Free And Cheap Things To Do This Week In London: 5-11 March 2018

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Last Updated 02 March 2018

Free And Cheap Things To Do This Week In London: 5-11 March 2018

All week

© Eloise Hawser By The Deep at Somerset House

BOOKS USED AND ABUSED: Do you cry sacrilege when you see a folded corner of a book or buy second hand and your copy of Jane Eyre arrives covered in first year student notes. Then you'll hate this exhibition of books that have been customised, adorned, despoiled and disguised. Guildhall Library, free, just turn up, until 9 March

LUMINARY BAKERY POP-UP: Stock up on sweet treats baked by women from disadvantaged backgrounds and 50% of the sales are given back to Luminary Bakery, who trained them. Rude Health Cafe (Fulham), free, just turn up, 7.30pm-5pm, until 9 March

WILD WOMEN WEEK: See a photo exhibition of women DJs, go to a talk on safe spaces on the dance floor and listen to live music as part of Wild Women Week. Check out the full programme here. Various venues, Walthamstow, free, just turn up, until 11 March

WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS: Find the female role models you've always needed in this photo exhibition of confident ladies doing their thing on their own terms. Oxo Tower, free, just turn up, until 11 March

THAMES ON THAMES: A meticulously researched exhibition about the Thames, aptly situated in the terrace rooms of Somerset House that overlook it. The floors are covered with glorious old maps of the area we're standing in. Somerset House, free, just turn up, until 22 April

Monday 5 March

GRASPING SHADOWS: Drawn to the dark side? Find out what lies beyond the shadows in this lecture using examples from literature and art. Museum of London, free, just turn up, 1pm-2pm

Tuesday 6 March

Expect wine, beer, music, DJ's and giveaways at Matters of Vinyl Importance.

JEWELLERY AND FASHION: Love a bit of bling? Delve into its history at this talk with jewellery specialist Anabel Yorke before feasting your eyes on the accessories being auctioned. 25 Blythe Road, Kensington Olympia, free, just turn up, 11am-12.30pm

WOMEN'S DAY WALKING TOUR: Why celebrate women on just one day when you could do it the whole week? On these walking tours, you'll hear about all the wonderful women who have occupied British history. Temple tube station, free, book ahead, 3pm, until 10 March

RECORD STORE DAY: It's Record Store Day a month early as this vinyl shop throws a party to launch the year's new releases. Grab a beer, browse records and look out for giveaways. Matters of Vinyl Importance, Hoxton, free, book ahead, 6pm-9.30pm

ART TALK: The history of human consciousness and the emergence of non-human entities are some of the big topics discussed at this talk with artist Ian Cheng and writer Nora Khan. Serpentine Gallery, £5/£4, book ahead, 7.30pm

SONDRA PERRY: Artist Sondra Perry uses video, media, installation and performance to explore black identity. These are memes with social purpose. Serpentine Sackler Gallery, Kensington Gardens, free, just turn up, until 20 May

Wednesday 7 March

Saskia Preston performs at the Secret Variety Club tonight.

DR JOHNSON'S CITY: See if you can ignore the smart phones and see the Fleet valley, Ludgate Hill and St Paul's churchyard through the eyes of Dr Johnson, the writer, critic and lexicographer. Dr Johnson's House, Gough Square — off Fleet Street, £5, book ahead, 3pm-4pm

LOST BUILDINGS: Into old historic buildings, then you'll be tutting and gasping all the way through this talk on the lost buildings of Edmonton. Pymmes, Weir Hall, Bury Lodge and the Empire on the Hill. Forty Hall Estate, Enfield, £5, book ahead, 7pm-8pm

SECRET VARIETY CLUB: This not so secret variety club includes sets from cult comedy dictator President Obonjo and quirky 'one to watch' Saskia Preston. Other acts include the ridiculous 'Gameshow Time', clown double act The Moodboard and resident sketch comics The Intimate Strangers. Aces & Eights, Tufnell Park, £3.30, book ahead, 7.30pm-10pm

Thursday 8 March

Four contemporary artists joined up with scientists to explore ideas about our food sources, our senses, our sexual health and the limitations of our bodies.

MUM BEFORE ME: This fun and touching exhibition sees 18 artists take a photo of their mother as the basis to explore feminine identity, motherhood. Jeannie Avent Gallery, East Dulwich, free, just turn up, until 13 March

ENGLISH PEN MODERN LIT FESTIVAL: Lend your ears to the well-crafted words of top writers who are speaking out for those without a voice as part of this modern lit festival. We're particularly excited for the delicate wordplay and clever punning of Eley Williams. All Saints Church, Kingston upon Thames, free, book ahead, 7pm-9pm

JACK PARSONS: The South East London Folklore Society presents a talk by David V Barrett on the quirky life of 20th century rocket scientist and occultist Jack Parsons. The Old Kings Head, London Bridge, £5, book ahead, 8pm-10pm

SHEROES EXHIBITION: An art exhibition celebrating the forgotten sheroes of herstory opens today alongside a series of workshops and late night events marking International Women's Day. Ugly Duck, free, book ahead, until 11 March

SOMEWHERE INBETWEEN: Wellcome Collection does a great job of blending art and science, and it plans to keep this going in 2018. Four artists come together to create visually stand-out pieces, from an alien sex club exploring HIV to balletic free divers. Wellcome Collection, free, just turn up, 8 March-27 August

Friday 9 March

Make a card your mum will treasure forever. © Arnhel De Serra

MOTHER'S DAY CARDMAKING: Your mum will love this card made with natural materials collected from Morden Hall Park and a lot of love. Modern Hall Park, free, book ahead, various times, 9-10 March

HIP HOP KARAOKE: Put the hairbrush down and embrace the mic at this hip hop karaoke sesh, where you can run through all your fave from Destiny's Child to Beyonce. Jamm, Brixton, £5, book ahead, 7pm-11pm

Saturday 10 March

TYPICAL GIRLS: Shake your thang to a tonne of non-binary bands and DJs from the SIREN Collective and Eat Your Own Ears at this party thrown by the untypical girls behind the zine Typical Girls. Funds raised go towards Rape Crisis South London, a charity supporting survivors of sexual violence. The Four Quarters, Peckham, £3, book ahead, 5pm-3am

NATURAL HISTORY OF WITCHCRAFT: Get in touch with your inner witch at this talk about the substances witches have historically used in spell-making, from dried plants to taxidermy. The Grant Museum of Zoology, Camden, £5, book ahead, 6pm-9pm

WOMEN IN FOCUS FESTIVAL: This jam-packed two-day festival celebrating what it means to be a woman in 2018 features zine making workshops, a balaclava customisation class and plenty of late night entertainment. Poplar Union, Westferry, free, book ahead, 10-11 March

Sunday 11 March

World famous photographers Carlota Guerrero, Bieke Depoorter, Diana Markosian, Dana Popa and Sian Davey have captured the raw emotion and intimacy of the five mothers’ experiences in a series of powerfully intimate imagery and video.

SAY WOW: Join the 8,000 or so Owen Wilson fans who apparently going to say ‘wow’ in unison at Trafalgar Square today. Trafalgar Square, free, just turn up, 1pm

UNIVERSAL MOTHERHOOD: Wonder what it's like to give birth in another country? This photo exhibition uses video and audio so the audiences feels as if they're stepping into the shoes of five women from across the Globe, as they move through the final stages of pregnancy. Noho Studios, free, just turn up, until 18 March