London's blockbuster exhibitions open now

Planning a cultural day out in the city? From Tracey Emin at Tate Modern to Lucian Freud at National Portrait Gallery, don't miss the biggest exhibitions in London open now.
London is home to one of the most vibrant art scenes in the world. Whether you're interested in major international artists, world history or the bright new stars of visual art, there's something on offer for every cultural appetite.
From visitor favourites such as Tate and the V&A to neighbourhood gems like Dulwich Picture Gallery, a rolling programme of must-see exhibitions runs throughout the year.
Here's our guide to some of the biggest blockbuster exhibitions in London right now.
Don't forget to pack your National Art Pass to get reduced-price entry at every venue, and check out our full listings for more upcoming exhibitions.
Discover some of the best exhibitions in London with an Art Pass

Tracey Emin: A Second Life
A generational icon, Tracey Emin transformed the public's perception of contemporary art in the 90s. In this major solo exhibition at Tate Modern, journey through 40 years of her unapologetic career and pioneering works. From painting to installation, witness how she blurs public and private boundaries to create confessional art that wrestles with passion, pain and healing.

Beatriz González
Beatriz González (1932-2026) was a pioneering sculptor and painter from Colombia who is considered one of Latin America's most important contemporary artists. In this major retrospective, marvel at over 150 of her bold and playful works of painting, sculpture and installation that draw on mass media and Western art to dissect our understanding of taste, power and current affairs.

Catherine Opie: To Be Seen
Drawing on art historical references and the history of portraiture, contemporary representations of home, family, identity and power are investigated in Catherine Opie's photographic portraits. In the first major museum exhibition of the American artist's work in the UK, journey through the past 30 years of her striking photography, capturing different community groups, from queer and artist communities to high school footballers and political groups.

Inside Aardman: Wallace & Gromit and Friends
From Wallace & Gromit to Chicken Run, Morph to Shaun the Sheep – step into the joyful world of Aardman. Discover how this iconic animation studio have mastered the craft of storytelling through sculpting plasticine to create some of our favourite characters. This family-friendly exhibition is bound to entertain kids and adults alike with interactive activities to guide you through the magic of stop motion filmmaking.

Lucian Freud: Drawing into Painting
Lucian Freud (1922-2011) is arguably one of Britain's most famous painters, particularly renowned for his raw and intense portraits of friends, family and lovers. This comprehensive exhibition spotlights a lesser known (but crucial) aspect of Freud's artistic practice – his lifelong commitment to drawing. Whether working with pencil, ink or charcoal, drawing enabled him to master portraiture on both canvas and paper.

Turner & Constable: Rivals & Originals
Come face-to-face with two of the most legendary landscape painters from Britain. JMW Turner and John Constable approached their paintings and their careers in bold and distinct ways, and they both experienced a lifelong rivalry in the art world. To mark 250 years since their births, this blockbuster exhibition reexamines their lives and legacies through their masterpieces, sketchbooks and personal items.

Wes Anderson: The Archives
From a pastel pink model of the Grand Budapest Hotel to original Fantastic Mr. Fox puppets, marvel at over 600 objects from Wes Anderson’s films. Drawing from extensive personal archives that Anderson has built over the last 30 years, uncover the iconic director’s dedication to his craft and cultivation of his distinct visual style.

Laura Lima: The Drawing Drawing
Discover a boundary-pushing artist from Brazil who works with sculpture, performance and public participation. Laura Lima has created an immersive sculptural installation at the ICA in London that recreates and subverts the traditional setup of a life drawing class. Since the 90s, Lima's transgressive works have challenged social norms and hierarchies by creating spaces for exhibition visitors to interact in unusual ways. And did you know? This is an Art Fund supported exhibition.

Wright of Derby: From the Shadows
Bask in the glow of Joseph Wright of Derby's mesmerising paintings in the National Gallery's first exhibition dedicated to this important British artist. Witness Wright's masterful ability to depict light and shadow, resulting in dramatic and luminous works that have captured audiences for centuries. And encounter scenes of scientific discovery, a subject matter that was not commonly recorded in 18th-century art.

Blitz: the club that shaped the 80s
Step into the Blitz, the legendary stomping ground for the New Romantics. While never explicitly a queer nightclub, this vibrant space welcomed the LGBTQ+ community and its key cultural figures, including Boy George, Marlilyn and Stephen Jones.In just two years, this testbed for 80s British subculture transformed pop culture and nurtured a generation of creatives into global superstars.

Nigerian Modernism
Discover the artists who transformed modern art in Nigeria during the 20th century, both before and after 1960, when the country gained independence from British colonial rule. From El Anatsui to the Zaria Art Society, this era of cultural rebellion saw artists and their networks flourish across the country, merging Nigerian, African and European techniques to create multilayered, energetic works.

A Grand Chorus: The Power of Music
Discover the transformative power of music in this exhibition spotlighting Handel's Hallelujah Chorus. Just one operatic rendition of 'Hallelujah' can conjure this iconic musical composition in lots of people's minds, making it one of the most popular and recognised pieces of music to ever be created. Musical instruments, works of art, archival materials and an immersive installation by Mikhail Karikis shed new light on the Baroque anthem.