London Travel Guide: Top Events, Exhibitions, and Theatre Highlights This September

Visitors heading to London this September can look forward to a dynamic mix of cultural celebrations, world-class theatre, and brand-new dining experiences across the city.

【1-Day Tour Routes】Depart from London | Leeds Castle, Canterbury Cathedral & Dover Day Tour

Available tomorrow

HKD 794 Start

Book now

【1-Day Tour Routes】Departure from London | Leeds, Canterbury, White Cliffs & Greenwich Tour

Book today before 18:00

HKD 911 Start

Book now

Major Citywide Festivals and Events

Design and architecture take center stage with two major events wrapping up on 20 September. The London Design Festival features impressive installations, including a glowing light show on the exterior of St Paul's Cathedral. Meanwhile, the Open House architecture festival allows visitors free access to explore magnificent buildings across London that are usually closed to the public, along with guided tours.

Space enthusiasts can head to Greenwich for Moon Celebration Week, running until 20 September. Co-hosted by the National Maritime Museum and the Royal Observatory, the event features daily lunar tours, expert talks, an evening of astrophotography, and a Lego moon workshop.

Exhibitions and Art Highlights

Art lovers have access to several notable exhibitions concluding on 20 September:

• V&A South Kensington: Sacred Treasures from Kyiv showcases centuries-old Ukrainian sacred art from the National Preserve Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra for the first time in the UK.

• National Gallery: A free exhibition dedicated to Austrian painter Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller, featuring scenic landscapes of Salzkammergut, Sicily, and Vienna's Prater Park.

• Guildhall Art Gallery: Jock McFadyen's Underground (And Surface) displays large-scale paintings of the London Tube paired with custom soundscapes by Pogues musician Jem Finer.

• British Museum: A free display of 15th- and early 16th-century Early Netherlandish Drawings.

Elsewhere, Croydon's Clocktower complex hosts the free architecture exhibition Shaping Croydon: Architecture and Ambition, running through spring 2027.

West End Shows and Dining

Several acclaimed stage productions are entering their final performances through 19 September, including Andrew Lloyd Webber's CATS at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre, Mel Brooks' musical The Producers at the Garrick Theatre, and Mike Leigh's comedy Abigail's Party starring Tamzin Outhwaite at the Harold Pinter Theatre. Additionally, Southwark Playhouse Borough presents Night City through 3 October.

Foodies can check out Bulbul near Blackfriars, a new Indian regional cuisine restaurant by chef Rohan Dsouza and restaurateur Twinkle Keswani, featuring signature dishes like monkfish tikka and beef short ribs nihari.