The ianVisits guide to cheap and free things to do in London on Saturday 9th December.
Top events in London on Sat 9th Dec 2023
Free
Look out for large numbers of people dressed up as Santa and generally behaving as though they are on a pub crawl, which for many is exactly what they are doing.
Starts at 12am
A note that a steam train will leave Kings Cross station in the morning, and return in the evening.
All Day
A special opening of Spike's unseen archive guided by his daughters Sile and Jane Milligan.
Starts at 12am
Finchley
Free
This exhibition presents the stories of Londoners of African, Caribbean, Asian and Indigenous heritage who lived and worked in the city between 1560 and 1860 and are recorded in London’s archives.
10am to 4:30pm
Clerkenwell
Your chance to explore and try out some of the most ingenious and beautifully created games around.
10:30am to 4:30pm
Camden
Visit the public exhibition on the emerging proposals for 110 The Queen’s Walk, formerly known as City Hall.
11am to 2pm
Southwark
A fleet of Routmaster buses will run along route 159 in the afternoon, and do a Christmas lights tour in the evening - free to join in, if there's space/willing bus driver, otherwise watch from the sidelines.
Starts at 11am
Willesden
20 minute free horse and carriage rides around Chelsea each weekend in the run up to Christmas
12pm to 4pm
Chelsea
Ben Aaronovitch, James Swallow, & Andrew Cartmel will be signing Rivers of London: Volume 11: Here Be Dragons at Forbidden Planet London Megastore.
2pm to 3pm
Soho
A tour of the large church, followed by a slightly hair-raising climb up the church tower.
Starts at 2pm
Islington
The tour shows how shopping grew from nothing to make Brixton South London’s biggest shopping centre by the 1920s.
2:30pm to 3:45pm
Stockwell
Ten Exhibitions That Are Closing Soon
£15
Coalescence
The six-metre diameter artwork is made from over 2,500 pieces of coal with a combined weight of over half a tonne – the amount of coal consumed by a single 200W light bulb in a year.
Starts at 12pm
Greenwich
Ends on Sun 4th February 2024
Free
Unforgotten Lives
This exhibition presents the stories of Londoners of African, Caribbean, Asian and Indigenous heritage who lived and worked in the city between 1560 and 1860 and are recorded in London’s archives.
10am to 4:30pm
Clerkenwell
Closing soon Tue, 5th December
An exhibition celebrating the Royal Asiatic Society’s bicentenary and its involvement in the study of science, literature, religion, and the arts of Asia since 1823.
10:30am to 5pm
Euston
Ends on Fri 15th December
‘Not Just Words: Learning languages through art and objects’ is an interactive video showcase in the UCL Art Museum, inviting visitors to engage with the many modern and ancient languages taught at UCL using works from the collection.
1pm to 5pm
Euston
Ends on Fri 15th December
Free
Derek Jarman: Queer
A series of paintings by Derek Jarman that deal with love, sex and death and are a direct response to media coverage of the AIDS crisis in the UK.
12pm to 5pm
Clerkenwell
Ends on Sat 16th December
The first museum show in the UK of work by ground-breaking Italian photographer Lisetta Carmi, whose imagery is currently receiving renewed attention.
11am to 6pm
Islington
Ends on Sun 17th December
This exhibition celebrates three generations of women silversmiths from the Sultanate of Oman, showcasing their silver work and personal testimonies.
10am to 5pm
Russell Square
Ends on Sun 17th December
An exhibition showcasing more than 400 works by 28 students who have participated in the School’s scholarship course in 2023.
10am to 4pm
Shoreditch
Ends on Tue 19th December
An exhibition to mark the 50th anniversary of the Chilean military coup.
11am to 6pm
Holborn
Ends on Wed 20th December
Free
Inventing the Future
This exhibition celebrates the Tercentenary of the Constitutions of the Freemasons.
10am to 5pm
Aldwych
Ends on Thu 21st December
Regular Events - Saturday 9th December 2023
Have you ever wondered what Somerset House was built for and what has taken place within this Grade 1 listed building over the years?
Starts at 12pm
Strand
What's on in London
Walking tours of London on Saturday 9th December 2023
Visit the Ministry of Magic, The Leaky Cauldron, Diagon Alley and Platform 9¾, all on this half-day guided tour of the wizarding world.
9am to 12pm WhitehallA stroll through more than 100 years of Islington cinema-going; all between Angel and Essex Road stations. With free popcorn for everyone!
11am to 1pm IslingtonJoin a group of fellow muggles for a walking tour and see the real-life locations that inspired sets such as Diagon Alley, the Leaky Cauldron, and the Ministry of Magic.
Starts at 11am City of LondonDare to discover the legend of London’s notorious Jack the Ripper on a tour like no other.
7:30pm to 9:15pm Whitechapel
