Free & Cheap London Events: 24-30 March 2014

Laura Reynolds
By Laura Reynolds Last edited 120 months ago
Free & Cheap London Events: 24-30 March 2014

Interesting and unusual things to do for a fiver or less this week.

Royal Opera House Family Fun Day

All Week

FILM FESTIVAL: Camberwell Free Film Festival runs from 20-30 March consisting of screenings and film quizzes. Events are free, no booking required but on a first come, first served basis.

(ANOTHER) FILM FESTIVAL: SEE3 has teamed up with the Vortex Film Club to host a mini film festival in Forest Hill from 27-30 March, including workshops, documentaries and film clubs. All events are free.

#MUSEUMWEEK: This week is #MuseumWeek, where various London and UK-wide museums will tweet from behind the scenes, giving an insight into the work that goes into maintaining the museums. Just log in to twitter and search for #MuseumWeek, or follow these museums.

SOLO WALK: Marshes: A Walk For One is a new audio tour of Hackney Marshes, beginning on the corner of Millfields Road and Mandeville Street. Wellies recommended on wet days! Download or stream it here.

Monday 24 March

SCIENCE HISTORY: The Royal Institution holds a talk led by Professor Frank James, about the history of the Institution from 1799 to the present day. Free, prebook, 12pm

TUBE MAP TALK: The Royal College Of Art hosts Mapping the Line, Lining the Map: The Tube Map as a Form of Writing, a lecture by Andrea Vesentini looking at how Harry Beck's tube map predates digital information. Free, just turn up, 6pm

TECHNOLOGY TALK: Can Computers Help People To See? is a Café Scientifique lecture with Dr Stephen Hicks at the Royal Society, about using technology to help those with poor eyesight. Free, just turn up, 6pm

Tuesday 25 March

BOOK SWAP: Foyles on Charing Cross Road hosts the Firestation Book Swap with Scott Pack and Marie Phillips, plus guest authors Nick Harkaway and Matt Rudd. Bring along a book, eat cake, ask questions, leave with another book. Sounds good, no? £5, prebook, 6.30pm

CELTIC MUSIC: Jamboree in Whitechapel holds many cheap world music events every week. Tonight is a Celtic session led by Alastair Caplin. Free (donations to musicians welcome), just turn up, 7pm

EGYPTIAN CRAFTS: The Make Escape's monthly free crafting evening takes place at Hackney Picturehouse tonight, with an Egyptian theme. Style your own Pharaoh collar, or create your own earrings. Free, just turn up, 7.30pm

WATCH & TALK: S4 Film Club at the Genesis Cinema in Whitechapel hosts the screening of BIFA-award winning short film Volume by director Mahalia Belo. There will be a Q&A session and you can choose the film to accompany it. Free, prebook, 8pm

FREE COMEDY: Every Tuesday, The Coach &Horses in Soho hosts a free comedy night, with Luke Graves and Damian Kingsley showcasing their work. Free, prebook, 8.30pm

Wednesday 26 March

MOVIE WALK: Screen Seven is a new tour by Go To Midtown, taking in five film locations in the Bloomsbury and Holborn area. Starts at the Information Kiosk outside Holborn Station. Free, just turn up, 1pm

FREE POETRY: Head to The Prince's Trust's Tomorrow Store for an evening of Mother's Day themed poetry, courtesy of Emma Press. Poets including Flora De Falbe and Rachel Long will be reading their work. Free, just turn up, 5pm

DRINKING AND THINKING: Science Museum Lates takes place tonight, and this month's theme is Transport. Pop along for a silent disco, pub quiz and Punk Science comedy show, all within the museum, or go for a ride around South Kensington in a restored 1959 Routemaster. Free, just turn up, 6.45pm

FREE POETRY: Kat Francois hosts Jawdance at Rich Mix, with guest poet Naga MC and open mic. Free, just turn up, 7.30pm

TURKISH COMEDY: Laugh Train Home's Night Of Comedic...Deception takes place at Effra Social in Brixton tonight, featuring Matt Price's Turkeygate, the story of a six-week misadventure in Turkey, encompassing Teletubbies and the Turkish Mafia. £3.60+bf, prebook, 8pm

TALL TALES: A night of comedy stories and tall tales at the Good Ship in Kilburn, featuring John Finnemore, Marie Phillips, Benet Brandreth, Toby Davies, Abigail Burdess, Susannah Pearse and hosted by Robert Hudson. £5, email talltalesnight@gmail.com to prebook, 8pm

Thursday 27 March

NEW TREASURE: A new gallery, Sutton Hoo, opens at the British Museum today, centring around finds from the Sutton Hoo ship burial in Suffolk in 1939. Look out for our review on Tuesday 25 March. Free, just turn up, ongoing

JAZZ QUINTET: Homespun Quintet play a jazz evening at The Café at Foyles on Charing Cross Road. Free, just turn up, 6pm

