What’s on at V&A South Kensington this summer 2024
This summer, the V&A Museum in London has an exciting lineup of exhibitions. Highlights include a tribute to fashion icon Naomi Campbell, an exploration of pop star Taylor Swift's fashion journey, and a showcase of Sir Elton John and David Furnish's photography collection. Here's your guide to the art exhibitions at the V&A Museum in South Kensington for Summer 2024.
Taylor Swift: Songbook Trail

Image still from willow music video, 2020. Courtesy of TAS Rights Management, LLC.
#FLODown: An exhibition dedicated to pop star Taylor Swift will be on display at V&A South Kensington in July. Featuring 16 iconic looks from her personal collection, the free exhibition vividly traces Swift's fashion evolution from her early days in country music to her global pop sensation status.Curated displays showcase the interplay between Swift's costumes and the V&A's rich collections, offering a compelling exploration of her creative journey and cultural influence. Click here for more.
Date: 27 July 2024 - 8 September 2024. Location: V&A South Kensington, Cromwell Rd, London SW7 2RL. Price: Free. vam.ac.uk.
Tropical Modernism: Architecture and Independence
Unity Hall, KNUST, Kumasi by John Owuso Addo and Miro Marasović - film still from Tropical Modernism_ Architecture and Independence, © Victoria and Albert Museum, London.jpegUnity Hall, KNUST, Kumasi by John Owuso Addo and Miro Marasović.
#FLODown: Tropical Modernism: Architecture and Independence examines the style pioneered by Maxwell Fry and Jane Drew in post-World War II West Africa and India. Stemming from British colonial influence, this minimalist architectural approach, tailored for tropical climates, became a symbol of progress and cultural independence for newly liberated nations.
Date: 2 March – 22 September 2024. Location: V&A South Kensington, Cromwell Rd, London SW7 2RL. Price: from £14. Book now.
Naomi: In Fashion

NAOMI is at the V&A, 22 June 2024 – 6 April 2025. Photographer Marco Bahler.
#FLODown: NAOMI: In Fashion celebrates Naomi Campbell's extraordinary 40-year career with over 100 iconic outfits. Highlights include her look from Sarah Burton's Alexander McQueen show, the pink Valentino ensemble worn at the 2019 Met Gala, and the infamous Vivienne Westwood platform shoes from her memorable 1993 catwalk mishap. The exhibition features designs by Versace, Anna Sui, Azzedine Alaïa, Burberry, Chanel, Jean Paul Gaultier, and Yves Saint Laurent, offering insights into Campbell's early career, activism, and support for emerging creatives, alongside striking fashion photography.
Click here for a visual preview.
Date: 22 June 2024 - 6 April 2025. Location: V&A South Kensington, Cromwell Rd, London SW7 2RL. Price: £18. Concessions available. Book now.
Click here for more fashion exhibitions to see in London right now.
Fragile Beauty: Photographs from the Sir Elton John and David Furnish Collection

