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.
Check out some impressive wildlife art
Annual art exhibition David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation - Wildlife Artist of the Year pops up at Mall Galleries from Tuesday, and it's free to view. Get a close look at wildlife-themed artworks from around the world, from recycled plastic sculptures and intricate pencil drawings to vast colourful oil paintings representing a number of different species.
9-13 September.
Swot up for the new Gresham College term
Gresham College has been putting on public lectures since 1597, and is still going strong today. Its autumn term begins on Tuesday, with Professor Daniel Susskind discussing automation anxiety — the fear that a new technology will take over your job. As with all Gresham College lectures, you can watch in person at Barnard's Inn Hall in Holborn, or online via livestream.
It's worth checking the programme for upcoming events too — the diverse range of topics spans the end of the universe, China's economic prospects and Shakespeare's musical fairies, to name but a few.
From 9 September.
See how the National Theatre tackles Greek plays
The Wolfson Gallery at the National Theatre hosts new, free exhibition The Greeks: Radical Reinvention. Delve into the South Bank institution's archives to see how sound, space, dance, and community have helped to reinvent traditional Greek plays for modern audiences, with landmark NT productions including Paradise (2021); Medea (2014); Antigone (2012), Iphigenia at Aulis (2004); and The Oresteia (1981) all featured.
9 September 2025-February 2026.
Gen up on windmill history
Running until 28 September, the Lambeth Heritage Festival programme is packed full of events delving into the borough's history, many (though not all) of them free. One which has put the wind in our sails this week is Brixton Windmill's annual talk, which reveals that there used to be 12 windmills in Lambeth, of which Brixton is the only survivor. Hear about where the other 11 were located, what their function was, and what stands in their place today. Just the sort of quirky local history we love.
10 September.
Delve into A Body of Knowledge
The Royal College of Physicians opens its new exhibition, A Body of Knowledge, celebrating the collection held in the institution's Dorchester Library within its Regent's Park HQ, a library of books which has been maintained and added to for over 500 years, since the RCP was established in 1518. As well as advancing scientific knowledge, the library helps us to understand the concerns and ambitions of doctors of the past and how they learnt the medicine they practised.
10 September-23 July.
Be mesmerised by a Lost Dream
The Polish Theatre is Freedom Festival in Bell Square, Hounslow continues with Teatr Osmego Dnia's production of Lost Dream, which actually takes its cue from the works of Czech author Franz Kafka. The free outdoor show references the likes of The Penal Colony, The Metamorphosis and The Trial, and features arresting visuals and live music.
12-13 September
View portraits of blind and partially-sighted people
The Royal National Institute of Blind People opens the free Seen Photography Exhibition, a portrait series of blind and partially sighted individuals. The 22 photos were taken by photographer Joshua Bratt who spent two years travelling the country, meeting people with sight loss and capturing their stories. The resulting photos show people thriving in their careers, pursuing their passions and overcoming barriers, and can be viewed at the Grimaldi Building in King's Cross.
12-14 September.
See what's on in London (and beyond) for Heritage Open Days
Heritage Open Days is a nationwide festival of history and culture, inviting people to visit places they wouldn't normally be able to access. We've counted 34 London-based happenings this year, at the city's museums, palaces, mills, churches, cemeteries and various other cultural nooks and crannies, all free (though some, but not all, require booking). On our radar this week: a Second World War themed walk around Tower Hamlets Cemetery, and tours of Brixton Windmill. Worth checking out the programme for next week too.
12-21 September.
Enjoy a day of free entertainment in Marylebone
Head to Marylebone on Saturday for A Day On The Lane, a free-entry event which see Marylebone Lane pedestrianised for the day, with live music, free fitness classes and other entertainment. Of course, there will be plenty of chances to open your wallet in local shops and restaurants if you're so inclined, but otherwise, simply wander around soaking up the free entertainment.
