What's on in London December 2026
Looking for what's on in London December 2026? This page gathers the city's cultural highlights into one place — exhibitions, theatre, concerts, cinema and family activities — so you can decide what to do without trawling a dozen sites.
We list each event's venue and neighbourhood, its dates and how to book, and order the page so our editors' picks and the most notable events appear first. It's the quickest way to turn "I'm free December 2026" into a plan, whether you want a big night out or a quiet afternoon with a free exhibition.
Browse everything on December 2026 below and follow any listing for full details. Prefer to narrow things down? Jump into exhibitions, theatre, concerts or films, or see what's free this week.
All events December 2026
British Wildlife Photography Awards - FREE!
17/07/2026 - 21/02/2027
Daily 10:00-17:30
Horniman Museum & Gardens
Evelyn Taocheng Wang: Being Poetic Ruins Life - FREE!
25/09/2026 - 13/12/2026
Wed-Sun 12:00-18:00
Goldsmiths Centre for Contemporary Art
William Eggleston: All that goes unnoticed
14/10/2026 - 21/02/2027
Mon-Wed, Sat 10:30-18:00; Thu-Fri 10:30-20:00; Sun 11:00-18:00
Photographers' Gallery
Speculations on the Unexplained Deaths of Several American Icons
30/10/2026 - 17/01/2027
Tue-Sat 19:30 (+ Wed & Sat 14:30)
Marylebone TheatreConstantinople to Istanbul: One City, Two Empires
07/11/2026 - 09/05/2027
Daily 10:00-17:45 (Fri 22:00)
Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A)The Afronauts
14/11/2026 - 19/12/2026
Mon-Wed, Fri 19:30; Thu 14:30 & 19:30; Sat 13:30 & 18:30
Royal Court TheatreSherlock Holmes and the Twelve Days of Christmas
24/11/2026 - 17/01/2027
Various times - see website
Alexandra PalaceAnselm Kiefer: Des Malers Atelier - FREE
25/11/2026 - 24/01/2027
Wed-Sun 10 (Sun 12:00)-18:00
White Cube BermondseyThe 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
Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style
10/04/2026 - 18/04/2027
Check website
The King's Gallery, Buckingham PalacePainting the French Riviera
02/10/2026 - 31/01/2027
Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00 (Fri 21:00)
Royal Academy of ArtsTim Walker's Fairyland: Love and Legends
08/10/2026 - 07/02/2027
Daily 10:30-18:00; Fri-Sat until 21:00
National Portrait GalleryHokusai: 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
Becoming America - How Science Shaped a Nation - FREE
23/10/2026 - 25/04/2027
Daily: 10:00-17:00 (Pre-book online)
Science Museum
Healing Spaces: Healthcare Design Past, Present and Future
18/11/2025 - 31/12/2026
Tue-Sun 10:00-17:00
Florence Nightingale MuseumThe Playboy of the Western World
28/02/2026 - 04/12/2026
Mon-Sat 19:30 (+ 14:30 Thu & Sat)
National Theatre (Lyttleton)
Million Dollar Quartet
04/09/2026 - 06/12/2026
Tue-Sat 19:30 (+ 14:30 Thu & Sat); Sun 15:00
The Arts At Marble ArchWanda and Marion Wulz
16/09/2026 - 20/12/2026
Wed-Sat 11:00-18:00; Sun 12:00-17:00
Estorick Collection of Modern Italian ArtThis Is Still Not a Pipe: The Afterlife of Magritte - FREE!
