Free things to do in London this week.
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.
Go behind the scenes with two fantastic festivals
Open House London and Heritage Open Days both continue until the end of this week, each offering insights and access to parts of London which are normally off limits.
The Open House programme is vast, but highlights include brewery tours, an open day at Bazalgette's Mausoleum in Wimbledon, guided tours of the Modernist extension to Hackney's German Hospital, a chance to go on the roof at new development Greenford Quay, and a deep-dive into medieval graffiti.
Alternatively, visit the little-known British Vintage Wireless and Television Museum in Dulwich, and be dazzled by its vast collection of radios and goggleboxes.
All events are free, though some do require booking.
Both until 21 September.
Royal Docks Originals
A glowing, life-size tiger, nature-inspired murals, walking tours and trails, a bioluminescent garden and an exhibition about the industrial history of the Royal Docks are among events on the programme at the free Royal Docks Originals festival, which kicks off on Monday showcasing the culture and heritage of the docks area.
It continues next week (and beyond) with a fire garden, hip hop dance performances, a market and more.
15 September-4 October.
Head Beyond Burma... at the National Army Museum
Beyond Burma: Forgotten Armies arrives at Chelsea's National Army Museum, shining a light on the soldiers who fought in Burma (now Myanmar) when it was a vital battleground between British India and Imperial Japan during the Second World War. Personal objects, diaries, artworks, oral histories, weapons, uniforms and photographs explore these lesser-known campaigns which played out during the 1940s.
16 September-13 April 2026.
Experience the riches of the Bank's history
The Bank of England Museum opens its new, free exhibition Building The Bank - 100 Years On from Tuesday. Find out how the Bank's Threadneedle Street home underwent a massive rebuild a century ago, reimagining John Soane's original building when it was no longer fit for purpose.
The museum also holds a free late (booking required) this Thursday to celebrate the exhibition's launch.
From 16 September.
Admire the public art of Kingston
Kingston Urban Room hosts a free walk around Kingston upon Thames on Tuesday, taking in around 20 outdoor artworks. The walk starts at 10.30am at Penny School Gallery, and ends around 12.30pm at the Stanley Picker Gallery.
16 September.
Catch one of the final Summer Movie Nights of 2025
Summer rumbles on at Merchant Square in Paddington, where the penultimate Summer Movie Night sees A Star Is Born screened for free at an open-air cinema. Bag yourself a deckchair and sit back and watch the film as the sun sets. Food and drinks are available to buy from surrounding vendors.
17 September.
Be the first to see this year's Frieze Sculpture Park
'In The Shadows' is the theme of this year's Frieze Sculpture, a free art trail through Regent's Park launching on Wednesday and coinciding with the huge Frieze Art Fair next month. Artists including Assemble, Elmgreen & Dragset, Jaune Quick-to-See Smith and Erwin Wurm are contributing to the trail this year, with full details TBC.
17 September-2 November.
Slurp down the history of the oyster
Once a common foodstuff enjoyed by Londoners from all walks of life, the oyster is inextricably linked to the capital, inspiring everything from Shakespeare's famous epithet ("Why, then the world's mine oyster") to TfL's Oyster cards. A free London Museum Studios session at Smithfield today explores the historical, cultural and environmental significance of the oyster in London's waterways.
18 September (also on 24 September and 2 October)
Get your head around Heathrow's third runway
Confused about what's happening (or not happening) with Heathrow's third runway? Head to St Mary's Church on Thursday evening, where the Battersea Society holds a talk and open discussion about the proposed third runway, with speakers from Heathrow Airport and the Heathrow Association for the Control of Aircraft Noise (HACAN) present.
18 September.
Watch the Great River Race
Part of Totally Thames and sort of like the London Marathon on water, the Great River Race is a 21.6 mile dash along the Thames between Millwall and Richmond, with all manner of rowing boats taking part. It's free to watch from the banks and bridges, beginning sometime after 10am, with boats taking upwards of two hours to complete the course. Bag yourself a spot along the riverside to watch them pass.
20 September.
Get the kids involved in London Design Festival
London Design Festival has plenty going on around town this month, but the Young V&A caters specifically for children with London Design Festival: Meet the Playmakers on Saturday. Designers specialising in product, furniture and architecture design lead a programme of free activities with a focus on using found, waste and re-usable materials. The full schedule should be available on the event page sometime this week.
20 September.
Catch the final week of this free photography exhibition
This is the final week of the 166th edition of the Royal Photographic Society's International Photography Exhibition at Chelsea's Saatchi Gallery, showcasing contemporary photography from around the world, on topics including family, identity and environmental issues.
Until 20 September.
Check out the Streatham Free Film Festival programme
The Parent Trap, The Elephant Man, Hundreds of Beavers and A Royal Night Out are among the movies shown in free screenings at the Streatham Free Film Festival this week, across several venues in the south London neighbourhood. Finish your week with a showing of music documentary Pauline Black: A 2-Tone Story, followed by a Q&A with Black herself.
Until 4 October.
Attend one of several free talks and lectures this week
Now summer's over, plenty of wonderful London institutions are back with a full schedule of talks and lectures. Here are a few which won't cost you a penny this week:
- A three-day event held in 1890 is discussed at Guildhall. The 1890 Penny Postage Jubilee Exhibition at the same venue celebrated 50 years of Uniform Penny Postage and the introduction of the Penny Black, and this talk is a chance to see some of the objects associated with postal history. 16 September
- Hear about key moments which link Sir Winston Churchill and St Paul's Cathedral, in a talk at the cathedral. Both were seen as defiant symbols of the Blitz, and Churchill's state funeral took place here in 1965. 16 September
- Professor Clive Stafford Smith delves into the evolution of Guantánamo Bay, from Haitian immigration in 1991, to the infamous detention of terror suspects in 2002, and back to immigration in 2025, in a Gresham College lecture. 18 September
- Experienced lawyer Colin Davey shares his insights on lawyers, law firms, clients and locations in London covering the West End, Holborn and the Inns, and the City. 18 September
- Learn about the Land Information Assurance Group (LIAG) a British Army Reserve unit which specialises in cutting edge cyber warfare. Former soldier and cyber security consultant Noel K Hannan spills the beans at the National Army Museum. 19 September
