Your Complete Calendar of Culture, Dining, Sports & Unforgettable Experiences in London (Part 1)
2026 is shaping up to be one of the most exciting years in London’s cultural calendar in decades. From world-class exhibitions at iconic museums to electrifying sporting events, stunning theatrical productions to extraordinary new dining experiences—this year offers something remarkable for everyone who loves this city.
I’ve spent weeks researching and compiling everything you need to know, with direct booking links and insider tips to help you plan ahead. Whether you’re a long-time Londoner, planning to visit, or thinking about making this incredible city home, this guide ensures you won’t miss a single moment of what makes London truly special.
The best London experiences require planning. Tickets for blockbuster exhibitions sell out months ahead. Restaurant reservations at anticipated openings disappear within hours. The most unique cultural events need insider knowledge just to discover they exist.
Consider this your insider’s calendar—comprehensive, carefully curated, and designed to help you make 2026 your best London year yet.
Major Exhibitions & Museums
London’s museums offer world-class exhibitions that draw visitors globally. Here’s what you absolutely shouldn’t miss in 2026.
Victoria & Albert Museum
“Marie Antoinette: Style”
Closes Sunday, 22nd March 2026
£23 weekdays / £25 weekends
Explore the lasting influence of history’s most fashionable queen through over 250 years of design, fashion, film, and art. This exhibition features Marie Antoinette’s actual slippers, diamond necklace, and the iconic “Robe de Style,” alongside modern interpretations including Kate Moss photographed by Tim Walker for Vogue.
The exhibition examines how Marie Antoinette’s aesthetic continues influencing contemporary fashion and culture—from Alexander McQueen to Van Cleef & Arpels.
“Lasting Impressions: Women Printmakers 1900 – Now”
Closes Sunday, 27th September 2026
Free exhibition
Celebrate innovative printmaking techniques and bold visions from 25 women printmakers spanning more than a century. From Käthe Kollwitz to Faith Ringgold, explore how these artists used print to make their lasting impression on art history.
Learn more about Lasting Impressions
British Museum
“Hawaiʻi: A Kingdom Crossing Oceans”
15th January – 25th May 2026
Shaped in collaboration with Hawaiian knowledge-bearers, this groundbreaking exhibition showcases seldom-seen international loans alongside the British Museum’s remarkable Hawaiian collections—one of the largest globally outside Hawaiʻi. The show centres indigenous knowledge, shining new light on exceptional objects and extraordinary stories.
Book Hawaiʻi exhibition tickets
“Samurai”
3rd February – 4th May 2026
Discover the reality behind a millennium of myth at this sweeping exhibition on legendary Japanese warriors. This major show offers a candid look at the real men and women who called themselves samurai—from medieval Japan’s battlefields to today’s global pop culture.
Book Samurai exhibition tickets
Tate Modern
Tracey Emin
27th February – 31st August 2026
Free for members
A landmark exhibition tracing 40 years of Tracey Emin’s groundbreaking practice, showcasing career-defining works alongside material never before exhibited. Celebrate Emin’s raw, confessional approach across all her art forms as she explores profound questions about love, trauma, and autobiography.
Julio Le Parc
11th June 2026 – 3rd May 2027
Free for members
Best known for pioneering kinetic sculptures using light, movement, and mirrored surfaces to playfully engage viewers, this exhibition explores the depth and diversity of Le Parc’s talent—revealing a politically engaged artist and highly skilled painter with exceptional passion for colour.
Tate Britain
James McNeill Whistler
21st May – 27th September 2026
Free for members
Experience the captivating world of rule-breaking American artist James McNeill Whistler. This retrospective—the first major European exhibition of Whistler’s work in 30 years—brings together world-famous paintings alongside rarely or never-seen works, including exquisite portraits, drawings, prints, and designs.
The 90s
1st October 2026 – 14th February 2027
Free for members
Curated by industry legend Edward Enninful OBE, this exhibition examines a seminal decade when creativity changed British culture’s face. Featuring iconic images by photographers including Juergen Teller, Nick Knight, David Sims, and Corinne Day alongside work by artists like Damien Hirst, Gillian Wearing, and Yinka Shonibare, plus fashion collections by Vivienne Westwood, Alexander McQueen, and Hussein Chalayan.
Natural History Museum
Space: Could Life Exist Beyond Earth?
Until 22nd February 2026
£14 adult off-peak tickets
Touch a piece of Mars, handle a Moon fragment, and lay hands on a meteorite older than our planet. This immersive exhibition explores one of humanity’s most profound questions through actual space materials and cutting-edge science.
Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Until 12th July 2026
£15.50 adult off-peak
Now in its sixth decade, this prestigious competition showcases nature’s most incredible moments captured by photographers worldwide. With over 60,000 entries annually, it’s the world’s biggest nature photography competition.
