The Second Age of Beauty by Cecil Beaton, British Vogue February 1946 © The Condé Nast Publications Ltd. Condé Nast Archive London.
There’s such a fantastic selection of exhibitions opening in London in 2025 covering art, fashion, history, culture, filmmaking and zoology. Here’s our guide to help you decide what to see during your time in the capital.
Rodelinda, Handel Hendrix House (13 February – 6 July)
Opening exactly 300 years on from Rodelinda’s debut at the King’s Theatre in London, the exhibition will explore Handel’s opera through an early libretto, portraits of cast members and opera-going artefacts from the 1700s. Handel wrote Rodelinda whilst he was living in Mayfair, just 46 years before Hertford Street was built.
The Robot Zoo, Horniman Museum (14 February – 2 November)
This interactive, family-friendly exhibition will look at how animals hunt, eat, see and hide, depicted through the employment of machinery and gadgets.
Making Egypt, Young V&A (15 February – tbc)
This fascinating exhibition at one of London’s newest museums will consider the influence of ancient Egypt on modern culture through fashion, film, and other mediums.
The Face Magazine: Culture Shift, National Portrait Gallery (20 February – 18 May)
This photographic exhibition will explore the portrait and fashion images of The Face and their cultural and creative impact across the globe. There will be over 200 photographs on display taken between 1980 and the present day.
Dress Codes, Kensington Palace (13 March – 30 November)
Whilst considering the codes and conventions of royal attire, this exciting exhibition will display highlights from the Royal Ceremonial Dress Collection including pieces worn by Queen Elizabeth II, Diana, Princess of Wales, Dame Vivienne Westwood, Princess Margaret and Queen Victoria.
Grayson Perry: Delusions of Grandeur, The Wallace Collection (28 March – 26 October)
This landmark exhibition will feature over forty of Grayson’s works, created especially for the show, which explore the influence of the gallery’s collection on contemporary art.
Pirates, National Maritime Museum (29 March – 4 January 2026)
This fascinating exhibition will explore fictional pirates alongside the history of real pirates including Edward ‘Blackbeard’ Teach, William Kidd, Anne Bonny and Mary Read.
Cartier, V&A (12 April – tbc)
This exciting retrospective will showcase jewels, gemstones, watches and clocks whilst exploring the evolution of Cartier’s designs and craftsmanship through the 20th century. It will also display drawings from both the V&A and Cartier archives.
Lee Miller, Tate Britain (2 October – 15 February 2026)
This major retrospective of Miller’s photography (the largest to be staged in the UK), featuring 250 prints, will document the evolution of her style and subject matters from early Surrealist images to fashion and war photography.
Gilbert and George: 21st Century Pictures, Hayward Gallery (7 October – 4 January 2026)
Gilbert and George’s retrospective will explore their work over the past 25 years. Faithful to their motto ‘Art for All’, their pieces cover topics including hope, sex, religion and corruption.
Cecil Beaton’s Fashionable World, National Portrait Gallery (9 October – 11 January 2026)
This beautiful exhibition will focus upon Beaton’s fashion photography, charting his works from the Jazz Age to the glamorous 1950s. Lauded as ‘The King of Vogue’, this exploration of Beaton’s work promises to be an absolute treat.
Wright of Derby: From the Shadows, National Gallery (7 November – 10 May 2026)
This exhibition is the first exhibition hosted by the National Gallery which solely focuses upon the works of Joseph Wright of Derby, a celebrated eighteenth-century artist known for his dramatic lighting, and considered an important figure of the Enlightenment.
Wes Anderson: The Exhibition, Design Museum (21 November – 4 May 2026)
Promising to be a visually stunning and fascinating show, Wes Anderson: The Exhibition is the first retrospective to study the work of the filmmaker. Exploring his catalogue of films, the exhibition will consider his inspirations, homages and artistic techniques through costumes, props and artefacts from his personal collection.
Turner and Constable, Tate Britain (27 November – 12 April 2026)
This fascinating exhibition will explore the landscapes of contemporaries and artistic rivals Turner and Constable (born 250 years ago) as they documented the evolving scenery around them.
Last chance to see:
Michelangelo, Leonardo, Raphael, Royal Academy of Arts (ends 16 February)
Barbie®: The Exhibition, Design Museum (ends 23 February)
Lost Gardens of London, Garden Museum (ends 2 March)
Outlaws: Fashion Renegades of the 80s, Fashion & Textile Museum (ends 9 March)
Picasso: Printmaker, The British Museum (ends 30 March)
NAOMI In Fashion, V&A (ends 6 April)