Budget-friendly things to do in London this week for £5 or less.
Looking for more free things to do in London? Here are 102 of em! We've also compiled this epic map of free stuff in London, and have a helpful guide to where to see art in London for free, and where you can catch cheap and free comedy.
Immerse yourself in experimental Egyptian music
On Monday, the British Library celebrates the history of electronic music and experimental sound in Egypt, with a particular focus on the legacy of Egyptian-American composer Halim El-Dabh.
Hear a performance based on previously underexplored British Library recordings of the 1932 Cairo Congress of Arabic Music, and research by Sara Hamdy from the Music department at King's College London, showcasing the early pioneers of electronic music.
Free, 31 March.
Visit the Natural History Museum's brand new gallery
The Natural History Museum opens its first new gallery in almost a decade, and it's free to visit. Fixing Our Broken Planet looks at the biggest challenges facing our planet and how they impact our own health, through 250 specimens including a Sumatran rhinoceros, parasitic worms and whale’s earwax. It's based on research from the museum's own scientists about how nature can be used to fix environmental problems, including how bacteria can be harnessed to extract copper from mine waste.
Free, from 3 April. It's recommended you prebook a free museum entry ticket, particularly over the next couple of weeks as it'll be very busy due to the Easter holidays. Book early, too. We recently left it until the day before, by which time all the prebooks had gone, and we had to wait in a queue for 20 minutes.
See free artworks in Kensington Gardens
Sculptures and works from 1969 to today by Italian artist Guiseppe Penone go on display at Serpentine South Gallery, extending beyond the gallery into the surrounding park of Kensington Gardens too. Penone is a leading figure in the Arte Povera movement, which celebrates the simplicity of natural materials and artistic techniques, and the works on display here showcase the relationship between humans and the natural world.
Free, 3 April-7 September.
Catch a free lunchtime concert
The regular Live at Lunch event takes place at the Royal Opera House, offering a chance to see a show by Royal Ballet and Opera and guest artists for free. You won't know who's performing until you get there. Arrive in plenty of time, as capacity is limited.
Free, 4 April.
See an unusual take of Shakespeare's King Lear
It's Shakespeare's King Lear, but not as you know it. The Korean Cultural Centre on Strand hosts a special screening of the National Changgeuk Company's Lear. It takes the form of Changgeuk, a traditional form of Korean musical theatre, which blends music, dance, and drama, and is followed by a talk by director Jung Young-doo.
Free, 5 April.
Take part in the Big Egg Hunt
A reminder that 100+ large, individually-decorated Easter eggs have been hidden all over central London (and beyond... we've seen some in Canary Wharf) for The Big Egg Hunt. It's free to hunt them out, though frustratingly, a map doesn't seem to be available unless you go to the trouble of downloading the app. On the flip side, once you're done that, you can tick them off as you go, making it rather addictive to try to find them all.
Free, until 27 April.
See the Exploring Space Gallery before it closes
You've only got a couple of weeks to see Science Museum's Exploring Space gallery in its entirety, before it begins to close. Part of it will deorbit on 23 April, with the rest following in June, to make way for a new space gallery opening in the autumn.
The gallery covers the history of space exploration, with objects including a real Black Arrow rocket, a Soyuz capsule used to carry astronauts to orbit and back, and a piece of the actual moon (blows our minds every time we see it).
Free, until 23 April. Again, it's recommended that you prebook free museum entry tickets, as it gets very busy during school holidays.
Seek out London's cherry blossom
We're approaching peak cherry blossom season, when trees all over the capital burst into pink, candy floss-esque blooms. Why not take a wander and see them in all their glory — here's our guide to the best places to see cherry blossom in London, from public parks to residential streets.
Do the Easter holidays on the cheap
If you've got kids or teenagers off school for the Easter holidays, and you need to entertain them on a budget, fear not. We've put together a guide to things to do in London in the Easter holidays, including a section of free things to see and do. If they're brimming with energy, our map of playgrounds in central London is a great place to start.
