Places in London that do talks and public events that I like (or might like) going along to

This post was updated and all links checked on 5 Jan 2026.

Since my old blog post (written in 2013, updated in 2016) has links that are out of date I thought it was time to give this a bit of a refresh and add some new venues. 

There are ~79 venues listed here and I seem to have been to events at 41 of them, so a few more to visit!

Science and culture

• Academy of Medical Sciences: Events
  
• Barts Pathology Museum: Events | Eventbrite page
• Blackheath Scientific Society: Programme
• Chelsea Physic Garden: What's on 
• Geological Society: Public Lectures
• Gresham College: What's on
• Hampstead Scientific Society: Talks
• Highgate Literary & Scientific Institution: What's on
• Horniman Museum: What's on
  
• Hunterian Museum (surgery etc): What's on 
• Kew Gardens (the KMIS lectures are a treat, info about where they're held can be found on their Eventbrite page): What's on
• Imperial College: Events
  
• Institute of Physics: Events (filtered for public / family / STEM professionals)
  
• Linnean Society: Upcoming events
• London Fortean Society: London talks on odd goings-on: blog
  
• Natural History Museum: What's on 
• Old Operating Theatre Museum and Herb Garrett: Events 
• Old Royal Naval College: Homepage (scroll down for talks and events)
• RI - Royal Institution: What's on 
• Richmond Scientific Society: programme
• Royal Astronomical Society: Public lectures & events  
• Royal Geographical Society w IBG: Events / Upcoming events (London | online) 
• Royal Museums Greenwich (National Maritime / Royal Observatory): What's On | Planetarium shows
• Royal Society of Chemistry: Events (filtered for South East / schools etc)  
• Royal Society of Medicine: Events | Public Engagement Programme
• RS - Royal Society: Public events 
• Salter's Institute (chemistry): Events - page not found as of 2026
  
• Science Gallery London: What's on 
  
• Science Museum: See and do
• South London Botanical Institute: Events
  
• The Crick: What's on | Public events 
• UCL (University College London): Lunchtime Lectures
  
• Wellcome Trust (Wellcome Collection): What's On | Events
  
• Worshipful Society of Apothecaries of London: Events list | Centre for Health Studies events

Music, film and arts culture

• Antique Beat / A Curious Invitation / Salon for the City: | Eventbrite page
• Barbican: What's on 
• BFI: What's on (inc IMAX and London Film Festival info) | Previews and events 
• Biggin Hill Museum: Events (a mix of science, e.g. history of radar and WW2 history)
  
• Blackheath Halls: What's on
• Blackheath Society: Events
  
• British Academy: Lectures
  
• British Library: What's on
• British Museum: Exhibitions and events 
  
• Cafe Oto: Events
• Cinema Museum: Homepage | Kennington Bioscope
• Centre of the Cell: Events
  
• Century Club: Events | The Soho Series (with Antique Beat and A Curious Invitation) - possibly a 2025 thing
  
• Conway Hall: What's on
• Design Museum: What's on | Talks, courses & workshops
  
• Garden Cinema: Homepage / What's on
• Guildhall Library: Eventbrite page
  
• Horse Hospital: What's on 
• ICA: Upcoming 
• Iklectik: (now moved to Peckham Levels) What's on
  
• Interesting Conference: Interesting 2025 Interesting 2026
  
• In The Dark Radio - A celebration of stories told through sound
• King's Place: What's On
• London Month of the Dead (see also Antique Beat): Homepage (every October)
• Lost Lectures: Events
  
• Morley College: Events | Penny Lectures
  
• National Gallery: Events 
• National Portrait Gallery: Events
• QMUL (Queen Mary University of London): Events
  
• Regent Street Cinema: Homepage 
• Roundhouse: What's on 
• Royal Academy of Arts: Events | Exhibitions
  
• Royal Academy of Music: What's on
• Royal Albert Hall: What's on: everything 
• Royal Institute of Navigation: Community Calendar
  
• RSA - Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce: Upcoming events | Public talks
• Shakespeare's Globe & Sam Wanamaker Playhouse (candle lit): What's on
• Society of Antiquaries of London: Events 
• Somerset House: What's on 
• Southbank Centre: What's on | Creative Encounters (free)
  
• St Bride Foundation: What's on
  
• The Charterhouse: What's on 
• The Courtauld: What's on
  
• V&A - Victoria and Albert Museum: What's on 
• Wallace Collection: Events 
• Wilton's Music Hall: What's on 

From the Boring Conference (interesting people talking about boring things), in 2012, which doesn't seem to be running at the moment (accompanying podcast).

"It was created in response to the cancellation of the 2010 Interesting Conference. It seemed like the obvious thing to do.

People have talked about sneezing, toast, IBM tills, the sounds made by vending machines, the Shipping Forecast, barcodes, yellow lines, London shop fronts, the television programme Antiques Road Trip and the features of the Yamaha PSR-175 Portatune keyboard."

 

Good to see a delicious buffet at @boringconferenc #boring2012 pic.twitter.com/i6b52sak

— Tim Johns (@timoncheese) November 25, 2012

 

Other event-doing venues 

• Art4Space https://art4space.co.uk/
• Kempton Steam Museum https://kemptonsteam.org/ 
• Kirkaldy's Testing Works (Southwark) https://www.testingworks.org.uk/ (Eventbrite)
  
• Lifefabs Institute: What's On (Eventbrite) - biodesign classes
• Ragged School, Poplar