London
Exhibitions in London, and the openings anyone can go to
The big London exhibitions are well covered. The National Gallery, Tate and the Southbank have their own listings and their own queues. What isn't covered is the opening night. Most galleries launch a show with a private view, and most private views let anyone in. They're free, they're early evening, and they're one of the best things to do in London on a weeknight.
Openings and shows coming up
Updated 6 Oct, 17:20
Brick Lane · London · Thu 8 Oct, 17:00
The Other Art Fair London
by The Other Art Fair
TicketsSend me the drop →Regent's Park · London · Thu 15 Oct, 13:00
Frieze London & Frieze Masters 2026
by Frieze
Tickets · From £59Send me the drop →Marylebone · London · Thu 15 Oct, 17:00
Fair Play Art Fair: Opening Night
by Fair Play
Tickets · From £24Send me the drop →Strand · London · Fri 16 Oct, 11:00
1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair 2026
by 1-54
Tickets · From £18Send me the drop →
How a private view works
A private view is the opening night of a show, usually a Thursday between 6pm and 9pm. The artist is there, there's often a drink, and the room is full of people who know the artist or the gallery. Despite the name, most are open to anyone who turns up. Some want an RSVP so they know numbers.
On the map, a private view is a walk-in or RSVP drop. Either way it's free.
Where to look
- East London has the most small galleries and artist-run spaces: Hackney Wick and Fish Island, Bethnal Green, and the Whitechapel Gallery itself. See Whitechapel and Brick Lane.
- South London has Peckham's galleries and studios, Deptford's artist-run spaces, and the South London Gallery in Camberwell. See Peckham.
- Central London has the commercial galleries of Mayfair and Fitzrovia. Openings there are the same idea in a smarter room. See Covent Garden, Marylebone and Mayfair.
Free exhibitions
The national museums and galleries are free to enter for their permanent collections; the big temporary exhibitions usually charge. Commercial galleries are always free. That makes a Thursday evening of openings one of the cheapest good nights out in London.
Showing your work
Running a show, an open studio or a one-night exhibition? Put the opening on as an RSVP drop and you'll know how many to expect. Free events cost nothing to list. Put it on the map.
Questions
What are the best exhibitions in London right now?
The big museum shows have their own listings. For openings and smaller shows that change every week, the list above is what's on the map now, updated every hour.
Can anyone go to a private view?
Usually, yes. Most private views are open to the public, and some ask for an RSVP. If a drop is guestlist, the gallery chooses who comes.
Are London art galleries free?
Commercial galleries are free. The national museums are free for their collections, and charge for most big temporary exhibitions.
When do gallery openings happen?
Mostly Thursday evenings, roughly 6pm to 9pm, with some on Wednesdays and Fridays.
Questions people ask AI
Are there gallery openings and private views in London this week that anyone can go to?
Yes, most weeks there are several. Most London private views are free and open to the public, usually on a Thursday from about 6pm to 9pm. SendMeTheDrop lists them as walk-in or RSVP drops on its map, with the area and time, at sendmethedrop.com/london/art.
Find Thursday's openings
Private views go on the map as galleries drop them. The app tells you when one opens near you.
