Victoria: A Royal Childhood and Victoria: Woman and Crown at Kensington Palace
Mark the 200th anniversary of Queen Victoria’s birth by visiting Victoria: A Royal Childhood and Victoria: Woman and Crown at Kensington Palace. Step back in time as you explore the rooms where Victoria spent her formative years. Then make your way to the Pigott Gallery, to look at the private woman behind the public monarch, as well as her later life and legacy. Book now. Ongoing
Olafur Eliasson: In Real Life at Tate Modern
Experience the immersive world of Icelandic-Danish artist Olafur Eliasson, whose thought-provoking installations play with the way we perceive the world. In 2018, he attracted thousands of visitors to Tate Modern by bringing chunks of melting glacier ice next to the Thames as a pertinent reminder of global warming. He's now back with a major survey of his career so far: Olafur Eliasson: In Real Life. Until 5 Jan
Mark Leckey: O’ Magic Power of Bleakness at Tate Britain
Be amazed by sound and video as they intertwine in Mark Leckey’s immersive exhibition at Tate Britain. Study a life-size replica of a motorway bridge, which sets the scene for an audio play inspired by folklore and the artist’s own teenage experiences; and experience two of the Turner Prize winner’s most famous video pieces. Until 5 Jan
The Credit Suisse Exhibition: Gauguin Portraits at National Gallery
Discover how Gauguin revolutionised portraiture at the first ever exhibition devoted to his portraits. Through its display of more than 50 paintings, sculptures and drawings, the National Gallery’s Gauguin Portraits looks into how the artist added personality to his subjects, uncovers how Picasso and Matisse were inspired by him, and delves deeper into his life in Polynesia. Until 26 Jan
Pre-Raphaelite Sisters at National Portrait Gallery
Study the female side of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, as the works of 12 women artists, models and muses are put in the spotlight at the National Portrait Gallery. While Rossetti and Burne-Jones are widely celebrated, the lives and works of Evelyn de Morgan, Effie Millais, Elizabeth Siddal and Joanna Wells are less known. Find out more through paintings, manuscripts, photographs and personal items. Until 26 Jan
Bridget Riley at Hayward Gallery
Chart the career of Bridget Riley in a rare retrospective of the Op Art pioneer’s work. Full of perceptual, optical works, the Hayward Gallery’s exhibition follows key periods in the artist’s career, from the distinctive black-and-white paintings and the three-dimensional Continuum of the 1960s, to recent wall paintings commissioned specifically for the gallery. Until 26 Jan
Lucian Freud: The Self-portraits at Royal Academy of Arts
See how Lucian Freud’s self-portraits evolved throughout his career, from a linear style to more playful depictions and his signature works showcasing more characterful features. The Royal Academy of Arts curates rarely seen works from private collections alongside unfinished works, drawings and sketchbooks spanning seven decades of the Berlin-born painter’s career. Until 26 Jan
Rembrandt's Light at Dulwich Picture Gallery
Study how Rembrandt used light to great effect through 35 iconic paintings, etchings and drawings. Retold in a cinematic style with help from cinematographer Peter Suschitzky, Dulwich Pitcture Gallery's Rembrandt Light exhibition includes works spanning the period of 1639 to 1658 – see the first UK appearance of Philemon and Baucis, as well as the atmospheric A Woman Bathing in a Stream. Until 2 Feb
Dora Maar at Tate Modern
Be inspired by more than 200 of Dora Maar’s surrealist photographs in the first ever UK retrospective of her work, at Tate Modern. The artist's famed advertising images sit alongside street photography, nude studies and rarely-seen post-war documentary photographs, paintings and commissions; while her eight-year wartime relationship with Picasso is also put into focus. Until 15 Mar
Harry Potter Graphics at House of MinaLima
Head to the House of MinaLima in London’s West End and surround yourself with props and artworks from the Harry Potter films. See original wizardry items, graphics and objects by Miraphora Mina and Eduardo Lima, the designers behind the Harry Potter movie artworks. Ongoing
For more exciting exhibitions, check out our pick of the best museum exhibitions in London. And with so many top shows to see, why not make a weekend of it or stay for longer?
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