24/09/2026 - 12/12/2026
Tue-Sat 10:00-18:00
Gagosian, Grosvenor HillThe Standard Of Living
05/10/2026 - 12/12/2026
Mon-Wed: 19:00; Thu-Sat: 19:30; Thu & Sat 14:30
Theatre Royal HaymarketSabine Moritz
07/10/2026 - 20/12/2026
Generally daily 10:00-17:00, but check for closures
Garden MuseumTino Stefanoni: Between Vision and Memory
28/10/2026 - 20/12/2026
Wed-Sat 11:00-18:00; Sun 12:00-17:00
Estorick Collection of Modern Italian ArtAustentatious: An Improvised Jane Austen Novel
02/11/2026 - 14/12/2026
Selected Mons 19:30
Vaudeville TheatreNo Plan at All: Prints from BORCH Editions
05/11/2026 - 19/12/2026
Thu 18:00-20:00; Fri-Sat 10:00-18:00
David ZwirnerFrom Code to Clay: Re-imagining Materiality in a Machine-Learning World
14/11/2026 - 12/12/2026
Tue-Fri 11:00-17:00; Sat 11:00-16:00
Urban Vibes: A Photography Exhibition
14/11/2026 - 12/12/2026
Building hours only (not published) – confirm; launch event Sat 14 Nov 15:00-17:00
The Film London Jarman Award 2026 - FREE!
17/11/2026 - 13/12/2026
Tue-Wed, Fri-Sun 11:00-18:00; Thu 11:00-21:00
Whitechapel Gallery
Royal Institute of Oil Painters Annual Exhibition 2026
26/11/2026 - 12/12/2026
Daily 10:00-17:00
Mall GalleriesDear Santa
28/11/2026 - 24/12/2026
Various times, see event link for more details.
Battersea Arts Centre
London Symphony Orchestra/Sir Antonio Pappano
29/11/2026 - 03/12/2026
29 Nov & 3 Nov 19:00
Barbican Centre (Hall)
Un ballo in maschera (A Masked Ball)
30/11/2026 - 18/12/2026
19:30 on various dates - Check website
Royal Opera HouseMinty Sainsbury: Surfaces of Time - FREE
01/12/2026 - 05/12/2026
Tue-Sat: 11:00-18:00 (19:00 Wed)
Coningsby GalleryStand By Me: Bob Harris - A Celebration of Life in Music
02/12/2026 - 03/12/2026
19:30
Royal Albert Hall
Home Alone in Concert
05/12/2026 - 06/12/2026
5 Dec 14:30 & 19:30; 6 Dec 13:00 & 18:00
Royal Albert Hall
December 10: 1st Birthday Party
10/12/2026 - 11/12/2026
Thu 10 Dec – Doors: 19:00; Fri 11 Dec – Doors: 19:00
Eventim Apollo
Jamie Cullum: The Pianoman at Christmas
10/12/2026 - 11/12/2026
Thu 10 Dec 19:30; Fri 11 Dec 19:30
Royal Albert HallLondon International Gospel Choir: Joy! A Seasonal Gospel Celebration of Sound
11/12/2026 - 12/12/2026
11 Dec 19:00; 12 Dec 14:30
Smith Square Hall (formerly St John's Smith Square)
Trevor Nelson's Soul Christmas
17/12/2026 - 18/12/2026
Thu 17 Dec 19:00; Fri 18 Dec 19:00
Royal Albert Hall
Carols at the Royal Albert Hall
19/12/2026 - 24/12/2026
Varioius times - check website
Royal Albert HallThe Snowman Live in Concert
19/12/2026 - 20/12/2026
19 Dec 13:30; 20 Dec 11:00
Smith Square Hall (formerly St John's Smith Square)Wallace & Gromit: The Wrong Trousers Live in Concert
19/12/2026 - 20/12/2026
19 Dec 15:00; 20 Dec 13:00
Smith Square Hall (formerly St John's Smith Square)Choir of Clare College, Cambridge: Angelus ad Virginem
21/12/2026
19:30
Smith Square Hall (formerly St John's Smith Square)Frequently asked questions
What's on in London December 2026?
The list above shows cultural events across London December 2026 — exhibitions, shows, concerts and cinema — updated day by day, with our picks first.
What free events are on December 2026?
London has free culture on every day of the week. See our free things to do page for everything on with no ticket required.
Can I find events suitable for children?
Yes — our for-kids page collects family-friendly events and activities across London, with dedicated round-ups during half-term and the school holidays.
How accurate are these dates and times?
Listings are refreshed continuously and all dates and times are shown in London time, so what you see reflects what's actually on.