FILM PREVIEW: Imperial Cinema hosts a preview screening of My Stuff, a film by Petri Luukkainen showing one man's year-long re-evaluation of his possessions. Followed by a Q&A session with the director himself £5, prebook, 6.40pm

DOCUMENTARY ADVICE: DOC-CON is a free, informal meet-up for anyone interested in working in documentaries. New and established filmmakers showcase their latest work and talk about getting into the industry. Takes place at Hackney Picturehouse. Free, just turn up, 7pm

GHOSTLY VOICES?: The London Fortean Society hosts a discussion on differing views of Electronic Voice Phenomena. Featuring Psychologist Cal Cooper, author of Telephone Calls from the Dead, and Prof Chris French of the Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit at Goldsmiths. Held at The Bell pub on Middlesex Street. £3/£2, just turn up, 8pm

SECRET COMEDY: The Secret Comedians have extended their repertoire recently, and tonight they're heading for The Bow Bells. Compere Joshua Ross hosts Nick Hall, Gil Gilmour, Murray Porter and more. £3, just turn up, 8.30pm

Friday 28 March

ASIA HOUSE FAIR: For one weekend only, Asia House in New Cavendish Street opens its doors for a pop-up Asian market place, with more than 30 exhibitors selling handmade items from across Asia. Free, just turn up, until Sunday

Saturday 29 March

OPENS TODAY: The Heartbreak Gallery hosts an exhibition of the paintings of Scottish painter Jack Vettriano, following on from his successful Restrospective in Glasgow. Plus, the launch of The Red Room Collection, five of Vettriano's more erotic images, in signed limited-edition prints. Free, just turn up, until 1 June

MUSIC EXHIBITION: Closing today is A Hidden Order: Musical Forms. This exhibition explores the relationship between music and geometry. Free, just turn up, 10am-4pm

LAST CHANCE: Today is the last chance to see the Soviet film posters exhibition dating back to the 1920s at the Gallery for Russian Art And Design. Free, just turn up, 11am-5pm

MAYAN COMIC: The task in this week's family digital workshop at the British Museum is creating a Mayan comic based on exhibits in the museum. Free, prebook (places limited), 11.30am

VIKING WALK: City of London holds a City Viking Walk. Meet at the City Information Centre opposite St Paul's and follow in the footsteps of Danish and Norwegian Vikings as far back as 1013. Free, just turn up, 3pm

LGBT DISCUSSION: Head to Housmans bookshop in Kings Cross for a discussion about LGBT representations in children's books, coinciding with the release of BJ Epstein's new book, Are the Kids All Right. £3, just turn up, 6.30pm

EP LAUNCH: North London soul singer Jessie Lee launches her six-track debut EP, Green, at Hackney Picturehouse tonight. Guest act is The Octomid, a six-piece live electronic band. £3/£4, prebook, 8pm

ALBUM LAUNCH: Winters Island launch their new album Welcome To Winters Island at the Electric Social in Brixton, followed by an after party led by record label Nude Disco. Free, just turn up, 8pm

HIP HOP'N'BOWL: Bloomsbury Bowling Lanes' monthly Hip Hop'N'Bowl takes place tonight, with some of the best hip hop DJs in London, including Emily Rawson, providing the soundtrack. Bowling is first come, first served on the night so get in early if you want to hit the lanes. £5/£4 entry (bowling extra), prebook, 9pm

Sunday 30 March

MUM GOES FREE: Mums who are accompanied by their children can get into the Museum of Brands and Advertising for free today, to celebrate Mother's Day. Because nothing makes mum feel old like putting her face to face with the brands and foods of her own childhood. Free (for mum — other adults £6.50, children £2.25), just turn up, all day

THAMES STORIES: Storyteller and Guide Rich Sylvester leads a story-walk that connects the life of JMW Turner and the subjects and themes of his paintings to events and locations in Greenwich and the Thames. Free, prebook, 10am

CITY HISTORY: Cheapside: Past, Present And Future is a free walk by City of London looking at the history of Cheapside. Free, pre-booking essential (email scottnixon@primera-corp.co.uk), 12pm

OPERA OPEN DAY: On the last Sunday of every month, the Royal Opera House opens its doors for a family fun day. Learn all about opera, dance, and the Royal Opera House building. £3/£5, prebook, 12pm

KEATS HOUSE POETRY: Today's Poetry at Keats House features readings by poet and film maker Indigo Williams. Free, just turn up, 2pm

FREE FLAMENCO: Flamenco En Brick Lane is an evening of live flamenco, workshops and screenings at Corbet Place. Free, just turn up, 5.30pm

BABBLE LANGUAGE: Every Sunday, Babble Language Exchange meet at The Thirsty Bear in Waterloo for language-based activities. Free, just turn up, 6.30pm

Check out our map of free things to do in London for more frugal fun. Or pop over to BrokeInLondon.com who also have plenty of great ideas.

Last Updated 23 March 2014