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Walking tours and talks by famous faces are on the programme for this year's Chelsea History Festival.
Now in its seventh year, the festival is hosted by local institutions the National Army Museum, Royal Hospital Chelsea and Chelsea Physic Garden, offering visitors an insight into local history, as well as national, international and military history.
More than 80 events make up the 2025 programme, offering something for history buffs, book lovers, families — and those of us who just love a good nosey around fancy buildings. Here's our picks of things to book right now:
- Historian Paula Akpan telling the stories of 12 powerful women who ruled vast swathes of the African continent at different periods, many who have been all-but erased from history (24 September);
- Journalist and presenter Emily Maitlis interviewing Mark Gwynne, who has published a collection of his father's letters — Dear Mum and Dad: Letters Home from Active Service, 1941-45 — covering his experiences during the Second World War. Along with Mishal Husain, Editor at Large for Bloomberg Weekend, they reflect on wartime memoirs (24 September);
- A walking tour through Chelsea focusing on the area's 1970s punk history, where designers such as Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood rose to fame (24 September and 26 September);
- A special tour of the State Apartments at the Royal Hospital Chelsea, led by a Chelsea Pensioner. The rooms were designed by Sir Christopher Wren and have hosted royalty throughout the centuries, as well as being home to some impressive artworks (24 September and 28 September);
- Performances by the Chelsea Pensioner Singers in Soane Stable Yard, sharing their favourite songs as well as some of their memories (27 September, morning and afternoon);
- Dermot Turing, nephew of mathematician Alan Turing, discussing why history has overlooked female codebreakers, despite their prevalence in operations such as those at Bletchley Park (28 September)
Festival-goers also have access to two new exhibitions; Lost and Found in Hong Kong: The Unsung Chinese Heroes of D-Day is open exclusively during the festival, uncovering the little-known stories of the Royal Navy's Chinese heroes who served during the D-Day landings; and Beyond Burma opens at the National Army Museum on 16 September, with free exhibition tours available throughout the festival.
This is just a small selection of this year's events, which also includes family workshops — check the website for full details.
Chelsea History Festival 2025 takes place 24-28 September. Tickets are available now. September's a busy time in London: other exciting events include Open House, Heritage Open Days, and Totally Thames — start clearing your diary now.
