All week
SESSIONS IN SOUND: It's the final week of this photography exhibition, showcasing snaps by Norman Seeff, of 20th century musical icons including Johnny Cash, Joni Mitchell and the Rolling Stones. Proud Central (Embankment), free, just turn up, until 13 January
WOMEN IN MEDICINE: Time's also running out to see this Royal College of Physicians exhibition celebrating the role of women in medicine over the 500 years the college's existence. It covers both widely-celebrated and lesser-known women. Royal College of Physicians (Regent's Park), free, just turn up, until 18 January
DREAM ON: This playful exhibition toys with the notion that objects come to life when we are not looking, much in the same way that our dreams come to life when we fall asleep. Ceramics, sculptures and photographs all feature. Museum of Childhood (Bethnal Green), free, just turn up, until 20 January
HANDLE WITH CARE: The Royal Horticultural Society's new exhibition focuses on the objects kept in its libraries, including rare herbals, and the valuable personal notebooks of plant collectors. Find out how the objects are cared for. RHS Lindley Library (Victoria), free, just turn up, 7 January-15 February
Monday 7 January
IMPROV COMEDY: Improv comedy troupe Shoot From The Hip take to the stage for an evening of free laughs in north London. The Camden Head (Islington), free, just turn up, 8pm-10pm
HEADS AND BODIES: Relive your childhood by playing heads and bodies, the game where you draw a head fold the paper, the next person draws the shoulders, folds the paper, and so on. Except this time, it's all adults playing, and the art is aided by a drink or two... The Book Club (Shoreditch), free, just turn up, 7pm-8.30pm
Tuesday 8 January
NAVIGATING MATHS: Attend this free lunchtime lecture to hear about how maths has made navigation easier for us, including its use in the development of GPS and satellite navigation systems. Museum of London, free, just turn up, 1pm-2pm
COMEDY: Stand-up comedian Berry Ferns headlines this free comedy gig, bringing a few of his funny friends to the stage too. The Camden Head (Islington), free, just turn up, 8pm-10pm
Wednesday 9 January
LUNCHTIME LECTURE: Following the recent reopening of the V&A's Cast Courts, this free lunchtime lecture covers the history of the Cast Courts, and the considerations and challenges the team faced during the recent renovation. V&A Museum (South Kensington), free, just turn up, 1pm-1.45pm
GRESHAM, LONDON AND EUROPE: The first of Gresham College's series of free lectures marking 500 years since the birth of Thomas Gresham talks about how even in Gresham's time, London's economic success was dependent on continental Europe. Museum of London, free, just turn up, 6pm-7pm
DRAG BINGO: Expect balls, wigs and satanic invocation at tonight's Drag Bingo, where some of London's campest drag stars call the numbers. Queen of Hoxton (Shoreditch), £1, book ahead, 8pm
Thursday 10 January
MUSE & MOTIF: New exhibition Muse & Motif at the Alan Cristea Gallery, which begins today, highlights rare and important prints by six of the twentieth century's greatest artists, George Braque, Jean Dubuffet, Henri Matisse, Joan Miró, Pablo Picasso and Jacques Villon, spanning a 65 year period. Alan Cristea Gallery (Pall Mall), free entry, just turn up, until 16 February
CURATOR'S TALK: Join Dr Kathrin Pieren, curator of the current Kindertransport exhibition, for an insight into the stories behind the exhibition. Jewish Museum (Camden), free, book ahead, 3pm-3.30pm
PALACE RESTORATION: A massive restoration is underway at Fulham Palace, and today there's a chance to meet specialist heritage Site Manager Steve Bevan to get the latest updates and what has been changing at the Palace. Here's what happened when we went behind the scenes on the palace restoration. Fulham Palace, free, just turn up, 3pm-4pm
BIRTH, MARRIAGE AND DEATH: Why are we still so afraid to discuss the topics of birth, marriage and death? Index on Censorship magazine editor Rachael Jolley chairs a frank debate about this, with authors Xinran and Emilie Pine, and founder of Bloody Good Period, Gabby Edlin. Foyles Charing Cross Road, free, book ahead, 6.30pm-8.30pm
Friday 11 January
WELCOME TO THE FOREST: Waltham Forest's year as London Borough of Culture kicks off with a weekend of events. Welcome To The Forest is a huge, family-friendly party centred around the Town Hall, which is brought to life through a site-specific film. Specially commissioned new music, a choreographed light installation, and a neon-lit winter carnival also feature. Full details and locations here. Free, just turn up, 11-13 January
CAVALRY WAR: Historian and author Adam Zamoyski talks about the use of the cavalry in Eastern Europe in the years following the first world war. National Army Museum (Chelsea), free, book ahead, 11.30am
MAGICAL FOREST BOXES: Everyone aged 19+ is invited to this free workshop, led by textiles lecturer Talula Noor, where you can make a 'magical forest box', and decorate it using decoupage and collage techniques, and materials you find on the forest floor. The View (Epping Forest), free, just turn up, 1.30pm-3.30pm
DEADBEAT CLUB: Tonight's the launch of new club night The Deadbeat Club, a dance party offering rock’n’roll, wild beat, punk, new wave, rhythm and blues, boogaloo, 60s garage, psychedelic pop music and more. The Shacklewell Arms (Hackney), free entry, just turn up, 11pm-3am
Saturday 12 January
FLEA MARKET: One man's trash is another man's treasure, so make like a magpie at the Hackney Flea Market. Rummage through 20th century furniture, records, clothes, salvaged homeware, textiles, bric-a-brac and more. Abney Public Hall (Stoke Newington), free entry, just turn up, 12-13 January
MINDFUL DRINKING: Doing Dry January? Help is at hand in form of the Mindful Drinking Festival, which proves that there doesn't have to be booze involved for you to enjoy what you're drinking. Enjoy tastings, workshops, talks and other events based around low-alcohol and alcohol-free tipples. Old Truman Brewery (Brick Lane), free entry, just turn up, 12-13 January
Sunday 13 January
DOCUMENTING A JOURNEY: Head to the Jewish Museum for a talk delving into the records of the organisation now known as World Jewish Relief, which was instrumental in organising the Kindertransport which helped European Jewish children escape the Nazis. Find out what the records reveal about these children’s early lives in Britain. Elsa Shamash, one of the children helped by the Kindertranport, discusses some of these documents and her own personal version of events. Jewish Museum (Camden), free, book ahead, 2pm-3pm