Book Wildlife Photographer tickets
Pokémon x Natural History Museum
26th January – 19th April 2026
Free (booking required)
The museum transforms the Cranbourne Boutique into a Pokémon pop-up shop with exclusive products designed especially for this collaboration. Book early—these tickets disappear quickly!
Royal Academy of Arts
“A Story of South Asian Art”
31st October 2025 – 24th February 2026
£17
This exhibition traces a century of South Asian art through the people and places that influenced Indian sculptor Mrinalini Mukherjee. Her artworks fuse abstraction with the human form, drawing on nature, regional traditions, and international Modernist design. Features seminal works by her parents and key figures of the Indian cultural scene.
Book South Asian Art exhibition
Pro Tip: Most major London museums announce exhibitions 6-12 months ahead. Bookmark museum websites and sign up for newsletters to access early booking windows for the most popular shows.
Royal Albert Hall & Classical Music
BBC Proms 2026
Mid-July to Mid-September 2026
The world’s greatest classical music festival returns for its 132nd season. Last Night of the Proms remains a beloved British institution. The complete 2026 season will be announced in Spring 2026.
BBC Proms information
Royal Albert Hall Proms
Cirque du Soleil: ECHO
13th January – 1st March 2026
The renowned circus company brings their latest acrobatic spectacular to London. Cirque du Soleil consistently delivers breathtaking performances combining athleticism, artistry, and imagination.
Other Essential Classical Venues
Wigmore Hall – Intimate venue for chamber music and solo recitals. Programming announced seasonally. wigmore-hall.org.uk
Barbican Centre – Home to the London Symphony Orchestra. The 2026/27 season will be announced summer 2026. barbican.org.uk/classical-music
Southbank Centre – Hosts London Philharmonic Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra, and international artists. southbankcentre.co.uk/classical
St Martin-in-the-Fields – Free lunchtime concerts and evening candlelit performances throughout 2026. stmartin-in-the-fields.org
Sporting Events 2026
London offers world-class sporting experiences throughout the year. Here’s your complete sporting calendar.
Football (Soccer)
Premier League 2025/26 Season
August 2025 – May 2026
London clubs: Arsenal (Emirates Stadium), Chelsea (Stamford Bridge), Tottenham (Tottenham Hotspur Stadium), West Ham (London Stadium), Fulham (Craven Cottage), Brentford (Gtech Community Stadium), Crystal Palace (Selhurst Park)
FA Cup Final 2026
Saturday, 16th May 2026 at Wembley Stadium
British football’s oldest and most prestigious cup competition final.
EFL Cup (Carabao Cup) Final 2026
Sunday, 1st March 2026 at Wembley Stadium
Tennis
The Championships, Wimbledon
29th June – 12th July 2026
The world’s most prestigious tennis tournament and only Grand Slam still played on grass. The public ballot opens in January 2026.
Wimbledon Official Site
Ticket Ballot Information
Cinch Championships (Queen’s Club)
15th-21st June 2026
Traditional pre-Wimbledon tournament featuring top men’s players.
Cricket
England International Cricket Season 2026
May – September 2026
Test matches, One Day Internationals (ODIs), and T20s at Lord’s Cricket Ground (“The Home of Cricket”) and The Oval. The schedule is typically announced in autumn 2025.
Rugby
Guinness Six Nations Championship 2026
- 7th February: England v Wales at Allianz Stadium
- 14th February: Scotland v England at Murrayfield Stadium
- 21st February: England v Ireland at Allianz Stadium
- 7th March: Italy v England at Stadio Olimpico
- 14th March: France v England at Stade de France
Gallagher Premiership Rugby 2025/26
September 2025 – June 2026
London clubs: Saracens, Harlequins
Major Running Events
TCS London Marathon
Sunday, 26th April 2026
One of the World Marathon Majors. The public ballot opens after the 2025 race (typically in May).
Vitality London 10,000
27th September 2026
10km run through central London showcasing the city’s iconic landmarks.
Horse Racing
Royal Ascot
Tuesday 16th – Saturday 20th June 2026
Britain’s most prestigious and glamorous race meeting with Royal Family attendance. Early booking tickets go on sale Tuesday, 31st March 2026.
The Derby Festival (Epsom)
5th-6th June 2026
Historic flat racing including The Derby—one of Britain’s most celebrated sporting occasions.
American Football
NFL London Games
October 2026 (specific dates TBA)
Typically 2-3 regular season games at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and/or Wembley Stadium. The schedule is announced in spring 2026.
Make sure to see next week’s instalment, where I will be sharing performing arts and annual events to enjoy across London.
