Best of Art, Culture & Festive Things to Do This Winter in London

Winter in London is its own kind of magic — candlelit museums, glowing galleries, misty walks, and evenings that feel softer, slower, and full of atmosphere. Each week brings a fresh discovery. And this year, we’re going beyond visual art — adding winter rituals, storytelling, live music, architectural gems, and playful adventures across the city, so you can make the most of the season! From museums and hidden galleries to Christmas carols and markets and artist talks, here’s your guide to the top things to do this winter!

On top of that, we’re launching a special pass for the whole festive period with perks aplenty with Nimi Advent Pass: a handpicked lineup of art, music, history, and festive experiences that make December feel rich and intentional.

Now, let’s dive in! 👇🏾

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🎪 Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair

The UK’s largest celebration of contemporary printmaking returns with a dynamic mix of established and emerging artists. Spanning editions, experimental techniques, and bold new voices, the fair brings together hundreds of works under one roof — perfect for collectors, the print-curious, or anyone who loves seeing how artists push the boundaries of paper and ink. Expect an energetic atmosphere, a diversity of styles, and plenty of surprising discoveries.

Dates: 16–19 November 2025

More info: https://www.woolwichprintfair.com

Nimi is going to the Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair on 16 November at 11:00 AM. Want to join? Book here →

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📽️🫓 An Evening with Studio Lenca at Old Sessions House

Old Sessions House — a restored 18th-century courthouse in Clerkenwell — hosts an evening blending contemporary art, music, and food. Studio Lenca’s practice explores migration, folklore, and identity through video, performance and storytelling. The evening includes freshly made Salvadoran pupusas, a live performance by Colombian musician Montañera, and a screening of the artist’s newest video work. Presentations run at 7:30pm and 8:30pm, offering an intimate chance to hear directly about the themes, influences, and lived histories behind the work.

More info: https://www.instagram.com/studiolenca/

Nimi is going to An Evening with Studio Lenca on 21 November at 7:00 PM. Want to join? Book here →

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🌸🌼🌺 Winter Flowers Late — Garden Museum

The Garden Museum’s annual Winter Flowers Late transforms its historic nave into an immersive celebration of seasonal botanicals. Five leading floral designers reinterpret winter through installations made entirely with British-grown flowers and sustainable materials. The evening includes live music, a hands-on creative workshop, and after-hours access to Rory McEwen: Nature’s Song — creating a peaceful, sensory atmosphere inside one of London’s most beautiful museum spaces.

More info: https://gardenmuseum.org.uk/

Nimi is going to Winter Flowers Late on 27 November at 6:30 PM. Want to join? Book here →

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🖼️ Howard Hodgkin: In a Public Garden — Pitzhanger Manor

This landmark exhibition brings together over 60 prints and paintings by Howard Hodgkin, spanning five decades of the artist’s career. Installed across Pitzhanger’s contemporary gallery and historic Manor House, the works explore gesture, memory, and emotional resonance. Seen within Pitzhanger’s warm light and architectural charm, the pieces feel intimate and deeply personal — a rare chance to see a major print retrospective in a historic London setting.

More info: https://www.pitzhanger.org.uk/

Nimi is going to Howard Hodgkin: In a Public Garden on 4 December at 5:30 PM. Want to join? Book here →

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🎄🍷 A Victorian Christmas at Sambourne House

Sambourne House — the preserved home of Victorian illustrator Linley Sambourne — becomes a festive time capsule each December. Rooms are decorated for the season, and costumed guides bring Victorian winter traditions, family rituals, and holiday customs to life. The tour begins with refreshments and a short introductory film before guests move through the house’s narrow staircases and atmospheric rooms. A softly lit, immersive way to experience Christmas past.

More info: https://sambournehouse.org

Nimi is going to A Victorian Christmas at Sambourne House on 11 December at 6:00 PM. Want to join? Book here →

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🔍🎁 Nimi Advent Scavenger Hunt @ Tate Modern

A fast-paced, clue-based scavenger hunt that takes you through the Tate Modern’s vast collection — from painting and sculpture to performance remnants and digital works. Teams work against the clock to decode clues and locate artworks across the museum. It’s a lively, slightly chaotic, always joyful way to explore contemporary art in one of London’s most iconic spaces.

Nimi is organising the Advent Scavenger Hunt at Tate Modern on 12 December at 6:30 PM. Want to join? Book here →

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🎄🎅 Soane Late: A Georgian Christmas

Sir John Soane’s Museum transforms into a candlelit Georgian household for this annual festive Late. Visitors move through the architect’s home illuminated by warm light, accompanied by storytelling from historical interpreters and live choral music. Expect insight into Georgian winter rituals, preserved period interiors, and a beautifully atmospheric experience inside one of London’s most extraordinary houses.

