Free And Cheap Things To Do This Week In London: 9-15 September 2024

Dog festivals, a museum late, and free vintage Routemaster rides

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.

Admire a new artwork at Hammersmith station

Dan Maier, whose artworks have previously given glow ups to Southgate, Hounslow West and Hatton Cross stations, unveils her latest piece in the main ticket hall at Hammersmith station on Monday. Over 1,300 glass bricks have been temporarily colourised with captivating yellows, blues and greens. The artwork should be around for a while, so go admire when you're next in the area.

Free, from 9 September

Get stuck into Gresham College's new season of free lectures

Established in 1537, Gresham College offers dozens of free lectures each year on all manner of topics, often hosted by top-of-their-field experts. The new season gets underway this week, with Professor of Astrophysics at the University of Oxford Chris Lintott talking about the Hubble Space Telescope (11 September) and composer and guitarist Milton Mermikides offering an insight into The Beatles' psychedelic era (12 September).

Keep an eye on the full schedule of upcoming talks -- at time of writing, topics span Shakespeare, the housing crisis, brain science, fossil fuels, black holes, robots and loads more. Plus, the events are usually livestreamed for free, so even if you can't be there in person, you can watch from home or wherever you happen to be.

Free, from 11 September.

Stay late at the Science Museum

The Science Museum Lates are back, this time with the theme 'Journey of Life'. The museum stays open later than normal, for adults only, for an evening on the subject of the progress that's been made in healthcare around the world, as well as the work that still needs to be done in this area. There are talks, workshops and games on this topic, including a look at how we can ensure equal and fair healthcare for all, as well as a silent disco, and a chance to explore the museum's usual displays and exhibits without the daytime crowds.

Free, 11 September.

See the Royal College of Physicians' new exhibition

Healthcare is also in the spotlight at the Royal College of Physicians near Regent's Park, which opens its new exhibition, Healing Words. It uses 'recipe books' (sometimes called 'receipt' or 'commonplace' books), which were detailed household manuals, usually written by women, which contained recipes for preparing and preserving food, household products, and medical remedies.

Here, they're used to offer an insight into unofficial medical information for less wealthy members of society who couldn't afford access to doctors, or to medical textbooks.

Free, from 11 September

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Visit the British Science Festival while it's in town

The British Science Festival pitches up at the University of East London, with 100 free events taking place across five days to celebrate scientific research and developments. Social media star Big Manny, and Olympic athletes Kelly Sotherton, Diane Modahl and Katherine Grainger are on the programme, along with researchers sharing their work on a range of topics through talks, activities, interactive events, installations, performances and more.

Free, 11-15 September.

Find out about working widows in 17th-century London

The London Archives offers an in-depth look into the lives of three women who lived and worked in the City of London in the latter part of the 17th century. Dr Jessica Ayres primarily uses documentary records from The London Archives to talk about the difficulties of being widowed and raising young children, all while working in as money lenders, landlords, or active traders in the City's livery companies.

Watch in person at the London Archives, or online via livestream.

Free, 12 September.

See the new Astronomy Photographer of the Year exhibition

This year's Astronomy Photographer of the Year exhibition gets underway at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich. See 100 of the best photographs of space taken in the past year, submitted by photographers from all over the world. The winning photo is announced on 12 September, before the exhibition opens the following day.

Free, from 13 September.

Delve into London's brewery archives

Another excellent-sounding offering from the London Archives this week, which launches a new series showcasing the materials it holds on specific themes. This time round, its shining the spotlight on its collection of records relating to brewing in the capital, including the archives of household names such as Whitbread, Trumans and Courage.

The materials are displayed for you to explore at your own pace, with staff on hand to answer your questions.

Free, 13 September

Make your way to Markfield Road Festival

Returning to South Tottenham, Markfield Road Festival is a free arts and music festival for all ages. Visit artists in their studios, take part in yoga, African drumming or life drawing sessions, watch live music performances or film screenings, and let the kids take part in a butterfly trail and other family-friendly activities. Browse the full programme to plan your weekend.

Free entry, 13-15 September.

Hitch a free ride on a vintage Routemaster bus

As part of the national Heritage Open Days programme, free rides on vintage Routemaster buses are being offered on two south London TfL routes this Saturday: the 61 between Bromley and Chislehurst, and the 261 between Lewisham and Locksbottom in Bromley. Open-platform Routemasters and RT-types from the 1950s/60s are being used, running in both directions on the routes approximately every 15 minutes.

Free, 14 September.

Take the kids to a paper sculpting workshop

Entice your kids away from the iPad for an hour or so, with this free paper sculpting workshop at Uncommon Holborn. The masterful Pauline Loctin will inspire your 5 to 10-year olds to fold colourful mini masterpieces. Snacks for kids, and teas and coffees for adults, are provided alongside the workshop. Book ahead.

Free, 14 September.

Take your dog along to The Big Woof... or Amazon Pet Fest

Free canine-centric festival The Big Woof is back at King's Cross, offering a whole programme of free events including workshops, masterclasses, dog shows, agility and scent courses, talks, and dog yoga. Dogs are welcome of course, and there's also a market selling all manner of dog-related products.

On the same weekend, Haggerston Park in east London hosts the Amazon Pet Fest, which has a splash pool, sensory trail, agility park and more. Sign up for free entry for you and your pooch.

Free, 14-15 September.

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