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
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 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 MuseumChoir of Clare College, Cambridge: Angelus ad Virginem
21/12/2026
19:30
Smith Square Hall (formerly St John's Smith Square)
The Playboy of the Western World
28/02/2026 - 04/12/2026
Mon-Sat 19:30 (+ 14:30 Thu & Sat)
National Theatre (Lyttleton)London 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)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)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 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)Pinocchio
28/11/2026 - 03/01/2027
Various times: 18:30 / 17:30; matinees 14:30 / 13:30
Shakespeare's GlobeThe Wind in the Willows
25/11/2026 - 03/01/2027
Various times: 11:00, 11:30, 14:00, 14:30, 15:00, 15:30, 17:30, 18:30, 19:00 (see booking page)
Rose TheatreRising 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)Zineb Sedira: When Words Fall Silent, Cinema Speaks - FREE
26/05/2026 - 17/01/2027
10:00-!8:00
Tate Britain
Matilda The Musical
20/05/2025 - 17/01/2027
Tue-Fri 19:00; Wed & Sat 14:00; Sun 15:00
Cambridge TheatrePainting 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 GalleryShonibare 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 ModernPeggy Guggenheim in London
21/11/2026 - 14/03/2027
Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00 (Fri 21:00)
Royal Academy of ArtsGoavve-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 LibraryHarry Potter and the Cursed Child - One Part
09/10/2026 - 27/06/2027
Tue 19:00; Wed & Sat 13:00, 19:00; Thu-Fri 19:00; Sun 14:30 (doors ~30m before)
Palace TheatreRoderick Williams OBE: Schubert Winterreise: An Immersive Journey
06/12/2026
15:00; 18:00
Smith Square Hall (formerly St John's Smith Square)Gabrieli Roar: Mr Handel’s Christmas Story
08/12/2026
19:00
Smith Square Hall (formerly St John's Smith Square)Sinfonia Smith Square: A Tchaikovsky Christmas by Candlelight
17/12/2026
19:00
Smith Square Hall (formerly St John's Smith Square)Polyphony & Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment: Bach’s Christmas Oratorio
22/12/2026
19:30
Smith Square Hall (formerly St John's Smith Square)Polyphony & Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment: Handel’s Messiah
23/12/2026
19:00
Smith Square Hall (formerly St John's Smith Square)Choir of Merton College, Oxford: A Ceremony of Carols
14/12/2026
19:30
Smith Square Hall (formerly St John's Smith Square)The Gesualdo Six: O Magnum Mysterium
15/12/2026
19:00
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.