Interesting and unusual things to do for a fiver or less this week, sponsored by CommuterClub.
All Week
SAVE NORTON FOLGATE: There has been much objection to plans to redevelop Norton Folgate in Spitalfields, and the Spitalfields Trust has taken on British Land, the firm which is proposing the redevelopment. There's an exhibition at Dennis Severs' House, illustrating the threat to the neighbourhood and an alternative approach to the reuse of the site. Free, certain dates, until 1 March
Monday 23 February
DAGENHAM PHOTOGRAPHS: Sylvia Kent is at Dagenham Library to talk about her book, which is based on old photographs of Barking and Dagenham. Free, prebook, 1pm-3pm
POETRY SIGNING: George The Poet visits Fopp in Covent Garden to sign copies of his new collection of poems, Search Party, and EP, Chicken and The Egg. Free, just turn up, 5.30pm
INTERNET PARADOX: Institution of Engineering and Technology launches its Turing lecture series at the Royal Institution. The lecture will explore how the dynamics of technology policy have significantly shaped the internet and driven innovation. Free, prebook, 6pm-9pm
COMEDY: Watch the property market implode in the company of David Mills, Lazy Susan and In Cahoots, at the Comedy pub off Piccadilly Circus. £4, just turn up, 7.30pm
Tuesday 24 February
LIVE MUSIC: Horniman Museum in Forest Hill hosts a live performance by Katie De La Matter on the 1772 Kirckman harpsichord in the Music Gallery. Free, just turn up, 3.30pm-4pm
FILM QUIZ: Barbican Film Quiz takes on an Oscar theme. Do you know your Coen from your Kazan? Or your Cameron from your Crowe? £2, register, from 6pm
AGE PSYCHOLOGY: Gresham College explores the psychology of ageing in a lecture at Museum of London. Based on Edith Wharton’s The Age of Innocence, the event questions how we feel about outliving the age that formed us. Free, just turn up, 6pm
SHORT FILMS: Bar Shorts film club is back at The Book Club in Shoreditch with a post-Valentines showcase of short films and animations, showcasing all that is good, bad, ridiculous and sexy in love. Free, prebook, from 7pm
TEMPLAR POETRY: Head to Keats House in Hampstead for an evening of poetry with Jane Weir and Patrick Toland, winner of the third Templar Portfolio Award. Free, prebook, 7pm
Wednesday 25 February
MUSEUM ARTEFACTS: The Grant Museum of Zoology's Leverhulme Artist in Residence showcases one object from the Museum’s glass sponge collection. Free, just turn up, 1pm-2pm
MENTAL HEALTH: As part of LSE's Literary Festival, there's a panel discussion about how mental illness is portrayed in art, literature and on TV, and how this affects public perceptions of mental health. Free, prebook, 5pm-6.30pm
JEWISH GHETTO: Dr Anna Hájková explores the last months of Theresienstadt, the only Jewish ghetto to last until the liberation in World War Two. At the Wiener Library. Free, prebook, 6.30pm-8pm
MUSEUM LATE: Science Museum's monthly late has a theme of sexuality, exploring topics such as sex addiction, sex toys and pornography, as well as the usual silent disco and punk science game. 18+. Free, just turn up, 6.45pm-10pm
AUTHOR TALKS: Dulwich Books and Southwark Libraries host an event with Sophie Hannah and Fanny Blake at Canada Water Library to discuss their latest novels for Quick Reads. Free, prebook, 7pm
COMEDY: Our tip for the top, Birthday Girls, join Lolly Adefope, Buttery Brown Monk and Mixed Doubles for The Jest’s regular night of sketch. At the Camden Head. £5/£4, just turn up, 7.30pm
JAWDANCE: Jawdance is a free spoken word and open mic night at Rich Mix in Shoreditch. Expect music, poetry and short films too. Free, just turn up, 7.30pm
The list continues after a message from our sponsor.
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Thursday 26 February
SUPERMAN: At today's National Theatre Platform, director Simon Godwin talks about his new production of Bernard Shaw's Man and Superman. £4/£3, prebook, 5.30pm
ROSETTA STONE: Gresham College hosts a lecture at Museum of London. Just as the Rosetta Stone and the Philae Obelisk became the key to interpreting hieroglyphs and understanding ancient Egyptian civilisation, the European Space Agency’s Rosetta probe and its Philae lander are key to furthering our understanding of the formation of our solar system. Free, just turn up, 6pm
RUSH HOUR CONCERT: Southbank Sinfonia performs a rush hour concert at St John's Waterloo. Free, 6pm-7pm
SHORT KILLER FILMS: Shorts on Tap is at Juno Shoreditch for a screening of seven short films, alongside a chance to discuss and debate the films with their directors. £3, prebook, 7pm
END OF VANDALISM: American author Tom Drury celebrates a new UK publication of his cult novel The End of Vandalism, at Bookseller Crow in Crystal Palace. He’s talking about it with the excellent Jon McGregor. Free, prebook, 7pm
GOTHIC BOOK CLUB: Join a discussion about Not After Midnight, Daphne Du Maurier's tale about a lonely teacher who goes on a painting holiday in Crete, at Strawberry Hill House in Twickenham. Free, prebook, 7.30pm-9pm
Friday 27 February
LUNCHTIME CONCERT: The Bishopsgate Institute hosts a lunchtime concert by the Linos Piano Trio. Free, just turn up, 1.05pm
MUSEUM LATES: It's the last Friday of the month, so museums stay open late for adults only events. The Victoria and Albert Museum takes on the theme Queer and Now. Free, just turn up, 6.30pm-10pm. Just across the road at the Natural History Museum you can enjoy food and drink while browsing the galleries. Free, just turn up (booking and charge for some exhibitions), 6pm-1opm
FOLK MUSIC: Barnet Folk Club presents Folk in the Foyer, hosted by JJ Dunne and featuring Celtic music trio PerKelt, at artsdepot in North Finchley. Free, 8.30pm
Saturday 28 February
FASHION FUN: Barking Library is hosting a Fashion Fun Day, open to all ages and featuring a community catwalk show of fashion through the decades and local designers, Ford vintage cars, an upcycling fashion workshop, live music and more. Free, just turn up,10am-4pm
CHINESE NEW YEAR: Rich Mix in Shoreditch celebrates the Year of the Sheep with cultural performances, food and drink, charity stalls and children’s craft workshops. Free, just turn up, 12pm-4pm
LGBT HISTORY: In recognition of LGBT History Month, the V&A Museum holds an event to explore alternative queer readings of museum objects. Free, 12.30pm-5pm
Sunday 1 March
AFFORDABLE VINTAGE: Judy’s Affordable Vintage Fair heads south of the river, pulling up at Lambeth Town Hall in Brixton. Browse hand-picked stalls packed with affordable vintage fashion, accessories and homewares. £3/£2, just turn up, 10.30am-4.30pm
ALT SHOPPING: There’s a goth/alt market on at The Dome in Tufnell Park, selling handmade clothing, crafts and cake. DJs will be on hand to spin tunes, and go hair of the dog at the bar. 50p, just turn up, 11am-5pm
HORACE WALPOLE: To celebrate the reopening of previously off-limits rooms of Horace Walpole's gothic Strawberry Hill House in Twickenham, historic textile furnishings consultant Eileen Reay talks about the construction of the bed hangings by volunteers. £5/£4.50, prebook, 1pm/3pm
Check out our map of free things to do in London for more frugal fun.
