London’s best current and upcoming exhibitions not to miss

From major retrospectives and digital media new works to group exhibitions and solo shows, London has some incredible exhibitions currently showing, or coming to a venue soon.

With that in mind, here are the best exhibitions, including exhibitions for children, now showing or coming soon you don’t want to miss.

1 David Hockney: Bigger & Closer (not smaller & further away) at Lightroom, King’s Cross

David Hockney’s highly acclaimed immersive exhibition ends on December 3, so don’t miss out. has announced it has entered its final days, so don’t miss out. It features iconic paintings alongside some newly created works which have all been digitalised to wash across huge screen to a specially composed score by Nico Muhly. Hockney, who has long embraced new media, narrates the works, revealing his process. Finishes December 3.

Address: Lightroom, 12 Lewis Cubitt Square King’s Cross, N1C 4DY

Website: lightroom.uk

2 The Moonwalkers with Tom Hanks at Lightroom, King’s Cross

This exhibition takes over from Hockney and looks at the wonder of space. It tells the stories of the Apollo missions through interviews between Hanks and astronauts and includes original NASA footage and images from Andy Saunders’ Apollo Remastered which will transform the Lightroom into an immersive journey to the moon. Opens December 6.

Address: Lightroom, 12 Lewis Cubitt Square King’s Cross, N1C 4DY

Website: lightroom.uk

3 Yoko Ono: Music of the Mind at Tate Modern, South Bank

The Tate will hold the UK’s biggest ever showcase of this pioneering conceptual artist whose work spanned conceptual and participatory art, film, performance and music. She was also a respected campaigner for world peace. The exhibition looks at her seven decade long practice, revealing her radical approach to language, art and participation, as well as her poetic and humorous touch. Opens February 15, 2024.

Address: Bankside, SE1 9TG

Website: tate.org.uk

4 Accidentally Wes Anderson: The Exhibition, South Kensington

Based on the Instagram account of the same name, this exhibition features more than 200 offbeat and real-life images that exude the charm of the director’s particular and precise visual style. Come here for pastel-soaked images of interiors, buildings, landscapes and objects that pay tribute to travel, photography and adventure. Opens November 8.  

Address:  85 Old Brompton Road, South Kensington, SW7 3LD

Website: feverup.com

5 Gabrielle Chanel Fashion Manifesto at V&A, South Kensington

This is the first UK exhibition dedicated to the French couturiere Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel, charting the evolution of her iconic design and the creation of the House of Chanel. It starts with the opening of her first millinery boutique in Paris in 1910 to the showing of her final collection in 1971 and features nearly 200 looks – seen together for the first time – accessories, perfumes and jewellery. On now.

Address: V&A Museum Cromwell Road SW7 2RL

Website: vam.ac.uk

6 Japan: Myths and Manga at V&A Young, Bethnal Green

Deep dive into Japanese culture at this comprehensive and fun exhibition. It pulls together pop culture, history and multiple artforms as it draws connections between folklore and modern day pop culture icons such as Studio Ghibli, Pokémon, origami. More than 150 objects are on display under four sections – skey sea, forest and city. Designed for young people, but interesting for everybody. On now.

Address: Cambridge Heath Road, Bethnal Green, E2 9PA

Website: vam.ac.uk

7 Marina Abramović at Royal Academy, Piccadilly

The RA hosts this exhibition of the pioneering performance artist Marina Abramović which looks at key moments in the Serbian’s five-decade long career. She has spent her career testing the limits of her physical and mental health, pushing the body to punishing limits, and the exhibition will be a mix of photographs, objects, video and performances of some of The Artist Is Present star’s iconic works, reperformed by the next wave of performance artists. Finishes January 1, 2024.

Address: Burlington House, Piccadilly, W1J 0BD

Website: royalacademy.org.uk

8 Philip Guston at Tate Modern

The first major retrospective of Philip Guston in the UK for 20 years, this exhibition looks at the artists earl works, inspired by French surrealism and Mexican muralism to his influential abstract canvasses and cartoonish works. With more than 100 paintings and drawings, it also takes in the artist’s activism, as well as his frequently changing style. Finishes February 25.

Address: Bankside, SE1 9TG

Website: tate.org.uk

9 Sarah Lucas at Tate Britain, Millbank

Known for her work which often explores the human body, mortality and the British experience of sex, class and gender, Sarah was among the Young British Artists of the 90s. This exhibition brings together more than 75 works from a career spanning four decades including those made from tabloid newspaper spreads such as Sod You Gits and Fat, Forty and Flab-ulous. Closes January 14, 2024

Address: Millbank, SW1P 4RG

Website: tate.org.uk

10 The Missing Thread at Somerset House, West End

This exhibition connects how the political and cultural landscapes of the 209th and 21st century shaped the identity of black style, which then in turn impacted mainstream fashion culture. Going well beyond catwalk looks, it puts a spotlight on black creativity in music, photography, art and design. Finishes January 7, 2024

Address: Strand WC2R 1LA

Website: somersethouse.org.uk

11 2023 Wildlife Photographer of the Year at Natural History Museum, South Kensington

The exhibition showcases the competition’s top 100 photographs, whittled down from close to 50,000 entries from 95 countries. Each of the images featured in the annual exhibition inspire awe and wonder and highlight the importance of conservation and sustainability as well showcase the diversity of the animal world.

Address: Cromwell Road, South Kensington, SW7 5BD

Website: nhm.ac.uk

12 Turn It Up: The power of music, Science Museum, South Kensington

This interactive exhibition explores the power music has over us. Specially commissioned interactive installations, unique instruments and pioneering inventions, as well as first-hand accounts from musicians and the public reveal why music plays on our emotions, while a look at AI and tech investigates the technological advancements that have made, and are making, music more accessible. On now.

Address: Exhibition Road, South Kensington SW7 2DD

Website: sciencemuseum.org.uk

13 Gucci Cosmos at 180 The Strand, West End

Made in collaboration with the Italian fashion house and artist Es Devlin, Gucci Cosmos celebrates Gucci’s 102 years of existence. Using cutting edge tech, the label’s legacy and future are presented in an innovative way that mediates on heritage, luxury and interconnectedness. Finishes December 31.  

Address: 180 Strand, Temple, WC2R 1EA

Website: 180studios.com