Exhibitions in London — October 2026
Exhibitions on in London during October 2026. This page narrows our full exhibitions programme down to what's running in October 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 · October 2026
Portrait of a City: A Century of American Photography
28/07/2026 - 04/10/2026
Tue-Sun 10:00-16:00
Dulwich Picture Gallery
Anish Kapoor
16/06/2026 - 18/10/2026
Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00 (Sat 20:00)
Hayward Gallery (at Southbank Centre)
Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art
28/03/2026 - 01/11/2026
Daily 10:00-17:45
Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A)
Linda Dounia - Once Upon A Garden - FREE
12/09/2026 - 18/10/2026
10:00-17:00
Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A)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 GalleryThe 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 ArtsTim 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
Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style
10/04/2026 - 18/04/2027
Check website
King's Gallery, Buckingham PalaceBecoming America - How Science Shaped a Nation - FREE
23/10/2026 - 25/04/2027
Daily: 10:00-17:00 (Pre-book online)
Science MuseumEileen Cooper RA
03/09/2025 - 03/10/2026
Mon-Sat 11:00-18:00
Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery (Tower Bridge)In Focus: Nurse Catherine Pine
06/03/2026 - 04/10/2026
Museum is open Tuesday to Sunday, 10am – 5pm (last entry 4.30pm)
Florence Nightingale MuseumHepworth and Nicholson: The Hampstead Studio Photographs
06/06/2026 - 04/10/2026
Daily 10:00-18:00
Courtauld GalleryKyotographie Kawada Kikuji x Iwane Ai
03/06/2026 - 18/10/2026
Mon–Sat 10:00–20:00; Sun & BH 12:00–18:00
Japan House LondonMusquiqui Chihying: A Life of Navigation - FREE
25/08/2026 - 18/10/2026
Hayward Gallery (at Southbank Centre)Richard Dadd: Beyond Bedlam
25/07/2026 - 25/10/2026
Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00 (Fri 21:00)
Royal Academy of ArtsHerbert Smith Freehills Kramer Portrait Award 2026 - FREE!
25/06/2026 - 27/10/2026
Daily 10:30-18:00 ( Fri & Sat 21:00)
National Portrait Gallery
Heritage Gallery Exhibition: America and London
02/05/2026 - 29/10/2026
Daily 10:00-17:00
Guildhall Art GallerydRMM: Building from Forests - FREE
25/11/2025 - 30/10/2026
10:00-18:00 (Fri & Sat 21:00)
Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A)Voyage to the Deep – Underwater Adventures
01/06/2026 - 01/11/2026
10am – 5.30pm. Quiet Times: usually afternoons in term time.
Horniman Museum & GardensBeauty and Destruction: Wartime London in Art - FREE
20/03/2026 - 01/11/2026
Daily 10:00-18:00
Imperial War MuseumDoes my head look BIG in this? The art of portrait caricature
23/05/2026 - 01/11/2026
Saturday 23 May 2026, 10:30 – Sunday 1 November 2026, 16:00
Cartoon MuseumSabine 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 MuseumJean ProuvéMaison Démontable
16/05/2026 - 31/12/2026
Tue-Sat: 10:00-18:00; Sun: 11:00-17:00
Carpenters Workshop Gallery LondonThe Burberry Trench: Crafting an Icon - FREE
21/09/2026 - 03/01/2027
10:00-17:45 (Fri 22:00)
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)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)Zineb Sedira: When Words Fall Silent, Cinema Speaks - FREE
26/05/2026 - 17/01/2027
10:00-!8:00
Tate BritainPainting the French Riviera
02/10/2026 - 31/01/2027
Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00 (Fri 21:00)
Royal Academy of Arts
Shonibare and Gainsborough: A Conversation - FREE
15/10/2026 - 07/02/2027
Daily 10:00-18:00; Fri until 21:00
National GalleryLight and Magic The Birth of Art Photography
08/10/2026 - 14/02/2027
Daily 10:00-18:00 (Fri & Sat 22:00)
Tate ModernGoavve-Geabbil: Hyundai Commission 2026
26/10/2026 - 27/03/2027
Daily 10:00-18:00 (Fri, Sat 22:00)
Tate ModernBank 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 MuseumUrushi Now: Contemporary Japanese Lacquer - FREE
30/04/2026 - 30/04/2027
10:00-17:45
Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A)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 LibraryFrequently asked questions
What exhibitions are on in London in October 2026?
The list above shows exhibitions running in London during October 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.