David LaChapelle, Elton John, Egg On His Face, New York, 1999 © David LaChapelle.
#FLODown: Fragile Beauty: Photographs from the Sir Elton John and David Furnish Collection features over 300 rare prints from modern and contemporary photography. Spanning from the 1950s onwards, the exhibition showcases works by Nan Goldin, Robert Mapplethorpe, Cindy Sherman, and others. It explores themes such as fashion, celebrity, and significant historical moments like the Civil Rights movement and AIDS activism. The collection includes intimate portraits of icons like Marilyn Monroe and Aretha Franklin, celebrating both poignant and uplifting moments in time, alongside images of gay joy and resilience.
Click here for a visual preview.
Date: 18 May 2024 - 5 January 2025. Location: V&A South Kensington, Cromwell Rd, London SW7 2RL. Price: From £20. Concessions available. Under 12s Free. Book now.
Noreen, a newly opened Middle Eastern restaurant in St Christopher’s Place, offers a standout dining experience with bold flavours and beautifully presented dishes. Surrounded by the charm of cobbled streets and alfresco energy, it’s a place worth seeking out…
Pippin’s is a new Modern British restaurant located within the recently opened Hotel Templeton Garden in Earl’s Court. Tucked away on a quiet, elegant street of Victorian terraces, the restaurant offers a refined dining experience in a peaceful yet well-connected part of London…
There’s so much happening in London this week, from outdoor exhibitions like Sculpture in the City and music highlights like BBC Proms and Somerset House Summer Series, to unique experiences such as the Lord Mayor’s Hot Air Balloon Regatta…
This September, the Southbank Centre presents We Should Have Never Walked On The Moon, a groundbreaking new collaboration between Rambert and Ballet national de Marseille, under the direction of (LA)HORDE…
London’s food scene is always evolving, and this July brings a fresh wave of exciting places to discover. With new restaurant openings, seasonal menus, chef collaborations, and a mix of relaxed terraces and late-night hotspots. Whether you’re craving modern British cuisine, Middle Eastern flavours, classic Italian…
Manchester International Festival got underway on Thursday (3 July), under the directive to ‘dream differently’, the Festival this year is set out to inspire fresh perspectives and challenge conventional thought.…
In 2026, London’s art scene will be defined by a series of compelling exhibitions celebrating pioneering female artists and influential creative voices. The Tate will lead with a programme featuring landmark shows, including a major survey of Tracey Emin, tracing four decades of…
The David Bowie Centre at V&A East Storehouse, opening on 13 September 2025, will bring visitors closer than ever to the life, work and creative vision of one of the most influential artists of modern times. More than 90,000 items from Bowie’s personal archive will be housed in the new centre…
Each summer, Henley-on-Thames plays host to the Henley Royal Regatta, an event that is as much a celebration of British sporting excellence as it is a fixture on the social calendar. Renowned worldwide for its rich heritage and competitive rowing, the regatta draws top crews and thousands of spectators…
Judith Clark is a curator and fashion exhibition-maker, and currently Professor of Fashion and Museology at the University of the Arts London. She lectures on the MA Fashion Curation and is a founding Director of the Centre for Fashion Curation. From 1997 to 2002, she ran London’s first experimental fashion gallery in Notting Hill…
The timing of this exhibition could not be better. At the end of a long winter, and egging on London’s reluctant spring, the Saatchi Gallery brings us FLOWERS in full bloom…
Missed out on Wimbledon 2025 tickets? Don’t worry – you can still enjoy the magic of this iconic British summer event right here in London. From 30 June to 13 July, big screens will be set up across the city, broadcasting all the live action from SW19…
The Royal Academy Summer Show has returned for its 257th exhibition. Curated under the theme of ‘Dialogues,’ the 2025 edition is coordinated by internationally acclaimed architect and Royal Academician Farshid Moussavi and explores art’s capacity to forge dialogues and build sensitivity towards societal concerns such as ecology, survival and living together…
Marylebone’s best-kept secret, Portman Square Garden, is once again set to bloom with life and laughter as Summer in the Square returns in July 2025. Now in its 11th year, this free community festival transforms the usually private garden into a lively…
The South London Gallery will open Thrill, Fill, Spill, a major solo exhibition by internationally acclaimed artist Yto Barrada, on 26 September 2025. Renowned for her cross-disciplinary practice that weaves together sculpture, textiles, film and painting…
Tate Modern will unveil Nigerian Modernism, the first major UK exhibition to chart the evolution of modern art in Nigeria. Opening in October 2025, the show will present more than 250 works by over 50 artists, exploring a rich period from colonial rule through independence and into the global present…
The South London Gallery will open Thrill, Fill, Spill, a major solo exhibition by internationally acclaimed artist Yto Barrada, on 26 September 2025. Renowned for her cross-disciplinary practice that weaves together sculpture, textiles, film and painting…
Oskar Zięta is an architect, process designer and artist whose work challenges the boundaries between disciplines. His practice brings together design, engineering, art and bionics to create sculptural forms. His latest installation, ‘Whispers’, is currently on display outside One New Ludgate as part of the London Festival of Architecture 2025…
The Park Corner Brasserie, running under the culinary leadership of Chefs Jean Didier and Anthony Marshall, who serve up refined British fare with seasonal flair from an attractive state of the art kitchen. The menu is delightfully diverse, satisfying everyone’s taste. From a juicy Park Corner Burger to a Dover Sole and even a Slow Cooked Barbary Duck Leg…
The London Design Biennale 2025 has officially opened at Somerset House, running from 5–29 June, bringing together over 40 pavilions from around the world in a bold celebration of global creativity. Now in its fifth edition, this year’s Biennale is curated by Artistic Director Dr Samuel Ross MBE, an award-winning British designer…
Danny Larsen is a Norwegian artist who has transitioned from a successful career in professional snowboarding to establishing himself as a distinctive painter. His detailed neo-pointillist landscapes reflect a deep connection to nature and a personal journey of transformation. Ahead of his debut London solo exhibition…
Renowned Chef Rohit Ghai and business partner Abhi Sangwan have joined forces to open Vatavaran, the newest luxury Indian dining destination in Knightsbridge last autumn, after launching Kutir and Manthan. Chef Ghai has also worked at acclaimed restaurants Benares, Trishna, Gymkhana and Jamavar…
The 25th Serpentine Pavilion for 2025, “A Capsule in Time”, designed by celebrated Bangladeshi architect and educator Marina Tabassum, and her firm, Marina Tabassum Architects (MTA), opens on 6 June at the Serpentine South Gallery lawn…
Lindokuhle Sobekwa is a South African photographer from Katlehong, Johannesburg. Since his first exhibition in 2013, his work on social issues and personal histories—like his photo essay Nyaope—has gained international recognition. A member of Magnum Photos, Sobekwa was recently awarded the 2025 Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation Prize for his project I carry Her Photo with Me…
We like nothing more than finding a wonderful neighbourhood restaurant that is so good it is worth travelling to even when you may not live in its environs. La Poule au Pot (est 1962) is such a restaurant. Not only that, but it will save yourself a trip to France…
June in London is a magical time as the city settles into its summer stride with long days, sunny terraces and fresh seasonal menus. From charming French bistros and intimate wine spots to Veuve Clicquot champagne terraces and trusty Italian cuisine served in lively dining rooms…
The National Gallery has opened Supporters’ House, a new members’ space designed for socialising, dining and unwinding just moments from the heart of the collection. Housed in the beautifully restored former curatorial offices on the ground floor of the Wilkins Building, this is the first time the Gallery has offered a dedicated space for its members and patrons…
Nestled in the bustling heart of London's Piccadilly mere seconds from the tweed suited swagger of Burlington Arcade, the grandeur of Fortnum & Mason and world class art at the Royal Academy sirs the newly opened Cicchetti Piccadilly, a family-run mini empire of reliably elegant Italian eateries…
On Saturday 31 May 2025, the V&A East Storehouse officially opens its doors, offering a revolutionary new museum experience in the heart of East London. Located within the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park’s East Bank cultural district, this unique facility is not just a store but a fully immersive public space…
