The exhibitions you must see this December
From immersive installations to historic paintings, here's our seven top exhibitions opening across the UK this month to get you out of the house and into some culture.
How is December here already? If you promised yourself that 2025 would be the year that you'd see more exhibitions but you struggled to keep the momentum up – we've got you. We know how much harder it can be to convince yourself out of the house when the weather's cold and the days are short. But since spending time with art is actually good for your health and wellbeing, winter is actually the perfect time to visit a museum or gallery.
So, to provide you with the inspiration you need, we've handpicked some of the best exhibitions opening across the UK this December. Step into the wonderful world of Wes Anderson's films, discover a pioneering 20th-century ceramicist, or meet a Victorian sisterhood who had a huge influence on artistic and literary circles.
And if you're feeling the pinch before Christmas, don't forget to pack a National Art Pass to make savings at all seven venues.
What are some of the best exhibitions I can see with an Art Pass?
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.
Playing with Fire: Edmund de Waal and Axel Salto
Axel Salto was a pioneering 20th-century potter from Denmark who created expressive works inspired by organic forms. Don't miss this major exhibition dedicated to Salto at the Hepworth Wakefield. Curated by ceramicist and writer Edmund de Waal, the exhibition spotlights Salto's unique approach to their shared craft, and includes a new installation by de Waal that reveals how Salto continues to inspire his practice.
William Nicholson
Marvel at paintings of still lifes, portraits and landscapes by William Nicholson in the first major exhibition dedicated to the British artist. Beyond his painting career, you'll uncover Nicholson's work as a graphic designer and illustrator, and you'll witness original drawings for the iconic children's book, The Velveteen Rabbit.
Bridget Riley: Learning to See
Step into Bridget Riley's world of optical illusions where spots, stripes and other patterns dance around on her iconic canvases. Riley's paintings from the 1960s to today unveil into her commitment to examining the representation of colour, form and rhythym through the use of repeated motifs.
Women of Influence: The Pattle Sisters
Meet the seven sisters who transformed 19th-century society and culture. The esteemed Victorian photographer Julia Margaret Cameron is today regarded as the most well-known of the sisters. But, this exhibition unveils how all of them left an enduring mark on culture, due to their Anglo-Indian heritage and their dedication to artistic experimentation and intellectual exchange.
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.
Emilija Škarnulytė
Immerse yourself in films and installations by Emilija Škarnulytė, an artist who blends documentary with myhthology to examine the history of the earth, our role in society and invisible systems. The artist often appears in her films as a hybrid creature that is half human and half fish, and that swims through waters, from hydroelectic plants to the Amazon.