all exhibitions

Exhibitions in London — December 2026

Exhibitions on in London during December 2026. This page narrows our full exhibitions programme down to what's running in December 2026, so you can plan ahead — dates, venues and booking, all in one place.

London's exhibition calendar is one of the richest in the world. We list everything from blockbuster 'culture' shows at the British Museum – such as the Bayeux Tapestry in 2026 – to interesting small exhibitions by rising East End artists.

Exhibitions · December 2026

Korea

01/10/2026 - 31/01/2027

Daily 10.00–17.00 (Fri 20:30)

British Museum

The 90s: Art and Fashion

08/10/2026 - 14/02/2027

10:00-18:00

Tate Britain

Van Eyck: The Portraits

21/11/2026 - 11/04/2027

Daily 10:00-18:00 (Fri 21:00)

National Gallery

The Bayeux Tapestry

10/09/2026 - 11/07/2027

Daily 10:00-17:00 (Fri 20:30)

British Museum

Jurassic Oceans: Monsters of the Deep

22/05/2026 - 03/01/2027

10:00-16:30

Natural History Museum

Hokusai: Thirty-six views of Mt. Fuji from the Iuchi Collection

20/10/2026 - 17/01/2027

Tue-Sun 10:00-17:00

Dulwich Picture Gallery

The John Madejski Fine Rooms - FREE

16/12/2025 - 29/01/2027

Tue-Sun 11:00-16:00 (Fri 21:00). Closed 2 October, 6 November & 4 December 2026

Royal Academy of Arts

Tim Walker's Fairyland: Love and Legends - FREE

08/10/2026 - 07/02/2027

Daily 10:30-18:00; Fri-Sat until 21:00

National Portrait Gallery

Childhood in War - FREE

31/07/2026 - 28/02/2027

10:00-18:00

Imperial War Museum

Es Devlin

02/10/2026 - 04/04/2027

Mon-Thu 10:00-17:00; Fri-Sun 10:00-18:00

Design Museum

Hyundai Commission: Tarek Atoui - FREE

13/10/2026 - 11/04/2027

10:00-18:00

Tate Modern

Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style

10/04/2026 - 18/04/2027

Check website

King's Gallery, Buckingham Palace

Becoming America - How Science Shaped a Nation - FREE

23/10/2026 - 25/04/2027

Daily: 10:00-17:00 (Pre-book online)

Science Museum

Wildlife Photographer of the Year

16/10/2026 - 11/07/2027

10:00-17:50

Natural History Museum

The Nue Black Aesthetic

06/11/2026 - 08/08/2027

Mon-Thu 10:00-17:00; Fri-Sun 10:00-18:00

Design Museum

Wakaliga Uganda

02/10/2026 - 06/12/2026

Wed-Sun 12:00-18:00

Chisenhale Gallery

Wakaliga Uganda

02/10/2026 - 06/12/2026

Wednesday–Sunday, 12–6pm

Chisenhale Gallery

Sabine Moritz

07/10/2026 - 20/12/2026

Generally daily 10:00-17:00, but check for closures

Garden Museum

Healing Spaces: Healthcare Design Past, Present and Future

18/11/2025 - 31/12/2026

Tue-Sun 10:00-17:00

Florence Nightingale Museum

Jean ProuvéMaison Démontable

16/05/2026 - 31/12/2026

Tue-Sat: 10:00-18:00; Sun: 11:00-17:00

Carpenters Workshop Gallery London

Meliorism II

20/11/2026 - 02/01/2027

Mon-Sat 11:00-18:00

Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery (Tower Bridge)

The Burberry Trench: Crafting an Icon - FREE

21/09/2026 - 03/01/2027

10:00-17:45 (Fri 22:00)

Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A)

Frida: The Making of an Icon

25/06/2026 - 03/01/2027

Daily 10:00-18:00 (Fri & Sat 21:00)

Tate Modern

Rising Voices: Contemporary Art from Asia, Australia and the Pacific

16/05/2026 - 10/01/2027

10:00-17:45

Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A)

The Music is Black: A British Story

18/04/2026 - 10/01/2027

10:00-18:00 (Fri & Sat 21:00)

Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A)

