London · RAINY DAYS

Indoor things to do in London.

Choose a collection, a design museum or a live performance and let it set the pace of a rainy day. These ideas are grouped around places you can actually plan a visit to.

Editorial illustration: design objects in softly lit display cases
Illustrative editorial image · Image credits

Choose an area first

Use South Kensington for a V&A visit, Euston Road for Wellcome Collection, or east London for Young V&A and the Storehouse. At the Storehouse, bags and wet coats go into lockers before you enter the collection.

01

South Kensington · Art & galleries

V&A South Kensington

Design, fashion and objects from daily life, collected across centuries. Choose a few galleries rather than trying to see everything.

General admission is free. Open daily 10am–5.45pm, and Friday until 10pm; some galleries close earlier.

Cromwell Road, London SW7 2RL

02

Bethnal Green · Family & kids

Young V&A

A museum built around imagination, play and design. A place to make a family outing about creating and exploring.

General admission is free. The V&A lists daily opening from 10am–5.45pm, with galleries closing from 5pm.

Cambridge Heath Road, London E2 9PA

03

Hackney Wick · Art & galleries

V&A East Storehouse

Explore a different side of a museum: collection storage and objects in a working cultural space in east London.

Free general admission without booking. Open daily 10am–6pm, with late opening until 10pm on Thursday and Saturday. Bags and coats go in the free lockers before entering the collection.

2 Parkes Street, London E20 3AX

04

Euston · Museums

Wellcome Collection

Exhibitions, books and conversations about health and human experience, opposite the Euston area.

Permanent and temporary exhibitions are free. The visit page separates gallery, library and other opening times.

183 Euston Road, London NW1 2BE

05

South Bank · Music & performance

Southbank Centre

Concerts, performance and cultural events on the South Bank. Follow the programme to find a reason to come back.

Tickets and access depend on the event or exhibition. Use the official programme to choose a date.

Belvedere Road, London SE1 8XX

Make it your own day

The V&A's London venues are in different neighbourhoods. Choose South Kensington, Bethnal Green or Stratford rather than trying to fit all of them into one afternoon.

Use the official programme for temporary exhibitions, closures and any booking requirements. Save a place from its page to keep it on your list.

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