The first weekend of the summer turns London into a veritable playground for gallery-hoppers. London Gallery Weekend began as a WhatsApp group during the pandemic, born from a spirit of mutual support among the city’s commercial gallerists new and old. It has since grown into one of the most anticipated events on our cultural calendar. Its fifth edition, running from June 6 – 8, brings together 126 participating galleries, 11 of which are newly established. The program is organized by region—Central, South, and East—with extended hours, curated tours, openings and talks. In the evening, guests have their pick of sleek dinners, musical gigs, parties, and after-parties across the city—so practice the art of hailing a black cab, and pack an extra outfit into your luggage. Below are my highlights from this year’s LGW alongside the best museum shows, theater productions, new dining options, and out-of-town escapes worth the journey to complement your stay in the city.
GALLERY SHOWS
Invisible Sculpture by Bruce McLean in “In Plain Sight”
Where: Luxembourg + Co
When: June 6 – July 19
Why It’s Worth a Look: In this group show exploring recent conceptual usages of sculpture comes a wry gesture from one of Britain’s most influential artists in the medium. First made in 1969, Bruce McLean’s Invisible Sculpture consists of photographs of the artist pointing, from multiple viewpoints, to an empty space where the sculpture “is.” A conceptual interrogation on the limits of artistic practice awaits.
Know Before You Go: McLean studied at the former Saint Martin’s School of Art under Anthony Caro, and was known for satirizing the pomp of the art world.
“Auf Falscher Seite in die Falsche Richtung (On the Wrong Side in the Wrong Direction)” by Gregor Hildebrandt
Where: Almine Rech
When: June 6 – July 26
Why It’s Worth a Look: Presented as a mini-retrospective, this exhibition surveys 25 years of the Berlin artist’s practice, which is known for using cassette tapes, vinyl, and VHS to explore themes of memory and obsolescence. A highlight is the dramatic black tangle D’Amore, 2023, inspired by Dino Risi’s 1981 film Fantasma d’amore.
Know Before You Go: The show opens with a live performance by ROSIN on June 6, and includes Hildebrandt’s rare figurative triptychs based on lost psych-pop album artwork.
“In the House” by Jennifer Bartlett
Where: Pippy Houldsworth Gallery
When: June 6 – July 5
Why It’s Worth a Look: This is the first U.K. presentation of Bartlett’s work since the 1980s. The American conceptual artist rose to prominence in the 1970s with her seminal work Rhapsody—a 987-panel enamel piece now in the MoMA collection. The show is the second in a trilogy including “On the Water” (at Marianne Boesky, last March) and “In the Woods” (at Paula Cooper Gallery, later this year).
Know Before You Go: Bartlett’s daughter, Alice Carrière, recently published a harrowing memoir about growing up in her mother’s conceptual home-studio.
“Norbert Schwontkowski”
Where: Champ Lacombe
When: June 6 – September 6
Why It’s Worth a Look: Marking the London debut of Schwontkowski's work, the show reflects on our need for solitude and reflection. This presents a rare opportunity to see the German painter's introspective art in the United Kingdom.
Know Before You Go: Champ Lacombe is a contemporary art gallery with locations in London and Biarritz. The exhibition will subsequently move to its French outpost on June 14.
MUSEUM SHOWS
“Walk the House” by Do Ho Suh
Where: Tate Modern
When: Through October 19
Why It’s Worth a Look: Spanning three decades of the Korean-born artist’s work, this exhibition is centered on vast fabric sculptures that trace and merge, in one fluid motion, Suh's life journey from Seoul to New York, Berlin, and finally London. It's a deeply meditative experience, exploring how our identities shift, our memories fade, and the meaning of home changes all the time.
Know Before You Go: The structures on view are based on the real places Suh has lived, measured precisely to the nearest inch—including his childhood hanok in Seoul. Each is hand-sewn and crafted from fabric and thread.
