Things to do
CURATOR TOUR: With just a few days until the exhibition finishes, join a curator for a tour of Alfred Munnings: War Artist, and find out the stories behind some of his paintings of army horses. National Army Museum (Chelsea), £10.50, book ahead, 11am
LUNCHTIME LECTURE: A new display of photos by Ivan Kyncl has just opened, and at today's lunchtime lecture, experts talk about his work. He arrived in the UK as a refugee in the 1980s, and forged a career as a theatre photographer, capturing musicals, operas and stage shows. V&A Museum (South Kensington), free, just turn up, 1pm-1.45pm
BLITZ PHOTOGRAPHY: Frederick Tibbs was a City of London police officer, and also took many photos of London during the Blitz. Hear about his life and the London he knew, and see some of his Blitz photos in this talk. Society of Genealogists (Islington), £8, book ahead, 2pm-3pm
LONE SURGEON: Rachel Warr, a leading puppeteer, demonstrates how she and her colleagues bring puppets to life, before moving on to the topic of surgery. Find out why the myth of the 'lone heroic surgeon' is unrealistic, as operations rely on teamwork, and see experts outside of medicine have skills that could be useful to surgical teams. Museum of London, free, just turn up, 6pm-7pm
MENSTRUAL TABOO: Why does the menstrual taboo still exist, and what can we do to end it? Historian Louise Foxcroft, activist Sadia Hameed and Obstetrician and Gynaecologist Shazia Malik and comedian and campaigner Chella Quint form a panel to discuss why periods are still a source of shame around the world. Wellcome Trust (Euston), £12, book ahead, 6.30pm-9pm
WHY COLLECT?: Sharon Ament, Director of the Museum of London, talks about why museums are moving towards collecting more contemporary objects — including the Whitechapel fatberg and Gareth Southgate's waistcoat — and how this is changing the role museums play. Sir John Soane's Museum (Holborn), £10/£5, book ahead, 7pm-8pm
LIVE MUSIC: Acoustic folk trio Counter’s Creek make original music inspired by the folk music of the British Isles and beyond. Expect jigs, reels, grooves from Eastern Europe & West Africa, and catchy melodies in tonight's gig. The Slaughtered Lamb (Clerkenwell), £10, book ahead, 7.30pm
ROMANTIC DREAMS: Valentine's Day is a distant memory, but romance lives on in the form of a concert in which two little-known but extremely romantic pieces of music are performed. The London Philharmonic Orchestra with Andreas Ottensamer on clarinet play the romantic music of Londoner Alice Mary Smith, along with Weber’s brooding First Clarinet Concerto. Southbank Centre, £10-£65, book ahead, 7.30pm
SMACK THAT: A tough but important piece of dance theatre, Smack That confronts the realities of domestic abuse. The audience take part in a party in which host Beverly tells her story of domestic abuse through dance. Ovalhouse (Kennington), £15/£10, book ahead, 7.30pm
DESTINATION EUROPE: Tonight's Dash Cafe has the timely theme of Destination Europe. See the premiere of short films by Swedish film maker Bahar Pars, and hear from other creatives about what European migration means for them today. Rich Mix (Shoreditch), £5, book ahead, 7.30pm-10.30pm
FILM SCREENING: Odyssey Film Club has a Palestinian theme tonight, with a screening of 2018 Palestine road trip film Wajib. It's about the tradition of families hand-delivering invitations to their daughter's wedding, and is followed by traditional food and drink, and a discussion, Harris Academy South Norwood, £8.50/£7/£5, book ahead, 7.45pm
GIGGLEBIX: Comedy night Gigglebix is back, bringing a frivolous, free night of laughs to Farringdon. The Betsey Trotwood (Farringdon), free, just turn up, 8pm-10pm
Barry Heck
Our resident tube fancier dishes out daily thoughts on the London Underground.
FAKE NEWS: Passing through Tottenham Court Road? Check out the eastbound Central line platforms, where an early work by Jackson Pollock was recently uncovered.
Good cause of the day
There's still time to book yourself in to this three-course supper club, which raises money for Help Refugees. Proceeds go towards setting up a catering programme for female refugees. Find out more and book tickets.
What we're reading
- Fraudsters are stealing Boris bike codes, leaving customers with huge bills.
- An ex-Army commando rescued a tourist who fell into the Thames.
- London's cycle network overhaul has come to a halt.
- The Hatton Garden robbers may have worn metal cloaks to bypass infrared sensors.
