Free And Cheap Things To Do This Week In London: 28 October-3 November 2024

Things to do for a fiver or less.

Budget-friendly things to do in London this week for £5 or less.

Looking for more free things to do in London? Here are 102 of em! We've also compiled this epic map of free stuff in London.

Take a virtual trip around haunted London

From the folks who brought us the utterly addictive Metro Memory comes a new, scarily-themed game just in time for Halloween. Haunted London is as simple as checking out a photo of London, then trying to pin where it is on a map. Naturally, the further you progress, the trickier it becomes. Oh, and every location reveals another virtual monster...

Free.

See costumes used in the new film Blitz

Costumes from Steve McQueen's latest film, Blitz — set in London at the height of the Second World War — are currently on display in the ground level foyer of the Barbican Centre. Designed by Academy Award and BAFTA winning costume designer Jacqueline Durran, they were worn by Saoirse Ronan, Elliott Heffernan and Paul Weller.

Free, until 22 November.

Enter your email below to get free and cheap goodness in your inbox every week!

Subscribed

Learn about the history of modern Paganism

Wednesday's Gresham College lecture looks at why paganism became popular again during the Victorian and Edwardian eras, and how ancient paganism was viewed during that period. Some people admired the religion, while others viewed it as ignorant, resulting in it being reshaped to fit with new ideas at the time.

Watch in person at Barnard's Inn Hall, or online.

Free, 30 October.

Get the lowdown on the US election

Ahead of the US election next week, Boston-based US political history expert Dr. James D. Boys, and assistant professor in the School of Public Policy (SPP) at the London School of Economics Alexandra Cirone share their thoughts on the state of the election race, and what a potential Trump or Harris victory could mean for the US, its foreign policy... and the rest of the world. The free event is hosted at the UCL Institute of Archaeology in Bloomsbury.

Free, 31 October.

Stay late at the Science Museum... on Halloween

This month's Science Museum Late happens to fall on Halloween, meaning we can expect an evening of spooky science and terrifying tech. Learn about the science of phobias, nature's real-life monsters, or how to survive a zombie attack. Or if that's all a bit scary, browse the usual displays and exhibitions, and get moving at the silent disco.

Free, 31 October.

Visit a special shrine in Stoke Newington

Celebrate the lives of lost loved ones in an illuminated art trail of memorial shrines at Stoke Newington's Abney Park. The shrines feature over 1,000 photos, stories and tributes from contributors all over London. Project Altar is free to enter during the day, with child-friendly half term activities and dog walking routes.

Free during the day, 31 October-3 November. By night, it's ticketed.

Get creative at the V&A

The V&A opens its doors for BOOST! Family Festival, a day of creative activities including zine making, make-up workshops and costume making activities — including a chance to parade through the galleries in your new costume.

Free, 2 November.

Watch classic cars making their way to the coast

The Veteran Car Run sees more than 100 pre-1905 vehicles setting off from London to Brighton. You'll have to be up early to cheer them on — they begin leaving Hyde Park around 7am, heading through Lambeth towards Croydon, and onward to the coast.

Free, 3 November.

Celebrate Elmer the Elephant's birthday

Beloved David McKee character Elmer the Elephant celebrates his 35th anniversary with a special party at Southbank Centre, part of the final day of London Literature Festival. Party games, a DJ and art and craft activities are provided in honour of the colourful patchwork pachyderm.

Free, 3 November.

Share

Visit a recreation of a legendary chocolate house

This week is your last chance to see Chocolate House Greenwich, an exhibition recreating Grace and Thomas Tosier's famous 'royal' Chocolate House, once located on the edge of Blackheath, in an area which became known as Chocolate Row. The exhibition also delves into how Greenwich became a hub for astronomy, science and culture.

£3, until 3 November.

Entertain the family on the cheap during half term

Kids off school and in need of entertainment? Our guide to spending half term in London has you covered. We've even included a section with free things to do, helpful if you're watching the pennies. Top of the list (if the weather's on your side, that is) has got to be one of London's free playgrounds. We've mapped them, so you can find your nearest whenever there's steam that needs letting off.

Wander past London's newest light installations

Brighten up the dark nights with a visit to the City's two new sound and light installations.

Glow, outside Principal Place on Bishopsgate, is a series of spherical light posts, each one touch-sensitive, playing a unique sound when pressed. Altogether, the sculpture has 40 different musical sounds available, accompanied by interactive lighting animations, so you can create your own composition. That should entertain the kids for a while.

Meanwhile Trumpet Flowers outside Citypoint (near Moorgate station) is a series of giant trumpet-shaped lights which you can walk through, some over two metres tall. An original jazz composition by the Sydney-based Otis Studio accompanies the installation.

Free, until 6 January.

© 2024 Londonist: Things To Do
hello@londonist.com
Unsubscribe