The ianVisits guide to November's unusual events, tours, lectures and exhibitions happening around London.
Coronavirus: Events may be cancelled and venues closed at short notice, you are advised to check on their websites before making a trip.
Sunday 1st November
Monthly open day at the museum to London's first international airport - in Croydon.
All Day
Croydon
Better than half price entry to the Painted Hall on the first Sunday of the month.
10am to 5pm
Greenwich
A monthly opening of the Victorian museum of industrial testing equipment.
11am to 5pm
Southwark
More London events on Sunday 1st November
Monday 2nd November
Join Irving Finkel and Andrew Robinson as they show us how we unlocked the secrets of cuneiform and hieroglyphics, and how many ancient writings remain mysterious today.
7pm to :
Islington
Online events / webinars
Professor Pittock will ask what kind of man was Charles, what were his ideas and day to day life like, what might have happened if he had won in 1745, and what even in defeat his legacy changed for Britain and its Empire.
1pm to 2pm
More London events on Monday 2nd November
Tuesday 3rd November
Online events / webinars
A virtual 'On Location' event that will explore the progress made in the docks over the past few years.
2pm to 3pm
A virtual 'On Location' event that will explore the progress made in the docks over the past few years.
3:20pm to 4:30pm
A panel discussion hosted by Professor Alice Roberts, followed by the announcement of the winner of the 2020 Royal Society Insight Investment Science Book Prize.
6pm to 7pm
More London events on Tuesday 3rd November
Wednesday 4th November
Online events / webinars
In this illustrated talk, Pete Smith traces the development of a movement that revolutionized the nineteenth-century art scene and scandalized conventional Victorian society.
2pm to 3pm
Father and son, William and Robert Cecil, not only dominated politics for much of Elizabeth I and James I reign but dominated architectural fashion.
6pm to 7pm
This talk will explore the life and work of two of the most influential surgeons of early nineteenth-century Britain.
6:30pm to :
More London events on Wednesday 4th November
Thursday 5th November
Online events / webinars
The role of natural ecosystems and biodiversity in agriculture and food security.
12:30pm to 1:30pm
More London events on Thursday 5th November
Friday 6th November
Late-night opening of the museum along with the Derek Jarman exhibition and a floodlit church.
5:30pm to 8pm
Southwark
Online events / webinars
In this illustrated talk, Mark Dunton takes you through the year 1970, fifty years on, a year which saw the election of Edward Heath’s Conservative Government, a bizarre episode involving Bobby Moore, and a dramatic aircraft hijacking.
2pm to 3pm
More London events on Friday 6th November
Saturday 7th November
Unfortunately, there seems to be nothing special happening today. Sorry about that!
More London events on Saturday 7th November
Sunday 8th November
Unfortunately, there seems to be nothing special happening today. Sorry about that!
More London events on Sunday 8th November
Monday 9th November
Online events / webinars
This book launch will look at the history of debates about human sexual encounters with other species.
6pm to 7pm
Learn all about Rock Hudson and his performance of masculinity that shaped an ideal of manhood
6:30pm to 7:30pm
More London events on Monday 9th November
Tuesday 10th November
A memorial service is held annually to mark the arrival of the Unknown Warrior at Victoria Station.
8pm to :
Victoria
Online events / webinars
2pm to 3pm
Online launch for the annual Being Human festival, the UK's only national festival of the humanities - with special guest Professor David Olusoga OBE.
6pm to 7pm
Dame Cressida Dick, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, gives this year’s One People Oration, Learning to Lead.
6:30pm to 7:45pm
£5.98
Railway Historian Christian Wolmar talks about London's great 19C stations, as featured in his new book.
7pm to 8pm
More London events on Tuesday 10th November
Wednesday 11th November
Online events / webinars
Free
Scientists at Imperial College London are joined by papercraft artist Tina Luo to host a unique art workshop.
12pm to 1pm
This talk looks at how both God & Mammon have moulded the Square Mile over 2000 years.
