of interaction'. This talk will explain some insights of game theory and apply them to current politics.
6:30pm to 8pm HolbornThe lecture discusses the Cato Street plotter identities, motives and impact, and the forgotten fact that their failure ended British revolutionary fantasies for a century.
6pm to 7pm BarbicanMore London events on Thursday 20th February
Sunday 23rd February
Discover the history of the building and climb the 135 stairs for the best view of Hackney.
2pm to 4:30pm Hackney50th anniversary green bus running service centered on the Epping Ongar railway.
All Day North Weald
A monthly open day at a quirky transport museum housed in an old water pumping building.
10am to 4pm Enfield Town
