Is October 1st. It is time to do our new monthly What's On in London in October 2026 podcast. The we've done this for the last few months and they've been very popular. this last month I did my recording while I was actually in London at the Emery Walker House Museum. thanks again to them for hosting us. This month I'm at work doing this. I'm in my office at work, which has a

Star Trek space theme, you can see. I'm doing this here because of a scheduling conflict. So needs must. October is a fantastic time to go to London. It's autumn, it's cool. a lot of the Blockbuster exhibitions have either started or will be starting this month, and it begins that kind of that that

That warm romantic slide into the Christmas season. I've been to London in October. It's great. So this month we're gonna talk about what to see and do. We're gonna talk about the exhibitions, the openings, the festivals, and the practical stuff you actually need to know if you're heading over. October might be one of my favorite times of the year to go to London because there's lots of reasons, but mostly it's shoulder season. So the summer crowds have gone.

High prices have softened. The museums have hung their big autumn blockbusters the city looks absolutely magnificent with the trees turning in the parks and the weather is crisp and it might be a little damp, which makes it more romantic. It's the month the locals quietly love and the guidebooks kind of ignore because it's shoulder season. The summer's over. So let's get into it. Here is what's on in London this October 2026. So

October is when London's museums roll out their heavy hitters. The blockbuster exhibitions that will run right through the winter. And if you're planning a trip anytime between now and the new year, these are the shows to build a day around as you're visiting London. like we said in the in the last month's edition of this podcast, quite a few exhibitions closed, and as they closed, they were making room for all the ones that are opening this month. So first up.

So the Blockbuster exhibitions opening in in October include Renoir and Love, Renoir Renoir and Love at the National Gallery, which opens the 3rd of October. A major impressionist show and probably the autumn's biggest draw. Renoir is a crowd pleaser, so expect it to be busy. Book a time slot ahead. Runs to the end of January. if you're gonna be this one might actually be already booked up for the month of October, so you're gonna want to check and make sure that you can even get in.

Korea at the British Museum, which opens October 1st, which is which will be tomorrow or today, depending on when you're listening to this. A big survey of Korean Art and Culture, a kind of ambitious sweeping show that the British Museum does so well. Runs to the end of January. I saw a version of this show when it was at the Art Institute of Chicago last year, it was well worth seeing. Then we've got Painting the French Riviera at the Royal Academy of Arts from October 2nd.

And this is a show built around glamour, light, and artists of the this is a show built around the glamour, light and artists of the Côte d'Azur. A lovely warm weather escape to look at while it's getting dark at 5 p.m. outside. Hokusai, 36 views of Mount Fuji at the Dulwich Picture Gallery. that opens October 20th. The Japanese master behind the great wave, always a huge draw and a good excuse to get out to Dulwich, England's oldest.

Public picture gallery, which is a lovely thing to visit in itself. So it's a great excuse to visit the Dulwich Picture Gallery for the first time. We've got Tim Walker's Fairyland at the National Portrait Gallery in St. Martin's Place, just off Trafalgar Square, from 8th of October. The National Portrait Gallery is behind the National Gallery, if you've ever wondered where it was. The fashion photographer, known for his wildly theatrical, fantastical images, a feast for the eyes.

And then a big, big exhibition opening at the Tate Britain on the 8th of October. We've got the 90s, Art and Fashion, a look back at the decade of British art and culture from Cool Britannia, which is a nostalgic and very of the moment as the 90s keep coming back around as we millennials get older and older. We keep looking back to the 90s. So a couple other things worth knowing.

Freddie Mercury Splendid Things at the V&A, which is free from the 24th of October, will be a free display of Freddie Mercury's iconic stage costumes and his personal treasures. No ticket needed for this. Great for music fans who don't want to pay for a full exhibition. Agatha Christie, A World of Mystery at the British Library from October 30th. A show on the Queen of Crime herself, catnip for anyone who loves the British a British murder mystery. We've got details on that one on the website on Londontopia.net, and you can see.

some of the artifacts that are going to be there that'll be worth seeing, and the British Library is worth going to as well. So, so the obviously the biggest thing going on in London right now is the Bay O Tapestry at the British Museum. Unfortunately, if you didn't book your tickets when they went on sale a few months ago, you will not be seeing the Bay O Tapestry this October because they have been sold out since that first day. But

They're the next ticket release for January to March 2027 is gonna be October 21st. And so if you're gonna be in London from January to March, then you need to set an alarm and this is your shot to get tickets. There will be an hours long waiting room to get tickets. and and you're you're gonna have to do some extra legwork to get tickets to the exhibition if you wanna see the Bayeux Tapestry.

If that doesn't appeal to you, then probably late next year the tapestry will go back to Bayeux. You can go to Bayeux in France. I've also been informed by more than one person that there are there's a replica, I believe, in Reading that you can go see. and I believe there's another replica somewhere else you can see as well. and you can see those anytime. You don't just need to go to the British Museum. So keep an eye out for October 21st to get those advanced tickets for January to March.

closing this month. We only have one exhibition closing this month. The Anish Kapoor exhibition at the Hayward Gallery on the South Bank. That closes on the 18th of October. So this is one to act on. The major Anish Kapoor show has been one of the highlights of London's art calendar and it closes mid-month. If it's on your list at all, October is your last chance, and after the 18th, it's gone. The Hayward's even running some late openings in the final week, so check for extended hours. Don't leave it.