2pm to 3pm
A talk based on a notebook kept by a 19th-century policeman based in Lambeth.
5:30pm to 7:30pm
£5.00
Join artist Jeremy Deller, fashion designer Martine Rose and graphic designer, DJ Trevor Jackson and music author Simon Reynolds for a talk exploring the legacy 90’s British rave culture has left in art and design today.
7pm to 8pm
More London events on Wednesday 11th November
Thursday 12th November
Online events / webinars
Hear the story of how Music Hall developed in London and about some of the people who were part of this
3pm to 4pm
Join Professor Sarah Churchwell in conversation with Bonnie Greer OBE as they discuss the impact of the 2020 American election.
6pm to 7pm
This illustrated lecture, by the author of the book, brings the Terminal to life – its remarkable history, stunning architecture, and central role in creating midtown Manhattan.
6:30pm to 7:30pm
The son of a former slave, Pertinax was the Roman Emperor who proved that no matter how lowly your birth, you could rise to the very top.
7pm to 8pm
More London events on Thursday 12th November
Friday 13th November
Unfortunately, there seems to be nothing special happening today. Sorry about that!
More London events on Friday 13th November
Saturday 14th November
To mark the birthday of the Prince of Wales, there will be Gun Salutes in Green Park and at the Tower of London.
12pm to 2pm
A floating light display in the fountains of Jubilee Park for Diwali.
Starts at 5pm
Poplar
More London events on Saturday 14th November
Sunday 15th November
A floating light display in the fountains of Jubilee Park for Diwali.
Starts at 5pm
Poplar
More London events on Sunday 15th November
Monday 16th November
Online events / webinars
A debate about generating a diverse and socially inclusive literature canon fit for the 21st century?
6pm to 7pm
More London events on Monday 16th November
Tuesday 17th November
Online events / webinars
This lecture introduces the mathematics of pitch, scales, and just temperament.
1pm to 2pm
Professor Frank McDonough charts the dramatic change of fortune for the Third Reich, and challenges long-held accounts of the Holocaust and Germany's ultimate defeat.
6:30pm to 7:30pm
More London events on Tuesday 17th November
Wednesday 18th November
Online events / webinars
Radio astronomy can tell us about the distribution of magnetic fields in the Universe, and reveal striking structures which have no comparable counterpart at visible wavelengths.
1pm to 2pm
This illustrated talk will look at and examine paintings from the 15th to 20th centuries.
2pm to 3pm
Hear from two people involved in healthcare in different capacities during the early days of the pandemic.
5:30pm to 7pm
A talk about how does the loss of smell due to Covid-19 affect health, wellbeing and our relationship with the world around us and to others?
6pm to 7pm
This lecture looks back at its final months, from the time the camp reached its murderous peak, after the mass deportations of Jews from Hungary, to the arrival of Soviet soldiers in January 1945.
6pm to 7pm
The snake in heraldry, from original sin to pagan symbol. A lecture by Dr Paul Fox FHS
6:30pm to 8pm
Ever wonder how old your local pub or church is? This talk will show you how to find out.
6:30pm to 7:30pm
More London events on Wednesday 18th November
Thursday 19th November
A notice that the Thames Barrier and the Barking Barrier will have their monthly test closures today.
9:30am to 12pm
Online events / webinars
Conservator Tim Warrender will highlight why commonly found types of damage and deterioration occur and suggests ways to help prevent this and so keep them in a better condition for longer.
4pm to 5pm
Join academics from The Open University and special guests as they introduce you to the diverse landscapes and complex histories of the Arctic Peoples and their region.
5:30pm to 6:45pm
What do portrayals of the Evil Queen tell us about witchcraft, fears of the power of aging women, and the valorisation of youth, beauty, and domesticity?
6pm to 7pm
Biographers Clare Mulley and Sonia Purnell discuss the remarkable subjects of their recent books, whose extraordinary courage and actions during World War II made an invaluable contribution to the Allies’ success.
