This summer, High Street Kensington is offering families a packed programme of exhibitions, workshops and free performances. From creative sessions at the Design Museum and Japan House London, to free open-air opera and botanical and vintage markets, there’s something for every young explorer plus, a trapeze circus school and headline-grabbing summer shows from David Hockney and Cecily Brown at the Serpentine.
Top picks are listed below – find out more in the Kensington Summer Guide
Japanese exhibitions from fashion to photography
There are two notable exhibitions this summer for families with a love of Japanese culture, the Design Museum’s NIGO: From Japan with Love – a retrospective on the career of boundary pushing designer and creative director. Exploring his eclectic vision from streetwear to vintage Americana and traditional craft, the show features over 700 objects. Highlights include a recreation of NIGO’s teenage bedroom and a life-size glass tea house.
Then at Japan House London, Kyotographie is a thought-provoking free exhibition, featuring works by two of Japan’s most influential photographers – Kawada Kikuji and Iwane Ai. The exhibition includes Kawada’s seminal 1965 photobook Chizu (The Map), a powerful reflection on postwar Japan, alongside works from The Last Cosmology, which explores his fascination with celestial imagery. Marking her first major UK presentation, Iwane Ai showcases her award-winning series Kipuka, documenting the lives of Japanese immigrants in Hawaii. The show also features works from A New River, capturing hauntingly illuminated cherry blossoms in Japan’s Tōhoku region. Please note that this exhibition contains some challenging themes that may only be deemed suitable for older children and teenagers so we recommend reviewing the website before visiting. Families can discover more about the cultures of Japan with a series of workshops taking place between 21 July and 1 September. Each will enable participants to learn about Japan and unleash their creativity using original Japan House London worksheets. www.japanhouselondon.uk
Creative sessions at the Design Museum
Alongside the free family-friendly permanent displays and summer exhibitions programme (including Wes Anderson: The Archives which runs until 16 August), the Design Museum has a creative programme for children and teens.
Taking place from 28 July to 30 July, the museum’s Design Camps cover a range of topics from creating a shoe prototype to how to transform everyday plastic bags into fusible eco-friendly fabric that can be used for creative projects. The day-long designer-led sessions are aimed at 7-10 years and 11-14 years (tickets from £78pp including all equipment). https://designmuseum.org/whats-on/families-and-young-people
Opera Holland Park sings free Songs on the Steps performances
Families can head to Holland Park for 1pm on 17 and 31 July for a free taste of Opera Holland Park’s 2026 season. Songs on the Steps will feature new and familiar songs and arias certain to capture the imaginations of opera devotees and park passers-by – and an exciting musical trailer to the company’s summer line-up. www.operahollandpark.com
Adventure play, circus skills and picnics in High Street Kensington’s green spaces
Kensington Gardens with its peaceful meadows and serene pathways, is a great spot for family picnics. The Diana Memorial Playground, reopening shortly after a £3 million regeneration retaining the Peter Pan theme but incorporating more accessible and challenging physical play, is also great for families looking to run off some steam.
The Gardens are also home to the Gorilla Circus Trapeze School. Located in the Southwest Corner close to the Royal Albert memorial it offers two-hour beginner Level 1 classes. Running until 6th September they are open to those 8+. Lessons start from £38, with a five class pass from £200. For full details consult: flyingtrapezeschool.gorillacircus.com
Holland Park’s Adventure Playground is another great option for families looking to burn some energy featuring a zip wire, swings, slides, climbing frames and a sand pit.
Vintage and botanical finds at family-friendly markets
Vintage loving families can head to Phillimore Walk on Saturday 25th July for The Big Kensington Flea Market (10.30-4.30pm). Think statement fashion, rare finds, retro homeware, handpicked gems and pure vintage vibes.
Then on Saturday 1st August from 10.30am to 4.30pm, the Kensington Botanical Market offers rare and familiar houseplants, outdoor blooms, bulbs, botanical prints, ceramics, handmade planters, vintage garden furniture – all the small green-world wonders that make a home feel alive. Plant-based street food and drink will also be on offer.
https://highstreetkensington.co.uk/markets/
Family fun at Leighton House this summer
Tucked away near High Street Kensington, Leighton House was once the home and studio of Victorian artist Frederic, Lord Leighton and remains one of the area’s favourite hidden museums. Grade II listed, alongside the art works, it is famed for its striking Arab Hall adorned with decorative tiles plus a collection of beautiful ornaments the artist acquired on his travels.
As well as exploring the museum this summer, on 5th August (1-430pm) families can enjoy From the Majlis to the Midan: A Living Garden Gathering – an afternoon of joyful play and cultural connection in the museum’s garden. There will be tea and sweets plus timeless board games from backgammon to traditional Arab games like Al-Haija (hopscotch) and Al-Malaqi (tag) reimagined for all ages to enjoy. A live calligrapher will also be turning beautifully handwritten names and proverbs into keepsakes for visitors to take home. Cost £6. https://www.rbkc.gov.uk/museums/whats-on
Punjabi princess and suffragette icon Sophia Duleep Singh celebrated at Kensington Palace
Kensington Palace’s The Last Princesses of Punjab marks the 150th birthday of Princess Sophia Duleep Singh (Queen Victoria’s goddaughter) and a leading figure in the fight for women’s suffrage. The exhibition focuses on her life, the lives of her family members and those who influenced her. Visitors will follow a family profoundly altered by Empire, yet who became powerful agents for change. Contemporary responses from British South Asian women weave their voices into the narrative too making this a timely and compelling exploration of identity, resistance and legacy. The Last Princesses of Punjab is included in palace admission (tickets from £24.70 per adult and £12.40 children). For more information: https://www.hrp.org.uk/kensington-palace/whats-on/the-last-princesses-of-punjab
Free summer-long free exhibitions by David Hockney and Cecily Brown at the Serpentine
Reflecting the surrounding nature of Kensington Gardens, Serpentine is staging works by two prestigious artists this summer – David Hockney and Cecily Brown.
David Hockney: A Year in Normandie and some other thoughts about painting, invites viewers to slow down and notice the extraordinary within the everyday in his first exhibition at Serpentine. Created specifically for this presentation, the new paintings extend his lifelong fascination with the act of looking, affirming his belief that simple beauty is worth celebrating. The free exhibition brings Hockney’s celebrated panoramic frieze A Year in Normandie to London for the first time. Inspired by the Bayeux Tapestry, this monumental work captures the changing seasons at the artist’s former studio in Normandy. Running until 23rd August, the exhibition is free, though booking a ticket slot is recommended.
In Picture Making, Cecily Brown, known for her vigorous brushwork, vivid colour and dynamic compositions, focuses on themes of nature and park life. It features paintings inspired by Serpentine’s unique location in Kensington Gardens – a site of personal significance to the artist. The exhibition represents a homecoming for the British artist who has worked in New York for the past thirty years. Running to 6th September, entry is free, with time-slot entry pre-bookable. For more information https://www.serpentinegalleries.org
Kensington’s new map and guide to this summer’s cultural hotspots
High Street Kensington and South Kensington’s Cultural quarter have launched their annual summer guide featuring a beautifully illustrated map of the area and highlighting some must-see events, exhibitions and green spaces to discover across Kensington. For more information visit www.highstreetkensington.co.uk
