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With so many incredible exhibitions and cultural activities popping up, staying on top of them can feel like an impossible task. If only there was someone who could save you the hassle of finding them…
In answer to all of your culture vulture prayers, we’ve partnered with Secret London to recommend some of London’s greatest goings-on. Keep reading for inspo on all there is to see, do, learn and discover in the capital right now…
1. We are Queer Britain, Queer Britain
Starting as it means to go on, the UK’s first LGBTQ+ museum won the 2022 ‘Museums Change Lives’ award for its inaugural exhibition. ‘We Are Queer Britain’ is a multimedia, immersive experience including its own virtual reality area. Here you can discover the stories of iconic queer figures from over 100 years of history, spanning from Oscar Wilde to Olly Alexander. Find out more here.
Price: Free
How to get there: Catch the Jubilee line from Waterloo to London Bridge, and then hop on the Northern line to Kings Cross St. Pancreas. It's a 5 minutes walking from there. The address is 2 Granary Square N1C 4BH.
2. Be inspired by a fascinating individual
Do you spend your days dreaming of becoming a best-selling author? Or perhaps you’d love to know how the TV personalities of today found their success. You can discover more about the lives and experiences of some seriously interesting characters at Fane’s spoken word events. With upcoming guests ranging from Elizabeth Day and Fran Lebowitz to Stanley Tuccy and Richard E. Grant, there are countless nuggets of wisdom to collect.
3. Portraits of Dogs: From Gainsborough to Hockney at The Wallace Collection
Wagging tails, wet noses and wistful looks – that’s right, there’s a whole exhibition dedicated to the world’s favourite furry friend. (Sorry, not sorry to the cat people!). Celebrating the special bond between humans and their dogs, the collection comprises over 50 works from some of the most revered artists. So head to The Wallace Collection from March 29 and coo over paintings, sculptures, drawings and more of doggos through the ages.
Until: October 15, 2023
Price: £14
How to get there: From London Waterloo, take the Jubilee line to Bond Street then walk 8 min. The address is Hertford House, Manchester Square, W1U 3BN
4. Wes and Sandy’s pick of the week: The Wildlife Photographer of the Year at the Natural History Museum
Photo credit: Dmitry Kokh, Wildlife Photographer of the Year, Natural History Museum
South Western Railway’s winged friends, Sandy and Wes are always on hand to provide their top London recommendations. Sandy is a culture vulture with a love for the arts, theatre and lunching with the girls, while Wes loves clubs, pubs and going to gigs with his mates. But one thing they can both agree on is their love of learning about the lives of fellow creatures around the globe. And they were both utterly captivated by the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition at the Natural History Museum. Telling the story of our struggling planet, this exhibition is nothing if not impactful. From other-wordly frames of Chilean flamingos on the salt flats to Russian polar bears inhabiting derelict settlements, each image is totally arresting in its own way. Book your ticket here.
Price: Adult ticket £17
How to get there: Get on the Jubilee line from Waterloo station to Westminster, and then hop on the District line to South Kensington and walk few minutes. The address is Cromwell Rd, South Kensington SW7 5BD.
5. Andy Warhol: The Textiles, Fashion and Textile Museum
He might be known first and foremost for his pop-art paintings, but Warhol’s artistic efforts actually started with textiles. Throughout this appropriately colourful collection, visitors can discover a taste of where this artist’s legendary career first began. So head down and feast your eyes on ice cream sundaes, toffee apples, jumping clowns and so much more!
Until: September 10, 2023
Price: £12.65
How to get there: Get on the Jubilee line from Waterloo station to London Bridge than walk 10 minutes from there. The address is 83 Bermondsey St, SE1 3XF.
6. The Now Building, Outernet London
Arguably one of the most exciting additions to the city’s cultural offerings, The Now Building is the largest capacity entertainment venue built in London since the 1940’s. This highly immersive exhibition space boasts state of the art 8k screens to provide an unparalleled audio-visual experience. Their current interactive ‘Spaces Inbetween’ exhibition allows you to sync your body movements with interactive, large-scale digital light art-work on the world’s largest digital canvas. And it’s free to enter, so you can just wander in and see what magic they’ve got in store.
How to get there: Get on the Northern line from Waterloo station to Charing Cross. The address is Charing Cross Rd, WC2H 8LH.
Save money by travelling with SWR
Now you’ve discovered these wellbeing activities to try, it’s time to plan your travel. Find cheap train tickets by travelling off-peak and enjoy further discounts with a Railcard. If you’re travelling in a group, you could benefit from GroupSave.
Don't forget to check out SWR Rewards to unlock rewards when you travel with us. Enjoy discounts on any of our 150 rewards including days out, dining deals, theatre tickets, hotel stays and much more.
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