13 September.
Step into the energy of Urban Flow
As part of Wandsworth's ongoing tenure as London Borough of Culture, you're invited to witness Urban Flow, a vibrant procession between Parkstead House and Downshire Field in Roehampton, assembled by India’s Attakkalari Centre for Movement Arts, Kinetika, and Wandsworth's Tavaziva Dance. Featuring 100 silks, 100 and local participants, it promises to be a powerful fusion of contemporary dance, martial arts and live soundscapes.
13 September.
Spend the weekend at a dog festival
Bow-wow-wow your way over to King's Cross this weekend for The Big Woof, a free-entry dog festival offering canine-centric entertainment including a dog show, breed meet-ups, a fashion show, two huge ball pits just for dogs, the Big Woof Market, and talks from experts on topics including training, health and nutrition. If you do want to spoil little Rex, you can splash out on dog photography or sketches, canine pamper sessions or even a doggy ice cream.
13-14 September.
Visit the Hampton Court Palace gardens for free
It's an open garden weekend at Hampton Court Palace, meaning you can enter parts of the gardens and grounds without paying the usual admission fee. The Great Fountain Garden and the Kitchen Garden are among the areas which are open, though you'll need to pay to visit the palace itself, the maze or the Magic Garden Playground.
13-14 September.
Celebrate 25 years of Somerset House
2025 marks a quarter of a century since Somerset House opened its doors as an arts and culture venue, something being celebrated at Step Inside 25, a free weekend of family-friendly events and activities looking back at some of the highlights. Take part in drawing workshops inspired by the Peanuts exhibition, dance at immersive disco experiences from the CUTE exhibition, or play on a pop-up basketball installation.
This week is also your last chance to see current, fairy tale-inspired courtyard installation Tai Shani: The Spell or The Dream (until 14 September).
13-14 September.
Peruse the Open House London programme
In addition to Heritage Open Days (above), London's own Open House Festival kicks off this weekend. While balloted and ticketed events have already sold out, there are still LOADS of free things to see and do, including visiting buildings which are normally off-limits to the public, including a maisonette on Golden Lane in Barbican, a manor house in Ruislip, and Ashburton Hall in Croydon. That's just a tiny portion of the programme, which continues into next week too.
13-21 September.
Watch a free riverside choir performance
As part of the ongoing Totally Thames festival (which has several free events throughout the month), Sing For Water brings together an impressive 40 choirs and more than 400 singers for a free performance on the banks of the Thames in aid of WaterAid. Hear a mix of songs from new composition The Water by Katy Rose Bennett, as well as None Of Us Are Free, a moving and powerful anthemic rhythm and blues classic by Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil and Brenda Russell.
14 September
Place your last order at the Bourdon Street Chippy
This is the final week on one of our favourite exhibitions of the year. Textile artist Lucy Sparrow's Bourdon Street Chippy is a life-sized replica of a fish and chip shop... made entirely from felt.
She's painstakingly created battered fish fillets, individual chips, branded condiment bottles, bowls of mushy peas, and even artworks for the wall and flyers for the notice board, entirely from felt and textiles. Incredible artistic skill meets charming whimsy. It's free to visit, though all of the textile artworks are available to buy if something takes your fancy.
Until 14 September (open Wednesday-Sunday).
Other cheap things to do in London this week
Events and things that'll cost you a fiver or less.
❓Every Monday, the White Horse in Wembley holds its pub quiz, with entry just £2 per person, teams of up to six, and a £50 cash prize up for grabs. £2, 8 September
✒️One of only six documents in the world that contains Shakespeare's signature is the subject of Thursday's lunchtime talk at the London Archives in Clerkenwell. It's the deed for the house he bought in Blackfriars in 1613, and forms the basis for a wider talk about the Bard's life in London. £5, 11 September
⚡️ The eagerly-awaited V&A museum dedicated to the late David Bowie opens as part of V&A East Storehouse on Hackney's East Bank on Saturday, housing 90,000 items related to the cosmic musician, including stage outfits, photos, hand-written lyrics and instruments. There's not room to display them all at once, so they'll be on rotation, giving you a good excuse to visit again and again. It's likely to be very busy during the first few weeks so book ahead if you can. Suggested donation £5, from 13 September