So we even have an Anish Kapoor in Chicago. It's the Cloud Gate, the Bean. So be warned. Late October in London, it's half term. If you don't know what half term is, that's when students and child that's when children are on their school holidays and it collides beautifully with Halloween. So if you're traveling with kids, it's a great time to be in London.

If you're not traveling with kids, there will be kids everywhere in London because what do parents love to do on half-term? They love to take them to the free attractions so that they have something to do to kill the time between school holidays. half term varies on where it's going to be, but it's going to run roughly from the 26th to the 30th of October. So you could expect special family programming everywhere at the museums, galleries, and big attractions.

you can even you can also expect special half term deals. And normally if you're outside the UK, you wouldn't see these deals because you don't wouldn't know to look for them because you don't most Americans don't know what half term is. So keep an eye out for special half term deals on train tickets, on admissions, and things like that, because you can probably get a deal on some of the things you want to do.

Historic Royal Palaces, they kind of lean into the spooky season with special events and after dark programming, great atmosphere, and a good excuse to see these places in a different light. So check the Historic Royal Palaces website for details on those. We've got listings on Londontopia as well. And then this, the mail rail, which is the former abandoned Royal Mail Postal Railway at the Postal Museum. You can actually go down and walk the old underground postal railway tunnels.

And it's properly atmospheric, a little eerie and perfect for the season, a brilliant, slightly offbeat family outing for that most visitors may have never heard of. And then another thing that actually isn't on my list, but I'm adding it to the podcast, is the London Transport Museum Hidden London tours are running exclusive family friendly, spooky tours of the Clapham South underground shelters. There's a bunch of tunnels under the under Clapham Common that they were used in World War Two, then later

To house Windrush migrants, and now they're decked out to be a spooky attraction for families. So check that out. Link will be in the show notes. a few more things worth having on your radar this month. Hamlet, Hail to the Thief at the Barbican from the 31st of October, a much anticipated theatrical event. Hamlet Reimagined and set to the music of Radio Heads Hail to the Thief. It promises to be a bold, buzzy, and exactly.

The kind of ambitious thing the Barbican does well opens Halloween night appropriately enough. Classical music. The the BBC proms are over, but that doesn't mean classical music is over. the autumn concert season is in full swing across the South Bank, the Barbican and the Great Halls. check our events guide for more information. There's also check with the Royal Albert Hall. There will be plenty of musical events to see and do while you are in London.

So now the practical half. What's the weather like in London? Because October is often a month that people can pack wrong for. if you're like me and you're from the US-Midwest, you can we can have pretty warm days well into October, or we could have very cold days in October, and in some years we've even gotten snow in October. and so you kind of it can kind of vary, but London's a little different. so here's

Some of the realities. October is one of London's wettest months. In fact, it's typically the city's second wet wettest month of the year. This is the big one to get across. People pack for cold, but the thing that'll actually get you out in October is wet. It's not usually freezing, it's damp, gray, and prone to rain. So that means pack for wet, not the cold. Proper waterproof jacket and an umbrella will serve you for far better.

A heavy winter coat, layers, yes, but the outer layer needs to keep the rain off. Waterproof shoes if you have them. so yeah, pack layers and pack for weather to prepare to be wet. you know, and then I actually experienced this a little bit in my tr in my time in London at the end of September, where it was very cool and unexpectedly cool, and it was very wet. It rained a few times, and so.

There were days where I, you know, like when I arrived in London a few weeks before, when I before I did my Hadrian's Wall Walk, it was actually very hot. And then when I was done at the Hadrian's Wall Walk, and after I visited York, I went to London for a few days. it was both warm and then it cooled very quickly, especially by the Thames. So don't get caught out by coolness. Just prepare for the coolness. pack a cozy coat, pack a scarf, pack hat and gloves just in case, and pack an umbrella.

And make sure your coat is waterproof, make sure your shoes are waterproof, and make sure they're comfortable. So a big thing to also remember, the British do essentially do daylight savings time. they call it summertime and then not summertime. They're called British Standard Time. so their clocks go back October 25th. So that's the last week of the month. and that's when it starts to get dark around five.

P.M. in the afternoon. When you get into December, it'll get dark around four or four thirty. And so they change their clocks, I believe, later than the US does. I'm not sure when the US is changing them this year, but it's I think it's in a couple weeks. So also be prepared for that time difference to break you if you happen to travel when in that interregnum between when America changes its clocks and Britain doesn't change its clocks, like it creates a messier time. So

That's why it's great to have a smartphone because the smartphone figures it out for you, but your body clock never figures it out. So let's see.

as far as the weather has the weather actually been the last few weeks. Late September into early October has been running mild for the season. Daytime highs have been in the 60s and low 70s, drier than October average, with high pressure holding into the part of October and rain staying relatively low. That's warmer and drier than a typical October. So if the mild spell holds, it's good news. But the seasonal reality still stands. As the month goes on, it's going to get cooler, wetter, and darker. So like I said.

