The best exhibitions in London for May
We are lucky enough to have some of the world’s best art exhibitions in London, with collections that span centuries housed in buildings that are often masterpieces in their own right – which in turn means London exhibitions are world-class. From classical to contemporary works by era-defining artists and movement-making revolutionaries to high-tech immersive experiences with visual effects and virtual realities, these are the exhibitions in London that are inspiring the next generation and helping London’s creative scene to flourish. We update this piece weekly so you can stay in-the-know about the best upcoming London exhibitions in 2023.
The best exhibitions in London for May
1. BBC Earth Experience, The Dalkin Centre
Down an unsuspecting lane a short walk from West Brompton underground station, you can now explore the seven continents like never before. The BBC Earth Experience is a mesmerising structure within The Dalkin Centre, where unseen footage from BBC Studios programme Seven Worlds, One Planet is projected onto gargantuan screens in every corner of space. Sir David Attenborough leads the narration, guiding visitors through the plains of Africa to the rainforests of South America via the icy penguin-dotted coast of Antarctica. Step inside the Micro Life Room for close-ups of all the critters you’d usually avoid, and take in Sir David’s wise words below the phantom globe on the way out. This is one exhibition we’re already planning a return visit to.
Address: BBC Earth Experience, The Daikin Centre, Earl’s Court, London
Website: bbcearthexperience.com
Price: £28.50 adults; £22 children
Dates: Until 31 July 2023
Dmitry Kokh, Wildlife Photographer of the Year2. Wildlife Photographer of the Year, Natural History Museum
A gentle dose of culture is on offer at the Natural History Museum, where the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition is currently being held. Discover the wonder of the natural world through the mind and lens of celebrated photographers, whose images capture the beauty of our planet and the abundant species that call it home. The space has been redesigned to showcase short videos and quotes from jury members and the nominees, among spectacular images.
Address: Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, South Kensington, London SW7 5BD
Website: nhm.ac.uk
Price: Adult tickets from £17
Dates: Until Sunday 2 July.jpg)
Credit, Montana Lowery3. Frameless, Marble Arch
Experience art without boundaries at Frameless – a vibrant world of light, colour and sound in the heart of central London. Across a 30,000-square-foot venue, a series of galleries invite the curious to take on new understandings of iconic artworks as they are projected onto the walls. 40 interactive, digital interpretations of masterpieces by 28 iconic artists can be found, including iconic works from the likes of Van Gogh, Monet and Rembrandt.
Address: Frameless, 6 Marble Arch, London W1H 7AP
Website: frameless.com
Price: Adult tickets from £25
Rahil Ahmad4. We are Queer Britain, Queer Britain
Having opened its Kings Cross base this summer, Queer Britain Museum is set to cement its status as a landmark of LGBTQ+ learning with a debut exhibition encompassing all aspects of queer history – 50 years since the UK’s first pride march. Over 100 years of history will be documented, with Oscar Wilde’s posthumously released 1897 letter from Reading Prison among the documents on display. Recently discovered erotic works by Duncan Grant and clothing from key moments will be on display; such as a rainbow hijab lent by Faizan Fiaz, and Olly Alexander’s 2019 Glastonbury rainbow performance outfit. A truly immersive experience, the exhibition will also house a virtual reality area with a state-of-the-art system designed to preserve the stories of key individuals, and a reading corner with a selection of books available to browse on shelves.
Address: Queer Britain, 2 Granary Square, London, N1C 4BH
Website: queerbritain.org.uk
Dates: Until spring
5. Portraits of Dogs: From Gainsborough to Hockney, Wallace Collection
Dog lovers, this one will be a real treat for you. Wallace Collection’s newest exhibition, Portraits of Dogs: From Gainsborough to Hockney showcases the special bond between humans and their canine companions. With over 50 works of art, each artist skillfully captures the essence of our most loyal four-legged friends through detailed paintings and sculptures showing dogs in all their different shapes and sizes.
