The ianVisits guide to December's unusual events, tours, lectures and exhibitions happening around London.
Sunday 10th December
£20.00
Take a boat trip through London's longest canal tunnel whilst enjoying a warm fruit punch and mince pie with cream.
tba
Islington
£18.00
Visit the 3 listed buildings and see the four Victorian beam engines, one of which will be working.
10am to 3pm
Abbey Wood
A model railway show with 15 working layouts and trade stalls.
10am to 4pm
Woolwich
The broad range of ceramic artwork will have something for everyone this festive season.
11am to 5pm
Peckham
Annual pre Christmas mini-exhibition featuring a selection of club and guest model railway layouts
11am to 4pm
Islington
Featuring over 80 unusual shops full of curiosities & oddities.
12pm to 6pm
Clerkenwell
More London events on Sunday 10th December
Monday 11th December
No events are listed for today. Sorry.
More London events on Monday 11th December
Tuesday 12th December
Discover the unusual life of Elizabeth Blackwell, the woman behind this 18th century herbal
1:15pm to 1:30pm
Pimlico
More London events on Tuesday 12th December
Wednesday 13th December
The museum will open later than usual to welcome visitors into a magical new take on its exhibition spaces, illuminated almost entirely by candles.
4:30pm to 7pm
Greenwich
Annual evening of cheese at Borough Market, with cheese themed shopping and tastings.
6pm to 9pm
Southwark
A special evening as they blend history and holiday spirit together for Christmas at the Florence Nightingale Museum.
6pm to 8pm
Southwark
More London events on Wednesday 13th December
Thursday 14th December
An illustrated talk for the 400th anniversary of the publication of the first collection of William Shakespeare's plays.
2pm to 3pm
City of London
Free
From the classic C shaped Cray-1 through generations of systems we will see and hear about the technology, applications and people involved with the worlds most powerful computers.
Starts at 2:30pm
City of London
The museum will open later than usual to welcome visitors into a magical new take on its exhibition spaces, illuminated almost entirely by candles.
4:30pm to 7pm
Greenwich
Late opening at the Canal Museum with a festive style.
5:50pm to 9pm
Islington
£10.00
An opportunity to discover the story of Keats by candlelight
6pm to 7pm
Hampstead
Discover the stories of our Favourite Christmas Carols with composer and conductor Andrew Gant.
6:30pm to 8pm
Southwark
A rare opportunity to view the Home of Henry Stephens from top to bottom and learn more of its 149 year history.
7pm to 8pm
Finchley
More London events on Thursday 14th December
Friday 15th December
Join Dr Alastair Massie as he examines one of the pivotal moments in Britain’s defence of the Low Countries during the War of the Austrian Succession.
12pm to 1pm
Chelsea
A talk about the disapearing architecture of the classic telephone exchange.
2pm to 3:30pm
Strand
The museum will open later than usual to welcome visitors into a magical new take on its exhibition spaces, illuminated almost entirely by candles.
4:30pm to 7pm
Greenwich
Hear about the latest cutting-edge satellite research and developments in how we observe the Earth from space.
7pm to 8pm
Greenwich
More London events on Friday 15th December
Saturday 16th December
Visitors will have a chance to learn about 87 Hackford Road and its most famous tenant
tba
Stockwell
Rummage through a selection of salvaged treasures from over 30 handpicked vintage traders.
11am to 5pm
Stoke Newington
20 minute free horse and carriage rides around Chelsea each weekend in the run up to Christmas
12pm to 4pm
Chelsea
A tour of the large church, followed by a slightly hair-raising climb up the church tower.
Starts at 2pm
Islington
£35.00
A bus tour of London's Christmas lights - raising money for Ukraine.
Starts at 3:30pm
City of London
The museum will open later than usual to welcome visitors into a magical new take on its exhibition spaces, illuminated almost entirely by candles.
4:30pm to 7pm
Greenwich
More London events on Saturday 16th December
Sunday 17th December
The re-creation of London route 227 (Bromley to Penge or Crystal Palace) with a fleet of vintage buses.
All Day
Visitors will have a chance to learn about 87 Hackford Road and its most famous tenant
tba
Stockwell
£20.00
Take a boat trip through London's longest canal tunnel whilst enjoying a warm fruit punch and mince pie with cream.
tba
Islington
Rummage through a selection of salvaged treasures from over 30 handpicked vintage traders.
11am to 5pm
Stoke Newington
More London events on Sunday 17th December
Monday 18th December
No events are listed for today. Sorry.
More London events on Monday 18th December
Tuesday 19th December
No events are listed for today. Sorry.
More London events on Tuesday 19th December
Wednesday 20th December
No events are listed for today. Sorry.
More London events on Wednesday 20th December
Thursday 21st December
Late opening of the Bank of England Museum -- and free Christmas tree bauble filled with shredded bank notes
5pm to 8pm
City of London
More London events on Thursday 21st December
Friday 22nd December
A one-hour tour of the Triforium which includes the library, the Trophy Room and Great Model, as well as a spectacular view down the nave from above the Great West Doors.
12:30pm to 2pm
City of London
A Christmas themed late opening at the museum for adults only.
6:45pm to 9:30pm
South Kensington
More London events on Friday 22nd December
Saturday 23rd December
For the first time since the pandemic, the annual turkey and meat auction returns to Smithfield meat market.
10am to 11:30am
Barbican
More London events on Saturday 23rd December
Sunday 24th December
Soak up the festive spirit this Christmas Eve as you explore the very home in which Charles Dickens lived and wrote.
10am to 6pm
Clerkenwell
More London events on Sunday 24th December
Monday 25th December
You can watch hardy folk going for a traditional Christmas morning swim in Hyde Park.
Starts at 9am
Paddington
A vintage bus hire company will be offering a free vintage bus service on Route 430 between Roehampton and Putney Bridge.
9:30am to 3:50pm
£17.50
The one ice rink that will be open on Christmas Day.
12pm to 8pm
Hampstead
More London events on Monday 25th December
Tuesday 26th December
Free
The Herga Mummers perform traditional ritual drama from the Middlesex villages of Eastcote, Pinner and Sudbury Hill.
12pm to 4pm
More London events on Tuesday 26th December
Wednesday 27th December
No events are listed for today. Sorry.
More London events on Wednesday 27th December
Thursday 28th December
£20.00
Take a boat trip through London's longest canal tunnel whilst enjoying a warm fruit punch and mince pie with cream.
tba
Islington
More London events on Thursday 28th December
Friday 29th December
£20.00
Take a boat trip through London's longest canal tunnel whilst enjoying a warm fruit punch and mince pie with cream.
tba
Islington
More London events on Friday 29th December
Saturday 30th December
£15.00
This is the first opportunity in two years for people to marvel at the working steam engines that provided water to millions and helped make London the city it is today.
11am to 5pm
Brentford
Once a month open day at a nature reserve that sits alongside the railway in Forest Hill.
1pm to 4pm
Forest Hill
More London events on Saturday 30th December
Sunday 31st December
£15.00
This is the first opportunity in two years for people to marvel at the working steam engines that provided water to millions and helped make London the city it is today.
11am to 5pm
Brentford
