Things to do this week is sponsored by StubHub.
All week
VIDEO GAMES: You've only got a couple more weeks to see Videogames: Design/Play/Disrupt, an exhibition exploring the design and culture of of video games. It takes a stance that video games are art, and goes on to try to prove this, and while there are some fascinating insights, it goes into far too much detail for anyone other than the most hardcore gamers — read our full review. V&A Museum (South Kensington), £18, book ahead, until 24 February
LIFE IN THE DARK: Also closing soon is the excellent Life In The Dark exhibition at Natural History Museum, a family-friendly show which manages to stuff in plenty of fun for kids as well as plenty of fascinating facts for adults. It focuses on creatures that live in the dark, including fish that have evolved to have no eyes. Interactive elements include a mock bat cave that had us ducking for real. Read our full review of the exhibition. Natural History Museum (South Kensington), £11.50, book ahead, until 24 February
VAULT FESTIVAL: Highlights from Vault Festival this week include theatre show The Good Landlord (which might be uncomfortably familiar for anyone renting in London), spoof Bon Jovi musical We've Got Each Other and one-woman comedy Sexy Lamp. Waterloo Vaults, various prices, book ahead, until 17 March
CHRISTIAN DIOR: As one exhibition closes, so another one opens, so it's back to the V&A for a new, fashion-centric exhibition about fashion house Christian Dior, covering the designs from 1947 to the present day and how they've influenced the rest of the fashion world. It's a stunning exhibition and very likely to sell out. V&A Museum (South Kensington), £20-£24, book ahead, until 14 July
Monday 4 February
NEW BOOKS: Authors Adam Foulds and Elanor Dymott join forces for an evening discussing their newly-released novels. Foulds' Dream Sequence is about a young actor prepared to go to any length to land a role, while Dymott's Slack-Tide is about a woman embarking on an affair four years after the loss of her child. Waterstones (Tottenham Court Road), £6, book ahead, 6.30pm
THE RESIDENTS: For one of just four UK tour dates, American experimental band The Residents — famous for wearing eyeball helmets and top hats in a bid to maintain anonymity — celebrate 50 years in the business with a concert at Union Chapel. Union Chapel (Islington), £28, book ahead, 7pm
LEÏLA SLIMANI: Author Leïla Slimani — best-known for her novel Lullaby — discusses her highly-anticipated new book, Adèle, in advance of its UK release. She chats with journalist and editor Sam Baker about the book, the story of a woman who appears to have it all, working as a journalist and living with her surgeon husband and their young son in an idyllic Parisian apartment. Southbank Centre, £15, book ahead, 7.15pm
TIME-TRAVELLING MAGICIANS: 19th century magic comes to a 21st century audience courtesy of magic duo Morgan & West. After appearances on ITV and CBBC, they bring their unique style of magic, conjuring and mystery to east London. Recommended for aged 7+. Wilton's Music Hall, £6.50-£16, book ahead, 7.30pm
Tuesday 5 February
NO KIDS: As the title suggests, this theatre show is for adults-only, and tries to answer the question of whether or not we should have kids, through the eyes of same-sex couple George and Nir. Battersea Arts Centre, £12.50-£18, book ahead, 5-23 February
WESTERN FRONT: Historian Allan Mallinson and curator Belinda Day discuss what life was like for the British cavalry on the Western Front in the first world war. Find out how the horses were cared for and get a closer look at specific items in the museum's collection. National Army Museum (Chelsea), £15, book ahead, 6pm-8.15pm
ROBOCOP: Science comes to the big screen with 1987 sci-fi film Robocop, where a police officer becomes a cyborg. Will Jackson, founder and director of robotics company Engineered Arts, gives a talk before the screening about whether technology is to blame for its own misuse, or whether humans are to blame. Barbican Cinema, £10.50, book ahead, 6.10pm
DIARIES: You've got carte blanche to have a nose through other people's diaries tonight — and not just any diaries, but diaries belonging to politicians, playwrights, novelists and other public figures. British Library showcases some of the most intriguing diaries from the past century, with an introduction from curator Joanna Norledge. British Library, £12/£8, book ahead, 7pm-8.30pm
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Music to your ears from StubHub
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*While tickets last
Wednesday 6 February
GOOD GRIEF!: If you've not yet seen the Peanuts exhibition, today would be an excellent time to go, as artist Mel Brimfield discusses the psychological themes Schulz employed in Peanuts comic strips, particularly Lucy’s Psychiatric Help booth. Somerset House, included in exhibition admission (£14), booking recommended for exhibition,1pm-1.30pm
FASHION INDUSTRY: Author, journalist and poet Rosalind Jana chats to fashion authors Safia Minney and Tansy Hoskins about the need to protect the rights of women in the fashion industry, focusing on the millions of women around the world working in modern day slavery to produce clothes. Waterstones (Gower Street), £10, book ahead, 6.30pm