Pack layers and be prepared for all weather and be prepared to get wet. So let's see.

So every month I like to remind you that some of the best of London costs nothing to see and do. And in October, that's truer than ever, because the single most beautiful thing happening in the city this month is completely free and it isn't in a gallery. And that is London in October. So autumn colour in the parks. This is the real event. Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens, Regent's Park, Hampstead Heath, Richmond, and Q and K in Kew's Gardens. The trees turn, the light goes low and golden, and London in Autumn becomes genuinely.

Gorgeous. It's free. It's everywhere. And it's the thing you'll remember. So go for a long walk in a royal park on a crisp October morning, and you'll understand why Londoners secretly love this month the most. So it's a great chance, great opportunity to throw on that waterproof coat I just told you to take. Go to one of the mini tea and coffee stands in the parks, get a cup of coffee and walk around and let it keep your hands warm. Enjoy a cup of tea while you enjoy the colors in the parks. hopefully

Now when I was there a month ago, the parks were looking very parched and distressed from the drought, but London has gotten lots of rain in the last few weeks, so hopefully things are green again and hopefully the trees will will not have had a negative effect from that drought. And hopefully they turn green and or turn golden and brown and reds and all those lovely autumn colors.

But we will have to see how that turns out. 'Cause when I was there some of the trees were already dropping their leaves because they were so dry. so let's see.

Is October a good month to visit London? Yes. October is if you if I would have to pick two months to go to London to have the best mix of things to do and see and weather, I would pick October and I would pick March. So those bumper months, the crowds are smaller, the big exhibitions are usually still going or just starting, and the weather is

The big thing though is that the summer crowds are gone. London is always crowded no matter what time of year it is, but it's it gets particularly crowded in in June and Aug June, July, and August. but when you get to autumn, those summer lines are gone, the parks are turning golden, and the city feels like it belongs to Londoners again, rather than the big tour groups. Yes, it gets darker earlier. Yes, you need to pack for rain and to pack right, and October gives you the real London that lived in Autumn City.

At a better price and a gentler pace. let's see.

Lots to see on the West End. I don't have any big theater openings on my calendar on my in my notes, unfortunately. But we do have that information on the Londontopia Events Guide. And I want to talk about the Londontopia Events Guide real quick. in case you haven't seen it. so I'm going to talk about it real quick.

So we've been spending a lot of time developing this new events guide because there really isn't a great independent events guide that shows you what to see and do in London and what's happening while you're actually there. And so we made some major updates to the to Londontopia itself, but we also made some updates to our app our free mobile app. So if you don't have our free mobile app,

Go on the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store and you can get our free free mobile app. It's completely free. You can read all of Anglotopia and all on Londontopia and Royaltopia. And if you're a member of the club, you can access the club. But the big things is we've added the what's on in London guides to the app. And so it's great because you can go in the app and you can click today when you're in the Londontopia section. And then it pulls in all the events.

and tours and shows and everything that are happening today in London. And so if you don't have anything planned for the day, you can easily just pick something and plan it. and we've been working really hard to f to fill out this directory of events. we've got, I think there's almost a thousand events now in the database. you can see what's going on tomorrow in London while you're there.

scroll through and see all the all the interesting exhibitions like at the British Museum there is an exhibition on John Constable views of nature I would want to see that so I would definitely sp book some time in to go see that and but that closes October 4th so it also tells you when it the exhibition closes tells you the hours of the museum tells you what what's worth seeing

All those wonderful things. You can see what's going on this weekend. You can see the plays, the exhibitions, the one-offs, the things that you can only do once that that you may have never even found out about. and then you can see what also is going on in London that's free today. So you can see everything that's completely free, so you don't have to pay anything. you can also see budget options as well. And so it this is just

Part of our build out of making London more accessible to our readers and to Americans. So please get our free mobile app. Or if you just go to Londontopia.net and click the events guide, you can see all these great all these great new features that show you what is actually happening in London while you're there. So so that's it for what's on in London this October. If you're heading over, I hope this helps you plan. And if you're not, I hope it gave you a little armchair wander through the autumn city.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the Anglotopia podcast wherever you're listening. It genuinely helps us more than you know, and it means you'll never miss one of these monthly London route ups. And if you'd like to support what we do and go deeper, consider joining the Friends of Anglotopia Club. It's our exclusive membership community for people who love Britain as much as we do. You get exclusive content, you help keep this whole thing going, and you become part of a wonderful group of fellow Anglophiles, and the funds help develop new stuff like.

the events guide that we're putting together for everyone. You can find out more over at Anglotopia.net and you and the link is in the show notes. Until next time, I'm Jonathan and this has been the Anglotopia Podcast. Thank you for listening.