What's on in London October 2026
Looking for what's on in London October 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 October 2026" into a plan, whether you want a big night out or a quiet afternoon with a free exhibition.
Browse everything on October 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 October 2026
Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art
28/03/2026 - 01/11/2026
Daily 10:00-17:45
Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A)
Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style
10/04/2026 - 18/04/2027
Check website
King's Gallery, Buckingham Palace
Anish Kapoor
16/06/2026 - 18/10/2026
Tue–Fri 10am–6pm; Sat 10am–8pm; Sun 10am–6pm; Closed Mon
Hayward Gallery (at Southbank Centre)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
A Month in the Country
22/08/2026 - 03/10/2026
Mon-Sat 19:30 (+ Thu & Sat 14:30, from 29 Aug)
Donmar Warehouse
Eileen Cooper RA
03/09/2025 - 03/10/2026
Mon-Sat 11:00-18:00
Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery (Tower Bridge)Hepworth and Nicholson: The Hampstead Studio Photographs
06/06/2026 - 04/10/2026
Daily 10:00-18:00
Courtauld GalleryIn Focus: Nurse Catherine Pine
06/03/2026 - 04/10/2026
Museum is open Tuesday to Sunday, 10am – 5pm (last entry 4.30pm)
Florence Nightingale MuseumEnd of the World and Hard-Boiled Wonderland
08/10/2026 - 11/10/2026
19:00; Sun 14:00
Barbican Centre (Theatre)Who Are We?
14/10/2026 - 16/10/2026
Wed-Thu 19:30; Fri 18:30
Queen Elizabeth Hall (at Southbank Centre)The Mousetrap
15/05/2025 - 17/10/2026
Mon-Sat 19:30 (+ 15:00 Tue & Thu; 15:00 & 16:00 Sat)
St Martin's TheatreKyotographie 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 LondonAnish Kapoor
16/06/2026 - 18/10/2026
Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00 (Sat 20:00, Sun 18:00)
Hayward Gallery (at Southbank Centre)Jane Eyre
24/08/2026 - 24/10/2026
Mon-Sat 19:30 (+ Thu & Sat 14:30, from 27 Jun)
Southwark Playhouse ElephantRichard Dadd: Beyond Bedlam
25/07/2026 - 25/10/2026
Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00 (Fri 21:00)
Royal Academy of Arts
As You Like It
14/08/2026 - 25/10/2026
Mostly 19:30; some matinees 14:00; Sun 13:00 & 18:30 (see booking page)
Shakespeare's GlobeHerbert 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 GalleryDoes 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 MuseumBeauty and Destruction: Wartime London in Art - FREE
20/03/2026 - 01/11/2026
Daily 10:00-18:00
Imperial War MuseumVoyage to the Deep – Underwater Adventures
01/06/2026 - 01/11/2026
10am – 5.30pm. Quiet Times: usually afternoons in term time.
Horniman Museum & Gardens
The Playboy of the Western World
28/02/2026 - 04/12/2026
Mon-Sat 19:30 (+ 14:30 Thu & Sat)
National Theatre (Lyttleton)Sabine Moritz
07/10/2026 - 20/12/2026
Generally daily 10:00-17:00, but check for closures
Garden MuseumJean ProuvéMaison Démontable
16/05/2026 - 31/12/2026
Tue-Sat: 10:00-18:00; Sun: 11:00-17:00
Carpenters Workshop Gallery London
Healing Spaces: Healthcare Design Past, Present and Future
18/11/2025 - 31/12/2026
Tue-Sun 10:00-17:00
Florence Nightingale MuseumHokusai: Thirty-six views of Mt. Fuji from the Iuchi Collection
20/10/2026 - 17/01/2027
Tue-Sun 10:00-17:00
Dulwich Picture GalleryMatilda 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 ArtsShonibare 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 ModernAgatha 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 TheatreYeh Dosti : Celebrating 5 Decades Of Sholay & The Legacy Of Dharmendra
09/08/2026
19:00
Leicester Square TheatreFrequently asked questions
What's on in London October 2026?
The list above shows cultural events across London October 2026 — exhibitions, shows, concerts and cinema — updated day by day, with our picks first.
What free events are on October 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.