Salman Toor: Someone Like You

02/10/2026 - 10/01/2027

10:00-18:00

Courtauld Gallery

Salman Toor: Drawings

02/10/2026 - 10/01/2027

•••

Courtauld Gallery

Zineb Sedira: When Words Fall Silent, Cinema Speaks - FREE

26/05/2026 - 17/01/2027

10:00-!8:00

Tate Britain

Ana Mendieta

15/07/2026 - 17/01/2027

Daily 10:00-18:00 (Fri & Sat 21:00)

Tate Modern

Yuko Mohri

01/10/2026 - 24/01/2027

•••

Barbican Centre (Art Gallery)

Renoir and Love

03/10/2026 - 31/01/2027

Daily 10:00-18:00

National Gallery

Painting the French Riviera

02/10/2026 - 31/01/2027

Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00 (Fri 21:00)

Royal Academy of Arts

Charlie Mackesy: The Boy, the Fox, the Mole, the Horse... And You

03/11/2026 - 07/02/2027

Tue-Sun 10:00-17:00

Dulwich Picture Gallery

Shonibare and Gainsborough: A Conversation - FREE

15/10/2026 - 07/02/2027

Daily 10:00-18:00; Fri until 21:00

National Gallery

Light and Magic The Birth of Art Photography

08/10/2026 - 14/02/2027

Daily 10:00-18:00 (Fri & Sat 22:00)

Tate Modern

Robert Ryman: The Real Thing

08/10/2026 - 28/02/2027

•••

Barbican Centre (Art Gallery)

Peggy Guggenheim in London

21/11/2026 - 14/03/2027

Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00 (Fri 21:00)

Royal Academy of Arts

Goavve-Geabbil: Hyundai Commission 2026

26/10/2026 - 27/03/2027

Daily 10:00-18:00 (Fri, Sat 22:00)

Tate Modern

A Grand Chorus: The Power of Music

02/10/2026 - 29/03/2027

Tue-Sun 10:00-17:00

Foundling Museum

Bank of England Museum – What's On (parent listing) - FREE

21/06/2026 - 31/03/2027

Open Monday to Friday, 10am to 5pm (last entry 4.30pm). Open for Museum Lates every third Thursday of the month, until 8pm (last entry 7.30pm, booking recommended). Closed Bank Holidays and weekends.

Bank of England Museum

Vanessa Bell & Duncan Grant

12/11/2026 - 11/04/2027

Sun-Fri 10:00-18:00; Sat 10:00-16:00

Tate Britain

Urushi Now: Contemporary Japanese Lacquer - FREE

30/04/2026 - 30/04/2027

10:00-17:45

Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A)

Julio Le Parc

11/06/2026 - 03/05/2027

Daily 10:00-18:00 (Fri, Sat 22:00)

Tate Modern

American Photographs - FREE

16/09/2026 - 16/05/2027

10:00-17:45

Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A)

Winifred Gill: A Bloomsbury Pioneer

26/02/2026 - 27/05/2027

10:00-18:00

Courtauld Gallery

Agatha Christie

30/10/2026 - 20/06/2027

Mon-Sat 09:30-20:00 (Fri 18:30, Sat 17:00); Sun 11:00-17:00

British Library

Lost Music Venues - FREE

30/05/2026 - 30/10/2027

10:00-16:00

Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A)

Frequently asked questions

What exhibitions are on in London in December 2026?

The list above shows exhibitions running in London during December 2026, updated day by day with our picks first. Each entry links to dates, venue and booking.

How much, if anything, will a visit cost?

London is unusual among major cites, in that the starting point for most museums and art galleries is 'free entry'. For the exhibitions we list here, however, there is most often a charge. How much that charge will be often depends on personal circumstances, so It's always safest to check by following the 'More info and Booking' link for the most complete and up-to-date information.

A show I want to go to is sold out. What can I do?

Most major museums and galleries offer a perfectly proper 'jump the queue' option. You simply have to become a 'friend, and then, in most cases, you can still get in to 'sold out' exhibitions! The catch of course is that you'll have to pay an annual subscription, which is typically around three times the cost of a single visit. Especially if you live locally, however, it's an option always worth considering.

Should I book ahead?

For most shows most of the time, you don't need to book, but, it's always safest to check out the 'More info and Booking' link as soon as you consider a visit. Sometimes, even free entry (where available) requires you to have booked a time slot first.