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.
Step inside Downton Abbey
Ahead of the release of the third and final Downton Abbey film this autumn, a range of props, costumes and sets from the TV show are being auctioned off by Bonhams. Before they go under the hammer, the New Bond Street salesroom hosts a free exhibition, giving fans a chance to get a closer look a outfits worn by Dame Maggie Smith (as Violet Crawley), Michelle Dockery (as Lady Mary) and Rob James-Collier (as Thomas Barrow), among other cast members. Also on display: the Downton Abbey bell wall (pictured above), autographed scripts, clapper boards, and other memorabilia.
The exhibition is free to visit, but booking is required.
18 August-16 September.
Learn some London history
Ever heard of the Paul's Cross? It was a preaching cross and open-air pulpit at St Paul's Cathedral where sermons were preached and announcements were made. Learn about it in a free lecture at Guildhall Library on Tuesday afternoon, given by City of London guide and lecturer, and Cathedral guide Jill Finch.
19 August.
See the final days of this local history exhibition
The wonderful Islington Museum, located in a basement beneath Finsbury Library, closes its current exhibition on Tuesday. Undercurrent: Islington’s Lost Waterways explores the histories of the Walbrook River, the River Fleet, and Islington’s healing wells, looking at why they were once vital to the area, and how they came to be hidden. It's worth taking time to view the rest of the museum while you're there: a bust of Vladimir Lenin, and defaced library books are among the objects on display.
Until 19 August (open 10am-5pm on Monday and Tuesday)
Catch a performance at Leadenhall Market
As part of its free Summer Sessions, you can catch free music performances in the stunning setting of Leadenhall Market. On Wednesday this week, there's Motown, mellow jazz and soulful vocals from Annie & the Soul Hearts, followed by accordion-led Parisian-style street music from Vive Paris on Thursday. On each day, shows are split into three 30-minute sets, starting at 12pm, with the final set ending at 2pm.
20 and 21 August.
Book your tickets for Open House London
A helpful reminder that although Open House London isn't until September, booking for the non-balloted events on the Open House London programme opens on Wednesday this week. Tickets are free, but are likely to go quickly. Don't worry if you miss out — the majority of the 700+ buildings on the programme don't need booking, and you can just turn up on the day in September for a gander inside.
Booking opens 20 August.
Catch a free outdoor film screening
2001 Disney film The Princess Diaries is shown on a large, open-air screen for this week's Summer Movie Night at Merchant Square in Paddington. Deckchairs are available for free, or you can bring your own blanket to pitch up on the grass and watch the story of an average San Francisco teenager who discovers she's the princess of a small European country.
20 August.
Watch a classic documentary al fresco
The forecourt of Television Centre in west London hosts an al fresco screening of News From Home, Chantal Akerman's 1976 avant-garde documentary film featuring shots of New York City layered with voiceovers of letters sent to her by her mother. Book your space.
21 August.
See free outdoor performances at GDIF
Greenwich + Docklands International Festival, also known as GDIF, is a free, open-air performing arts festival, with 12 events on this year's programme
It begins on Friday with Above and Beyond, a parkour performance across several buildings in Woolwich. Greenwich Fair takes place in Greenwich Park on Saturday and Sunday, offering family-friendly street theatre, circus, dance and games, as well as high-wire show Epiphytes.
22 August-6 September.
Mark Slavery Remembrance Day
The National Maritime Museum in Greenwich marks Slavery Remembrance Day on Saturday with workshops, screenings and other events. Catch a poetry performance by poet Jeremiah Brown, inspired by the museum's Caird Archives, or learn how to weave your own market baskets using wool, paper bowls and paper plates. Learn about the rich cultural history of quilting as a tool for resistance, or join the Caribbean Social Forum for traditional board games for all ages.
The themes this year are resistance, care and collective memory, and the day culminates in an emancipation ceremony by the Thames, where everyone's welcome to join in a collective act of remembrance.
23 August.
Get in on the Notting Hill Carnival action
Though the main day at Notting Hill Carnival is on Monday 25 August, this Sunday is Family Day, and it's completely free to watch and take part. The official Carnival opening ceremony takes place at 10am, followed by the children's parade, with younger performers dancing through the streets in costumes. There's also the 'Dutty' ('dirty') or 'Fun Mas' parade, when brightly coloured paints and powder are thrown at spectators — accompanied by music, naturally.
Then from 12pm, the sound systems take over the streets, with live stages at Emslie Horniman's Pleasance Park and Powis Square, going on until 7pm.
Here's everything you need to know about this year's Notting Hill Carnival.
24-25 August.