V&A East Storehouse
Where: Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park
When: Ongoing
Why It’s Worth a Look: The Victoria and Albert Museum is one of London's most historic institutions. But its new outpost, which opened May 31, offers an entirely new kind of museum experience. The Storehouse provides behind-the-scenes access to more than 250,000 objects from the V&A's collection, with visible storage, conservation areas, and rotating highlights on display. The space combines public galleries with working labs and open archives.
Know Before You Go: The site forms part of the wider East Bank cultural quarter, alongside institutions such as Sadler’s Wells and the BBC in London's 2012 Olympic Park. Entry is free.
DAY TRIPS FROM LONDON
“Niki de Saint Phalle & Jean Tinguely: Myths & Machines”
Where: Hauser & Wirth Somerset
When: Through February 1, 2026
Why It’s Worth a Look: In the gallery built into Durslade Farm, a joint survey of these playful sculptors from 1930s Europe features kinetic installations, works on paper, and collaborative sculptures that celebrate the pair's relationship. Combine the show with a meal at Da Costa, an Italian restaurant that uses freshly grown, seasonal ingredients from the farm.
Know Before You Go: Their monumental installation Hon – en katedral, 1966, was once entered via the figure’s vagina.
While You’re There: Take a walk around Oudolf Field—a perennial meadow designed by Piet Oudolf, an internationally renowned landscape designer from the Netherlands. Bruton, the nearby town, is known for its craft and gallery scene and pubs that date back to the 13th century.
“Mothering” by Caroline Walker
Where: The Hepworth Wakefield
When: Through October 27
Why It’s Worth a Look: A two-hour train ride from London, in the Hepworth's David Chipperfield-designed building on Wakefield's River Calder, one can find the first institutional show for a key name in London's Wet Paint movement, the Scottish-born artist who creates figurative paintings of the unseen women who keep society moving—hotel cleaners, nurses, care home workers, kitchen staff—expanding her ever-evolving interests in cultural visibility, class structures, and contemporary feminism.
Know Before You Go: In the Hepworth’s permanent galleries, you'll find works spanning Barbara Hepworth’s career, from early carvings to bronzes made after World War II. Also included are personal photographs, studio sketches, and archival letters that shed light on the modern artist's upbringing in the cathedral Yorkshire city.
While You’re There: Visit the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, just a short cab ride away, where works by Henry Moore, Andy Goldsworthy, Ai Weiwei, and James Turrell are situated in 500 acres of 18th-century parkland.
THEATER
The Crucible
Where: Shakespeare’s Globe
When: Through July 12
Why It’s Worth a Look: At the original home of Shakespeare, Arthur Miller’s play is given a fresh staging by Ola Ince, updating its themes of paranoia and scapegoating for today's era of algorithmic disinformation.
Know Before You Go: This is the first time Miller’s drama has been staged at the Globe.
London Road
Where: National Theatre (Olivier)
When: June 7 – 21
Why It’s Worth a Look: This verbatim musical, based on interviews with Ipswich residents the Suffolk city recovered from a spate of serial murders of sex workers in 2006, returns to the National Theatre on London's South Bank in a new production.
Know Before You Go: The original 2011 production won Best Musical at the Critics’ Circle Awards and was made into an award-winning film.
While You’re There: Buy a book of poetry from the street sellers by the British Film Institute, or read over a beer in the Riverfront bar.
RESTAURANTS
Bibi
Where: Mayfair
Why It’s Worth a Look: One of the city's most exciting dining experiences, Bibi is an Indian restaurant that doesn't serve curry. Chef Chet Sharma blends traditional subcontinental cookery with an experimental approach.
Know Before You Go: Order a Calamansi Margarita and Dhokla before taking in the menu, and don’t miss Sharma's Lahori Chicken, made from his grandfather's original recipe.
Akoko
Where: Fitzrovia
Why It’s Worth a Look: Steeped in the huge influence of West Africa on modern London culture, Akoko gained a Michelin star in 2024 under its founder, British-Nigerian chef Ayo Adeyemi, who recently left the city for Singapore. Highlights include moi moi, a steamed black-eyed bean cake, jollof rice with smoked goat, and fermented scotch bonnet.
Know Before You Go: Additionally, most of the food is cooked over a wood fire.
