Barbican, BFI Southbank and Serpentine: London’s Arts Hubs

If you have moved to London from abroad and want regular concerts, films and contemporary art without spending every weekend in tourist queues, this guide is for you. It covers three places Londoners actually use, the Barbican, BFI Southbank and the Serpentine galleries, with what is free, what needs booking and what works if you have children with you.

• The Barbican: concerts, cinema and a whole evening out
• BFI Southbank: four screens by the river
• Serpentine: free contemporary art in Kensington Gardens
• Keeping costs down
• What works for children and what is for adults
• FAQ

The Barbican: concerts, cinema and a whole evening out

The Barbican is one of London’s big arts centres, with concerts, films, theatre and exhibitions under one roof. For a newcomer, its real value is that you can build a whole evening there: food first, then a concert or a film, then a drink, without leaving the building.

Start with the Barbican’s Your visit pages. They cover the practical side: how to contact the venue, where to hang your coat, how to book car parking and even how to return a book to the library. There is also a section on free things to do and new places to explore. It is worth reading before your first trip, because the building rewards a bit of wandering.

Food runs from coffee and cake to wood-fired pizzas and full pre-theatre menus, so an early dinner before a performance is easy to arrange on site. Programmes, ticket prices and opening times change through the season, and the visit pages do not list them, so check the Barbican’s own website for current details.

The Barbican publishes accessible maps and information on its facilities, and you can register as an Access Booker. To hear about events before they go on sale, sign up to its newsletters and choose the types of events that interest you. For popular concerts, this is the simplest way to avoid missing out.

BFI Southbank: four screens by the river

BFI Southbank is the British Film Institute’s cinema on Belvedere Road, South Bank, London SE1 8XT. It has four screens open seven days a week, showing classic and new cinema plus live events. It is the place to go when you want more than the latest release at your local multiplex.

Two things here cost nothing. The BFI Reuben Library is free and open to everyone, with a large collection of books, journals and digitised material on film, television and the moving image. The BFI Mediatheque gives you free access to what the BFI describes as the world’s biggest film and television archive. On a wet afternoon, either is a good way to spend a few hours.

For screenings, you can view or download programme notes to read alongside the film. BFI Riverfront, open every day, serves food and drink by the Thames. The BFI Bar suits a drink before or after a film, and the BFI Cafe does coffee, cake and light lunches. The BFI also publishes accessibility information covering facilities, screenings and guidance for disabled visitors and carers. For booking questions, call the box office on 020 7928 3232.

Serpentine: free contemporary art in Kensington Gardens

The Serpentine shows contemporary art across two galleries in the Royal Park of Kensington Gardens. Serpentine South and Serpentine North are a short distance apart, on either side of the Serpentine Bridge, so you can easily see both in one visit. Entrance is free, though the galleries advise you to book a ticket.

The nearest Tube is Lancaster Gate on the Central line, about 876 metres away. Knightsbridge (about 1.2 km) and Hyde Park Corner (about 1.5 km) are on the Piccadilly line. Buses 148, 274, 390 and 94 stop nearby, and Paddington station is about 1.5 km away. Cycle hire docking stations are opposite both galleries, and there are Sheffield stands if you bring your own bike. There is metered parking in the park, but the Serpentine encourages walking or public transport where possible.

The café and restaurant at Serpentine North serves brunch, lunch, coffee and drinks. If you want more than a walk round, book one of the gallery tours, or use the free digital guide on Bloomberg Connects for extra exhibition content. Both galleries have full disability access and facilities.

Keeping costs down

London is expensive, so it helps to know where the savings are. The Serpentine galleries are free. At BFI Southbank, anyone aged 16 to 25 can get £4 cinema tickets for any film, at any time, which is hard to beat for students and young professionals. BFI Membership starts from £44 and gives priority booking for special events, previews and festivals. It is worth considering if you go often or want festival tickets.

The Barbican lists free things to do around the centre, and the BFI’s library and Mediatheque cost nothing. Newsletters help too. The Barbican’s tell you about events before they go on sale, and BFI Southbank’s emails cover classic and new cinema plus live events. For anything popular, booking early matters more than any discount.

What works for children and what is for adults

This guide leans towards adult culture: evening concerts at the Barbican, films at BFI Southbank and contemporary exhibitions at the Serpentine. Children fit in more easily at some of these places than others.

The Serpentine is the easiest choice with a family. It is free, it sits in a park, and the galleries publish information for families to help you make the most of a visit. Combine it with time in Kensington Gardens. Schools, universities and colleges can also arrange free self-guided educational visits, which is useful to know if your child’s school is planning trips.

At the Barbican, the free things to do and the range of food make a daytime visit with children practical. Check each event listing to see whether it suits younger audiences. At BFI Southbank, the £4 offer starts at 16, so teenagers can use it. For younger children, check the details of individual screenings on the BFI’s site before you book.

FAQ

Is the Serpentine really free?

Yes. Entrance to both Serpentine South and Serpentine North is free. The galleries advise visitors to book a ticket, so do that before you set off. The café at Serpentine North costs extra if you want brunch, lunch or a coffee.

How can I get cheap cinema tickets at BFI Southbank?

If you are aged 16 to 25, you can get £4 tickets for any film, any time. If you are older, BFI Membership starts from £44 and gives priority booking for special events, previews and festivals. The Reuben Library and the Mediatheque are free for everyone.

What are the Barbican’s opening hours and ticket prices?

The Barbican’s visit pages do not list hours or prices, and prices vary by event, so check the Barbican’s own website for current details. If you sign up to its newsletters, you will hear about events before they go on sale.

Can I bring my children?

The Serpentine is the simplest option, with free entry, a park setting and dedicated information for families. At BFI Southbank, the £4 tickets apply from age 16. At the Barbican, check each event listing to see whether it suits children before you book.

Official sources: barbican.org.uk · bfi.org.uk · serpentinegalleries.org

Last checked: 18 October 2026 against the pages linked above. Prices, opening hours and programmes change; the venue’s own site always has the current details.