Address: The Wallace Collection, Hertford House, Manchester Square, London W1U 3BN
Website: wallacecollection.org/portraits-of-dogs-from-gainsborough-to-hockney
Price: £14
Dates: Until Sunday 15 October
6. Take Me, I'm Yours, Haricot Gallery
Presented by London’s newest addition to the art scene, Haricot Gallery features thought-provoking pieces that delve into significant issues while providing refreshing insights into our world. For the latest instalment, the Shoreditch-based gallery presents Take Me, I'm Yours by Frida Wannerberger. A journey that began during the lockdown period in 2021, and only recently completed, this collection encapsulates the Swedish artist’s longing for intimate connections and her yearning to experience deep passionate love. Each piece takes the viewer through an emotional rollercoaster, from the high of a new relationship to the anger and sadness of heartache.
Address: Haricot Gallery, 2 Blackall St, London EC2A 4AD
Website: haricotgallery.com
Dates: Until Saturday 27 May.jpeg)
Curtis Holder7. The Makers: Portraits from Backstage, National Theatre
The National Theatre’s Lyttelton Lounge has welcomed a brand-new exhibition for 2023 – The Makers: Portraits from Backstage. Many of the works on display have been created by the theatre’s first artist in residence, Curtis Holder, while Kate Bryan (Soho House’s global director of art) is behind the curation of the wider showcase. The exhibition is a love letter to the creative forces that exist behind the scenes of theatre – expect captivating portraits of stage technicians, puppet makers and stage door supervisors hard at work.
Address: National Theatre, Upper Ground, London SE1 9PX
Website: nationaltheatre.org.uk
Price: Free
Dates: Until Saturday 4 November 2023
The Trustees of the British Museum8. Luxury and power: Persia to Greece
The British Museum’s latest exhibition explores the relationship between luxury and power in the Middle East and Southeast Europe between 550 and 530 BC. Highlights include artefacts from the British Museum collection sculpted from gold, silver and glass, such as a gilt silver rhyton shaped like a griffin that was once used as a wine pourer – a remarkable example of Persian craft and a demonstration of the Persian court’s opulence. Also, don’t miss the gold wreath sourced from Turkey, similar to those found in elite tombs in the kingdom of Macedonia. Online, food historian Tasha Marks explores ancient Persian confectionery through historical sources, including a baklava recipe sure to satisfy the toughest sweet tooth.
Address: British Museum, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG
Website: britishmuseum.org
Price: Adults from £15
Dates: Thursday 4 May – Sunday 13 August 2023
9. Shakespeare’s First Folio: The First Four Hundred Years, Christie’s King Street
The 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare’s First Folio is the subject of Christie’s latest non-selling exhibition on King’s Street. Shakespeare’s First Folio: The First Four Hundred Years brings together six copies of the first folios in existence – the largest single display assembled in the United Kingdom. Five examples of the work have been sourced from private hands while another, the earliest documented First Folio in America, is on loan from the University of London. Timed alongside the coronation of a new monarch and opening just after the Bard’s birthday, this is one quintessentially English exhibition sure to excite bibliophiles.
Address: Christie's, 8 King Street, London SW1Y 6QT
Website: christies.com
Dates: Until Friday 26 May
Atong Atem, Adut and Bigoa, 201610. A World in Common: Contemporary African Photography, Tate Modern
Tate Modern’s major new exhibition celebrates the dynamic landscape of photography across the African continent today. A World in Common: Contemporary African Photography features work from 36 artists from different generations and geographies and explores how photography and video have allowed artists to examine leagues and imagine promising futures. Starting with the rise of studio photography across Africa during the 1950s and 60s, work by pioneering photographers such as James Barnor in Ghana and Lazhar Mansouri in Algeria show families and individuals who would gather proudly to have their portraits taken, often for the first time. Other highlights include an insight into West African masquerade, documented by the likes of Leonce Raphael Agbodjélou and Zina Saro-Wiwa, and how artists contemplate the impact of the climate crisis on communities.