More info: https://www.soane.org/

Nimi is going to Soane Late: A Georgian Christmas on 19 December at 7:30 PM. Want to join? Book here →

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🎁 Guildhall Christmas Market

Held inside the historic Guildhall, this annual market in support of the British Red Cross brings together artisan stalls, festive homeware, seasonal food and unique gifts within a medieval setting. One of London’s most charming winter markets — ideal for meaningful Christmas shopping.

More info: https://www.redcross.org.uk/get-involved/fundraising-and-events/guildhall-christmas-market

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More Winter Museum & Gallery Recommendations

Mona Hatoum — Barbican Centre

A rare pairing brings Mona Hatoum’s evocative installations into dialogue with Alberto Giacometti’s sculptural language. Hatoum’s work blends tension, fragility, and political consciousness, while the Barbican’s raw architecture deepens the experience. A perfect outing if one person loves visual art and the other prefers performance or architecture — the Barbican always has plenty to explore.

Dates: 3 September 2025 – 11 January 2026

More info: https://www.barbican.org.uk/whats-on/2025/event/encounters-giacometti-x-mona-hatoum

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Karimah Ashadu: Tendered — Camden Art Centre

Ashadu’s films and installations explore labour, movement, and the body with poetic clarity. Camden Art Centre’s bright galleries and garden spaces offer a serene backdrop for her thoughtful, slow-building visual language — ideal for a calm winter afternoon.

Dates: 10 October 2025 – 22 March 2026

Link: https://camdenartcentre.org/whats-on/tendered

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Howardena Pindell — White Cube Bermondsey

A pivotal figure in American art, Pindell blends abstraction with themes of race, memory, and personal archive. This exhibition brings together decades of work, and White Cube’s expansive rooms give her textured, meticulous surfaces the attention they deserve.

Dates: 21 November 2025 – 18 January 2026

Link: https://www.whitecube.com/gallery-exhibitions/howardena-pindell-bermondsey-2025

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Marie-Antoinette: Style & Legacy — V&A

This exhibition explores the life and legend of Marie Antoinette through fashion, portraiture, decorative arts, and the politics of image. Expect opulence, mythmaking, and a deeper look at the queen who shaped centuries of aesthetic influence.

Dates: 20 September 2025 – 22 March 2026

Link: https://www.vam.ac.uk/exhibitions/marie-antoinette

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Kerry James Marshall — Royal Academy

A major survey of Kerry James Marshall, one of the most influential painters of our time. Expect monumental works on Black history, visibility, and representation — powerful, moving, and beautifully composed. A must-see.

Dates: 20 September 2025 – 18 January 2026

Link: https://www.royalacademy.org.uk/exhibition/kerry-james-marshall

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Joy Gregory: Catching Flies with Honey — Whitechapel Gallery

Gregory’s exhibition unites photography, installation, and storytelling to explore identity, beauty, and overlooked histories. A perfect East London mini-stroll — especially if you pair it with a visit to Public Gallery and a stop at the women-led Alba Café onsite.

Dates: 8 October 2025 – 1 March 2026

Link: https://www.whitechapelgallery.org/exhibitions/joy-gregory-catching-flies-with-honey/

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Candice Lin: g/hosti — Whitechapel Gallery

Blending myth, science, and colonial histories, Candice Lin’s immersive installations invite slow looking and sensory engagement. Atmospheric and layered — ideal for winter when you want something contemplative and absorbing.

Dates: 8 October 2025 – 1 March 2026

Link: https://www.whitechapelgallery.org/exhibitions/candice-lin-g-hosti/

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Emily Kam Kngwarray — Tate Modern

A major presentation of Emily Kam Kngwarray’s vast, vibrant paintings exploring Country, kinship, and connection. Monumental scale, deep colour, and a rare chance to see one of Australia’s most important Indigenous artists at Tate Modern.

Dates: Until 11 January 2026

Link: https://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-modern/emily-kam-kngwarray

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Cecil Beaton’s Fashionable World — National Portrait Gallery

This exhibition brings together portraits, fashion photography, and ephemera from Cecil Beaton’s world of glamour, theatre, and society culture. A stylish winter outing — elegant, uplifting, and rich in visual storytelling.

Dates: 9 October 2025 – 11 January 2026

Link: https://www.npg.org.uk/whatson/exhibitions/2025/cecil-beaton/

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