ABSINTHE TASTING: It's a brave person who dabbles in absinthe on a Wednesday, but tonight, learn a bit about the history and mysteries of the Green Fairy, before indulging in a tasting of the potent spirit. You haven't got anywhere to be tomorrow, have you? The Last Tuesday Society (Hackney), £22.50, book ahead, 7pm-9pm
Thursday 7 February
PHOTOGRAPHY LATE: The Jewish Museum stays open late for an evening with photographers, artists, musicians and creatives, focusing on the medium of photography. Develop your own photos in the dark room, make your own gingerbread, and listen to talks by social photographers. Jewish Museum (Camden), £10, book ahead, 6pm-9pm
A DEAL WITH THE UNIVERSE: Watch A Deal With The Universe, a real-life diary style documentary about one man's transgender journey and becoming a parent. Jason Barker, the film's subject and director, takes part in a Q&A after the screening. Genesis Cinema (Mile End), £9, book ahead,6.30pm
SEA MONSTERS: Author Chloe Aridjis reads from and discusses her new novel, Sea Monsters. It's set in 1980s Mexico and follows the elopement of a Mexico City schoolgirl with a boy she barely knows, in search of freedom. London Review Bookshop (Bloomsbury), £10, book ahead, 7pm
Friday 8 February
BEDROOMS OF LONDON: This new photographic exhibition documents the living conditions of London’s most disadvantaged children. Photographer Katie Wilson highlights the damaging consequences for children arising from the shortage of social housing in London. Foundling Museum (Bloomsbury), included in admission, just turn up, 8 February-5 May
SWINGING LONDON: Explore the fashion, design and art of the Chelsea Set; a group of radical young architects, designers, photographers and artists in 1950s London. This exhibition has a particular focus on Mary Quant and Terence Conran. Fashion and Textile Museum (Bermondsey), £9.90, book ahead, 8 February-2 June
NELSON MANDELA: Growing up in a South African village before being jailed for 27 years, and then becoming Prime Minister of South Africa. Nelson Mandela had quite a life, and it's all laid bare in this new exhibition. Photos, video clips, and 150 artefacts on loan from collections all over the world all feature. Leake Street Gallery (Waterloo), £12-£27, book ahead, 8 February-3 June
TIM WATERSTONE: Even if you've never heard of him, you can probably guess how Tim Waterstone made his fortune — books (more about that errant apostrophe here). Tonight, the book shop founder is in conversation about his childhood experiences which led to his entrepreneurial ways. British Library, £12/£8, book ahead, 7pm-8.15pm
MUSEUM LATE: London Transport Museum stays open late for the launch of the new exhibition, Poster Prize for Illustration: London Stories. Tonight's events include a talk about how trains transformed the romantic lives of everyday people, tours of the exhibition, and a temporary tattoo parlour. London Transport Museum (Covent Garden), £15/£12, book ahead, 7pm-10pm
Saturday 9 February
ORCHID FESTIVAL: It may still be winter, but one corner of Kew Gardens is bursting with colour. The Princess of Wales Conservatory hosts the Orchids Festival, with hundreds of Colombian orchids brightening the place up, with animals including sloths, toucans and turtles fashioned from the flowers. Kew Gardens, included in garden entry, book ahead, 9 February-10 March
SOHO STREETS: Walk every street in Soho in a day, led by expert guide Peter Berthoud of Discovering London. Wander almost 10 miles around the 119 streets, stopping in a few pubs along the way, and hear stories of the area that don't appear in the guide books. Oxford Circus station, £35, book ahead, 10am-4.30pm
PET CEMETERY: There's a rare opening of Hyde Park's Victorian pet cemetery today. Join this tour and visit the graves of around 1,000 animals, many with headstones, and find out why they're there. Hyde Park, £10, book ahead, 10.30am-12pm
MUSEUM DEPOT: The theme of this month's tour at the London Transport Museum's depot is Johnston Journeys, with a heavy focus on design. Find out how Edward Johnston, the man behind London Underground’s typeface and the iconic roundel, changed passenger journeys forever. Acton Depot, £10/£8, book ahead, 11am/2pm
NHS AT 70: Comedian Mark Thomas takes on the NHS in this show. He's 54 and the NHS is 70, so if he lives to 84, the NHS will be 100 — what state will it be in by then? He's done residencies in hospitals and surgeries, and interviewed experts, while preparing for this show. ArtsDepot (North Finchley), from £12, book ahead, 7.30pm
Sunday 10 February
PINK JUKEBOX: Bishopsgate Institute's regular Pink Jukebox is an afternoon of Ballroom and Latin dancing, open to members of the LGBT community and their friends. It starts with beginner's classes, followed by social dancing, and people of all dancing abilities are welcome. Bishopsgate Institute (Liverpool Street), £12, book ahead, 2pm
DIGITAL AGE: Hear from mental health writer and blogger Fiona Thomas who, despite growing up before the age of social media age, still faced many of the problems of pressure and anxiety that young people today experience. She had a breakdown in her 20s, and talks about how a digital life subsequently helped her find a community and a voice. Conway Hall (Holborn), £8/£4, book ahead, 3pm-4.30pm
NEIL YOUNG: See Neil Young tribute act The Honeyslides perform some of the singer's music, from acoustic tracks to upbeat country music. The Half Moon (Putney), £12, book ahead, 8pm