Address: Tate Modern, Bankside, London SE1 9TG
Website: tate.org.uk
Price: Adults from £17
Dates: Thursday 6 July – Sunday 14 January 2024
11. Manoucher Yektai, The Arts Club
The latest collection to land at exclusive private members' club The Arts Club is a solo exhibition by Manoucher Yektai. The presentation, a curated selection of pieces from 1960-1963, reflects a significant creative phase for the Iranian-American artist as it was a time when Yektai had just relocated from Tehran to New York, where he was introduced to the likes of Pollock and de Kooning.
Address: The Arts Club, 40 Dover Street, Mayfair, London, W1S 4NP
Website: theartsclub.co.uk/arts-culture
Dates: Until Sunday 3 SeptemberFor non-members, please email reservations@theartsclub.co.uk for appointments to view the exhibition.
Andrew Smart12. Frank Auerbach: Twenty Self-Portraits, Hazlitt Holland-Hibbert
In Frank Aurberach’s first presentation since 2015, the German-British artist drew inspiration from his own reflection to produce a series of self-portraits which encapsulates the changes in his appearance through the effects of ageing. Within this exhibition, set in the heart of St James’s, there are nine paintings and 11 drawings capturing Auerbach’s changing features through a distinctive combination of accents, colours, and abstractions.
Address: Hazlitt Holland-Hibbert, 37-38 Bury St, St. James's, London SW1Y 6BB
Website: hhh.viewingrooms.com/frank-auerbach-twenty-self-portraits
Dates: Until Friday 14 July
Jeremie Souteyrat13. KUMIHIMO: Japanese Silk Braiding, Japan House London
A colourful exhibition is now open at Japan House, the bustling cultural hub on Kensington High Street. Kumihumo: Japanese Silk Braiding by Domyo is the first UK exhibition to examine the ancient art that is still practised today. Kumihimo refers to the braided cord and contemporary creations that are admired for their aesthetic appeal – historically, the process was applied to link samurai armour or add finishing touches to kimonos. Best of all, the showcase is produced by those in the know; Yusoku Kumihimo Dōmyō (Domyo), the studio that led the exhibition, is located in the old shopping and entertainment district of Ueno in central Tokyo, which has been making braided silk cords by hand since 1652.
Address: Japan House London, 101-111 Kensington High Street, London W8 5SA
Website: japanhouselondon.uk
Price: Free
Dates: Until Sunday 11 June
Thomas Joseph Wright14. You, Me and Everyone We Know, Gallery FUMI
Gallery FUMI in Mayfair has introduced its latest collection You, Me and Everyone We Know – a striking collection by London-based design studio Glithero which showcases the significance of photography, more notably its impact on tri-dimensional objects. A highlight of the exhibition is 100 Handful, an installation consisting of 100 vessels featuring silhouettes of hands photographed on its surface as an ode to the studio's vibrant community. Taken from 100 individuals, including friends, neighbours and family members, the process involved participants holding a ceramic pot treated with light-sensitive chemicals. Each person performed a slow 360-degree turn under a concentrated beam of light, which imprinted an image of their hands onto the surface of the vessel.
Address: Gallery FUMI, 2-3 Hay Hill, London W1J 6AS
Website: galleryfumi.com/you-me-and-everyone-we-know
Dates: Until Saturday 24 June
Will Martyr15. A World Elsewhere, Maddox Gallery
Take a break from the hustle and bustle of the capital and picture yourself in one of Will Martyr’s vivid paintings at Maddox Gallery this spring. The British artist presents A World Elsewhere – a collection of paintings that offer a dose of much-appreciated escapism, capturing glamorous poolside moments while exploring themes of companionship, love and contentment. Martyr’s personal memories are captured on canvas, mixed and merged to create a sense of timeless nostalgia.
Address: Maddox Gallery, 112 Westbourne Grove, London W2 5RU
Website: maddoxgallery.com/a-world-elsewhere
Dates: Until Sunday 11 June