The best exhibitions in London this autumn: From Bayeux to Picasso and America’s scientific history
Ba-yeux better see these
Autumn officially kicks off on 23 September, but you don’t need to consult your meteorological calendar to tell you that. The nights are starting to draw in, and it’s now possible to go out before dinner time without the risk of your shoes melting into the pavement.
Of course, while the ambient temperature might be starting to drop, London’s art scene is really heating up. As well as being able to catch the end of some of our top picks from the summer, the autumn exhibition line-up for the capital is also starting to take shape.
We’ve got a great selection of artistic showcases for you to check out across London during the latter part of the year, some of which are completely free.
With the weather predicted to be both warmer and wetter than usual this autumn, moving between the dry, temperature-controlled venues on this list sounds like a particularly good idea.
And if you manage to capture London on one of its brighter days, we have a couple of outdoors events to help you make the most of it.
Bayeux Tapestry
Where: British Museum
When: September 10th to July 11th
Price: From £25
We seriously ummed and ahhed about including this one, because the simple truth is that if you don’t have tickets already, you’re not getting in to see the Bayeux Tapestry this autumn. More tickets are set to be made available on October 21st (that’s autumn!), but these will be for the winter and early spring (that’s not). Still, the exhibition is technically taking place right now, and the chance to see this 1,000-year-old and 70-metre-long piece of embroidery on home turf makes it one of the hottest tickets in town. Still can’t go? Check out some of these alternatives..
Henry Moore: Monumental Nature
Where: Kew Gardens
When: Until January 31st
Price: Entry to Kew (From £25)
English sculptor Henry Moore gained acclaim across his 70-year career by creating huge, curvaceous sculptures that frequently wound up on display in public spaces across the globe. Kew has assembled 30 of his works, which have been scattered thoughtfully throughout London’s world-famous botanical gardens. There’s also an indoor exhibition at the on-site Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art, which showcases 90 of the late artist’s smaller works, including some of his drawings and sketchbooks. All are viewable for the price of a standard Kew Gardens entry ticket.
Es Devlin: Other Worlds
Where: Design Museum
When: October 9th to April 4th
Price: From £21
London-born Es Devlin has designed sets for some of the world’s biggest musical acts (Beyoncé, Adele, Kanye West), sports events, and major theatrical productions. She’s also the creator of large-scale immersive art installations. This Design Museum exhibition will mark the first retrospective in Europe celebrating the artist’s 30-year career, and the largest anywhere to date. It seeks to place you inside of Devlin’s head, starting with a complete replica of her London studio, running through her early sketches and school works, and centring on a large ’30-Year Desk’ that’s been specifically designed for the space.
Tim Walker's Fairyland: Love and Legends
Where: National Portrait Gallery
When: October 8th to January 31st
Price: From £23
Tim Walker first came to prominence as a fashion photographer in the ‘90s, and his work has since appeared in the likes of Vogue, Vanity Fair, and iD. He also supplied the album artwork for Harry Styles’s second album in 2019. His photographic work is known for being extremely theatrical in nature, inspired by fairytales and surreal imagery. This latest exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery highlights his work around queer identity, with the artist having spent the past five years photographing various activists, performers, artists, and other queer trailblazers.
Korea
Where: British Museum
When: October 1st to January 31st
Price: From £18
Beat those no-Bayeux blues by popping around the corner and checking out The British Museum’s new Korea exhibition, based on works taken from the collection of late Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-Hee. It’ll take you on a trip through some 2,000 years of artistic output from an East Asian country that’s having a bit of a moment on the global stage, with the oldest pieces (bronze ritual implements) dating back as far as 300 BC. Elsewhere expect luminous ceramics, delicate porcelain objects, and rare Buddhist paintings. It’s the most consequential collection of its kind to hit the UK in 40 years.
Frieze Sculpture
Where: Regent's Park
When: September 16th to November 1st
Price: Free
And now for something completely free. The 14th edition of Frieze Sculpture has arrived in London’s Regent’s Park, with 11 leading international artists supplying works. Wander around this most stately of London’s green spaces this autumn and you’ll spot sculptures from Angelo Otero, Conrad Shawcross, Carolina Aguirre and more. If you’d like further insight into this year’s selection, then curator Fatoş Üstek is offering a one hour free public tour on the last Sunday of the exhibition in the south-east corner of the park at midday.
Becoming America: How Science Shaped a Nation
Where: The Science Museum
When: October 23rd to April 25th
Price: Free
As the United States of America celebrates 250 years since it declared independence from Great Britain, and with the pre-eminent global superpower enduring a prolonged period of political turmoil, what better time to reflect on the nation’s historical achievements and pitfalls? The Science Museum will be running a free exhibit this autumn containing a number of maps, paintings, instruments and artefacts illustrating America’s scientific endeavours from the 1760s to today – for better and for worse. Among them, an undoubted highlight has to be a rare surviving 1776 print of the Declaration of Independence.
Painting the French Riviera
Where: Royal Academy of Arts
When: October 2nd to January 31st
Price: From £26.50
This ode to the French Riviera features more than 160 works from a number of 19th and 20th century artists that were directly inspired by the region’s azure seas. With works from the likes of Monet, Cezanne, Matisse and Picasso, it makes a compelling claim to be central to the development of modern art. Hand in hand with this artistic side, the exhibit also explores how the region became the go-to destination for the great and good of the music and movie scenes in the mid-20th century. Perfect viewing as things become a whole lot greyer in the UK.
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