Credit: Courtesy of brands
2 min read
Looking to save some pennies this month but still enjoy a fun start to 2025? Well, look no further.
London is famously not the most budget-friendly of cities. All those jokes about it costing a tenner just to step outside your front door would be funny, if they weren’t also tragically true. But we’re here to tell you that even if the price of a pint makes your eyes physically water, there are some free things you can do in the capital that are seriously enjoyable and won’t make a dent in your bank account.
From comedy shows in central London to film archives at the BFI, we’ve got a whole list of what’s on for free this January for you to choose from.
The National Gallery
There are sections of The National Gallery that are always free to the public, as well as lunchtime talks and workshops that are free to attend. Some of these talks include Reflecting on Van Gogh, Women in Focus and Stories of British Art.
The Top Secret Comedy Club
If you keep an eagle eye out, you’ll be able to catch some events at the famous ‘secret’ club free of charge or some that have £1 tickets, including Darran Griffiths: Work In Progress, Jenny Tian: Works On New Material and Eleanor Conway: No Strings Attached.
The Natural History Museum
As well as exploring the free sections of the gallery, there are also guided tours of the museum including several Women in Science tours across a range of sections.
Gigs at the Old Blue Last
The Old Blue Last has regular free music nights where you can get a load of some very cool bright young things and rising stars. And on Sundays, the Shoreditch pub hosts jazz sessions for free, too.
Looks Delicious! at Japan House London
Offering a look into the world of Japanese food, this new exhibition explores the history, materials and processes of creating replica foodstuffs. Each of Japan’s 47 prefectures is represented in this exhibition with a food replica specifically commissioned, with dishes ranging from Okinawan goya chanpuru (bitter melon stir fry) to the indigenous Ainu ohaw (soup with salmon).
Hard Graft: Work, Health and Rights at the Wellcome Collection
The new exhibition, Hard Graft, is the Wellcome Collection’s major free exhibition exploring work, health and rights. From prison labour to domestic work, from street vendors to sex workers, this show brings into focus working practices that may be marginalised, undervalued or unseen.
BFI’s Mediatheque
The Mediatheque at BFI Southbank is a national archive of over 95,000 titles from the BFI and is one of the world’s most significant and diverse collections of film and television. It’s also open to the public so whether you’re studying, researching or just want to be entertained, you can settle in and watch one of the many films available.
The Sir John Soane Museum
One of London’s more tucked away museums, the Sir John Soane is the beautiful house of one of the greatest English architects, John Soane. The museum has been kept as it was at the time of his death in 1837, and displays his vast collection of antiquities, furniture, sculptures, architectural models and paintings.
Images: courtesy of brands
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