7pm to 8pm
More London events on Thursday 19th November
Friday 20th November
Online events / webinars
More London events on Friday 20th November
Saturday 21st November
Online events / webinars
Join London Medieval Society for a one-day colloquium exploring heraldry in the medieval period.
10:15am to 3:30pm
This online course offers an introduction to a number of characters from a fascinating period in London’s history.
11am to 1pm
More London events on Saturday 21st November
Sunday 22nd November
Free
The day when it is traditional to make the Christmas Pudding -- assuming you don't just buy one from the supermarket.
All Day
More London events on Sunday 22nd November
Monday 23rd November
Online events / webinars
This lecture will explore how artificial intelligence (AI) will meet the challenges posed by big data to help answer fundamental questions of the cosmos.
1pm to 2pm
All you ever wanted to know about working in public affairs and lobbying in the UK but were afraid to ask...
6pm to 7pm
A chat with RCN President Professor Anne Marie Rafferty to hear more about how nurses have pushed for change over time.
6pm to 7pm
110 years to the day after the execution of Dr Crippen, Roger Dalrymple talks about how this murder caused a sensation at the time.
7:30pm to 8:30pm
More London events on Monday 23rd November
Tuesday 24th November
Online events / webinars
A talk on the history of the Bandstand, from their origins in the mid-18th century to their heyday during the Victorian era, and their subsequent decline post WW2.
2pm to 3pm
Join broadcaster Lorraine Heggessey, in conversation with Ian Hislop, arguably Britain’s most Hogarthian satirist.
6:30pm to 7:30pm
Tom Crawford returns and explores the remaining Millennium Prize Problems, worth $1m to anyone that solves them
7pm to 8:30pm
More London events on Tuesday 24th November
Wednesday 25th November
Online events / webinars
At the 900th anniversary, this talk explores the wreck of Barfleur 25th November 1120, when three hundred perished including the heir to the throne and many of the royal court.
2pm to 3pm
A talk by John Mullan about his latest book The Artful Dickens - The Tricks and Ploys of the Great Novelist.
6pm to :
This lecture will consider the shifting geography of ill health in the UK and globally, and its implications.
6pm to 7pm
More London events on Wednesday 25th November
Thursday 26th November
Online events / webinars
Free
This talk focuses on Plato’s masterpiece, the Republic, but also considers the importance of the dialogues which are set during the very last days of Socrates.
1pm to 2pm
Peggy Guggenheim: The ‘Poor Little Rich Girl’ Who Changed the Face of Twentieth Century Art.
2pm to 3pm
Hear the fascinating story of the development of Victoria as a major transport hub
3pm to 4pm
This panel discussion celebrates the role of translation in breaking down barriers.
5:30pm to 6:45pm
Free
This paper will examine how London’s public green spaces were discussed and developed during the years following the Second World War.
6pm to 8:30pm
Join designer Molly Mahon in this online talk where she will be discussing her first book, House of Print, showcasing the art of printmaking combined with practical tips on how to use block prints in your own home.
6pm to 7:30pm
Egyptologist Toby Wilkinson tells the stories of the men and women whose obsession with Egypt's ancient civilisation drove them to uncover its secrets.
6:30pm to 7:30pm
Architect Eric Parry RA discusses the thinking behind the project that revealed the Charterhouse to the public.
7pm to 8pm
More London events on Thursday 26th November
Friday 27th November
Online events / webinars
How exactly did an illegitimate line come to challenge the English monarchy?
2pm to 3pm
More London events on Friday 27th November
Saturday 28th November
Unfortunately, there seems to be nothing special happening today. Sorry about that!
More London events on Saturday 28th November
Sunday 29th November
Unfortunately, there seems to be nothing special happening today. Sorry about that!
More London events on Sunday 29th November
Monday 30th November
Online events / webinars
When Darwin finally published the On the Origin of Species, he tried to avoid controversy by ignoring human origins. Yet evolution was soon being attacked as the godless ‘monkey theory’.
6pm to 7pm
