Welcome to the IanVisits alternative guide to London.
Lectures, talks, heritage events, organised walks and other random geeky miscellany.
This is quite an old listings page, did you want: Wednesday, 21st February 2024?
Displayed in date order by how soon they close.
Discover how new design ideas are redefining our world and explore major new exhibits that capture the devasting impact of waste including a large-scale installation by Ibrahim Mahama. (Ending Soon Mon, 21st Feb)
The Design Museum
The opening display will feature highlights from The Courtauld’s remarkable collection of British drawings and watercolours. (Ending Soon Sun, 27th Feb)
Courtauld Institute of Art
A collection of work exploring artists’ responses to the Battle of Britain and the Blitz as they represented evolving machinery, communications, and urban landscapes, shaped by what was an unprecedented ‘war in the air’. (Ending Soon Sun, 27th Feb)
RAF Museum
Free
Light Festival 2022
Six installations are now on display across the Battersea Power Station neighbourhood. (Ending Soon Sun, 27th Feb)
Battersea Power Station
£15
Orchids
Celebrate the richness of Costa Rica with Kew Gardens' annual orchid festival. (Ending Soon Sun, 6th Mar)
Kew Gardens
Showcasing previously unseen material from Paul McCartney’s personal archive, this display celebrates the life and art of one of the world’s most successful songwriters and performers. (Ending Soon Sun, 13th Mar)
The British Library
This exhibition draws on materials collected by the Kitchener Camp Project and the Library to build a moving and compelling picture of this unlikely sanctuary. (Ending Soon Fri, 18th Mar)
Wiener Library
How William Hogarth and artists across Europe captured the new modernity of the 18th century (Ending Soon Sun, 20th Mar)
Tate Britain
This exhibition follows the pioneering Russian scholar of Ismaili studies, Wladimir Ivanow (1886 – 1970) across the Muslim world. (Ending Soon Thu, 31st Mar)
The Aga Khan Centre
This exhibition combines photographs taken by Shirley Baker of dogs in everyday settings, as well as at dog shows, providing an insight to her affection and admiration for man’s best friend. (Ending Soon Fri, 1st Apr)
The Kennel Club
America in Crisis brings together 40 leading American photographers and over 120 works exploring social change in the U.S from the 1960s till today. (Ending Soon Sun, 3rd Apr)
Saatchi Gallery
A landmark group exhibition spanning a whole ocean and half a century (Ending Soon Sun, 3rd Apr)
Tate Britain
This exhibit explores relations between space, time and materials through titanium, and can be found in the lobby of One Canada Square. (Ending Soon Fri, 8th Apr)
One Canada Square
£14.50
Amy: Beyond the Stage
Celebrate the legacy and creativity of one of the greatest musicians of our time, Amy Winehouse. (Ending Soon Sun, 10th Apr)
The Design Museum
Explore how windows take on cultural significance and surprisingly shape all our views on the world in an exhibition by the Tokyo-based Window Research Institute. (Ending Soon Sun, 10th Apr)
Japan House
An exhibition of photography of the enormous talent and resilience of London's theatreland. (Ending Soon Tue, 12th Apr)
House of Photography
Described as an "interactive experience", this exhibition showcases unseen Marley photographs and memorabilia with a focus on his lifestyle, passions, influences, and legacy. (Ending Soon Mon, 18th Apr)
Saatchi Gallery
Free
Kehinde Wiley
Kehinde Wiley is an American artist best known for his portraits that render people of colour in the traditional settings of Old Master paintings. (Ending Soon Mon, 18th Apr)
National Gallery
£8
Beethoven
Against the backdrop of war and revolution raging in Europe and the United States, a young man grew up in Bonn inspired by the ideals of freedom, and went on to compose some of the greatest works of music ever written. (Ending Soon Sun, 24th Apr)
The British Library
Free
Body Vessel Clay
For their 10th annual exhibition, Two Temple Place will showcase the ceramic medium through artworks by three generations of Black women artists working in clay. (Ending Soon Sun, 24th Apr)
Two Temple Place
The myth of Van Gogh today is linked as much to his extraordinary life as it is to his stunning paintings. This exhibition will allow both aspects to be explored. (Ending Soon Sun, 8th May)
Courtauld Institute of Art
A once-in-a-century opportunity to see this iconic painting in the UK. (Ending Soon Sun, 15th May)
National Gallery
Free
True is The Dream
The exhibition explores the photography of Derek D’Souza, who has captured glimpses of one of Britain’s most revered groups - and frontman Paul Weller - over 4 decades. (Ending Soon Mon, 16th May)
Barbican Arts Centre
Gaze through the lens of some of the world's best wildlife photographers and marvel at the beauty of our planet. (Ending Soon Sun, 5th Jun)
Natural History Museum
Free
Hair: Untold Stories
This exhibition puts the substance before the style and unlocks the untold stories of hair. (Ending Soon Sun, 19th Jun)
Horniman Museum
£16
Lubaina Himid
Tate Modern presents Himid’s largest solo exhibition to date, incorporating new paintings and significant highlights from across her remarkable career. (Ending Soon Sun, 3rd Jul)
Tate Modern
Informed by recent archaeological and scientific discoveries, this exhibition offers new insight on one of the world’s great wonders, bringing the true story of Stonehenge into sharper focus than ever before. (Ending Soon Sun, 17th Jul)
The British Museum
Life in a cup presents a fascinating beverage story and explores the traditions that make coffee a way of life in parts of the Islamic world. (Ending Soon Sun, 18th Sep)
The British Museum
Free
Treasures
Spanning centuries, the unexpected treasures on display in the Art Deco library include hand-drawn illustrations, curious texts and beguiling bindings. (Ending Soon Fri, 23rd Dec)
Museum of Freemasonry
Visit an 'abandoned' Tube station underworld and discover what secrets lurk beneath our busy streets in this Hidden London exhibition. (Ending Soon Mon, 31st Jul)
London Transport Museum