The best ongoing must-see exhibitions in London
London is brimming with exciting and educational exhibits, from immersive art to the animal kingdom. Here are some of our favourites...
1. Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience
📍 106 Commercial Street E1 6LZ
- Open 10am-8pm Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, 10am - 9pm Friday, 9 am - 9 pm Saturday, 9 am -7 pm Sunday
- Prices £15.90 standard adult, £9 standard child, £10.90 concession
We all know his paintings; the revolutionary nuance of Van Gogh's art style is characterised by vibrant colours and captivating shapes that allow us to see the world through his eyes.
This immersive experience celebrates one of the greatest artists of all time with this intricately designed sensory exhibit that makes you feel like you're stargazing under the Starry Night.
In presenting the genius of Van Gogh like never before, the detail and dedication put into this experience create an incredibly poignant celebration of his art.
![049527_H[1].jpg](https://www.essentialsurrey.co.uk/downloads/27152/download/049527_H%5B1%5D.jpg?cb=8884a31a7cd38ef4c062559cfebb8728&w={width}&h={height} "049527_H[1].jpg")
©The Trustees of the Natural History Museum, London.
2. Archie the Giant Squid, Natural History Museum
📍 Natural History Museum, Cromwell Rd SW7 5BD
- Open 10 am - 5:50 pm daily
- Prices £25 adult non-member, £22.50 member
- Suitable for people aged eight and over
We know more about space than our oceans, and the deep sea creatures remain one of our greatest aquatic mysteries. Due to the depth in which they reside, the elusive giant squid has been sneaky in hiding from humans and, therefore, has been a point of interest for marine biologists for decades.
More than a sailor's tale, these deep sea creatures have been rarely sighted, and any evidence we have of them is commonly found in fragments. This exhibit in the Natural History Museum is one of the only (almost) complete examples of a giant squid we have.
Caught by a fishing trawler in 2004, the giant squid, dubbed 'Archie', proved crucial for research regarding this mysterious mollusc. It can be seen as part of the NHM's behind-the-scenes tour, amongst many other specimens.
©Jeff Eden, RBG Kew.
3. The Hive, Kew Gardens
📍 Royal Botanical Gardens Kew, Richmond TW9 3AE
- Open 10 am-7 pm weekdays, 10 am - 8 pm weekends and bank holidays exhibit included in general admission
- Prices £21.50 standard adult peak, £14 off-peak, £5 standard child peak, £4 off-peak, children under 4 free
Have you ever wondered how bees communicate? Head to the Hive exhibit at Kew Gardens to find out. Standing proud at 17 metres tall, this intricate structure of contemporary art is an immersive experience that imitates life inside a beehive (without all the bees).
However, it tracks the vibrations of natural bees buzzing around the gardens, visualised by one thousand LED lights embedded within the structure that glow in the representation of these oscillations.
Music played in the background- all in the key of C (the same key bees make a sound in!)- responds to these vibrations. There is also an interactive section where you can learn how bees hear by listening to a recording solely through vibration. This intriguing exhibit is not one to miss!
4. Outernet: The Spaces In-Between
📍 Charing Cross Rd WC2H 8LH
- Open 12 pm - 10 pm weekdays, 8 pm - 10 pm Saturdays
- Free entry; no booking required
Breaking the boundaries of art, this exhibit at the immersive entertainment venue 'Outernet' is an interactive experience that creates artwork from body movement.
Created by Rupert Newman in collaboration with studio Pixel Artworks, visitors can create their masterpieces with digital light technology that syncs to your body movement, creating striking patterns.
The three art forms on the digital canvases are 'Tessellations', 'Transcendence', and 'A Step Beyond'.
5. Chancel Chapel from Church of Santa Chiara, V&A
📍 Victoria and Albert Museum, Cromwell Rd SW7 2RL
- Open 10 am - 5:45 pm daily, 10 am - 10 pm Fridays
- Free entry
This chapel, from a Franciscan convent built in the late 15th century, is an incredibly unique sight. This captivating architecture is rare as it is the only Italian Renaissance chapel outside Italy. It is uncertain whose work this is. However, it is believed to be courtesy of Giuliano da Sangallo, with apparent influence from the style of Filippo Brunelleschi.
6. Frameless
📍 6 Marble Arch W1H 7AP
- Open 10 am - 9 pm daily
- Prices £25 adult, £15 child, £12.50 student
Since immersive exhibitions are all the rage right now, and we can't get enough, here's another one for the list. With 42 masterpieces from some of the world's most revered artists packed into four galleries, this new experience throws you, mind and body, into the art world.
The galleries - Beyond Reality (seen above), Colour In Motion, The World Around Us, and The Art of Abstraction each represent different art styles- demonstrating surrealism, vibrant (and impressionist) colour, land and seascapes, and abstract art, respectively.
Galleries can be experienced in any order and at your own pace to ensure an optimal immersive escapade.
7. Music Exhibit, Eel Pie Island Museum
📍1-3 Richmond Rd TW1 3AB
- Open12 pm - 6 pm Thursday-Sunday
- Prices £4, children under 16 free; no online booking
Amongst all the boating displays within this small venue, the Eel Pie Museum, once a hotel whose ballroom played host to rock 'n' roll legends between 1956-1970, displays the short history of this legendary music period that swept the world by storm.
Gigs played on the island were a hotspot for the rock 'n' roll youth, drawn in by the eccentric and revolutionary music of the age. The hotel also hosted blues, jazz, soul and R&B musicians and became one of the most well-loved music venues of the time, with The Rolling Stones, The Who, David Bowie, and Eric Clapton being among the many acts who performed there.
