Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park is closed, Christmas at Kew Gardens has finished for another year and the Christmas lights along Oxford Street get turned off on January 5th.
But just because life is returning to normal doesn’t mean that the fun stops in London. Although traditionally thought of as the quietest time of the year, there are lots of things to do in London in January.
The start of the year tends to be fairly quiet in terms of visitor numbers so if you plan to visit London – or if you live here – then the month of January is a good time to see some of the city’s most popular attractions and famous London landmarks such as Buckingham Palace or the Tower of London and the Crown Jewels without the crowds. January is also when the London Art Fair takes place.
Some of the best places to visit in January are also the most obvious. Museums including the British Museum and the Tate Modern are a good way to escape the cold and rainy weather. In central London, Covent Garden is always fun to visit with children and Borough Market is a great place to spend an afternoon.
If you’re looking for things to do in London that don’t cost much money then take a look at our guide to the best free things to do in London with kids.
If the sun does make an appearance and it’s a clear day then jump on the London Eye for some of the best views of London.
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The best things to do in London in January
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From immersive exhibitions and the final days of Hogwarts in the Snow to ice rinks and plenty of family activities, there’s plenty to keep families busy this month in London.
This year, Chinese New Year celebrations take place in February with a lively parade, free stage performances and plenty of tasty Chinese food taking place around Trafalgar Square. In 2024 the Lunar New Year falls on 10 February. The London Chinese New Year festival will take place on 11 February.
Delight at Borough Yards
Visit Seoul without leaving London when you visit this bright and colourful multimedia exhibition, Delight. The 12 immersive zones explore the Korean capital’s history, culture and identity with large-scale sculptures, neon installations and 360-degree artwork. The perfect way to beat the January blues.
CUTE at Somerset House
Exploring all things cute at Somerset House is their new exhibition CUTE that opens on 25 January.
From emojis and plushie toys to video games and even food, cuteness is all around us and this exhibition explores just how the world’s fascination with cute culture has become so all pervading.
The exhibition celebrates the 50th anniversary of Hello Kitty and will also feature a games arcade for all ages.
CUTE opens on 25 January and runs until 14 April.
The Witches at The National Theatre
Make time to see the excellent stage adaptation of Roald Dahl’s tale The Witches. Taking place at the National Theatre until January 27 this brilliant, family-friendly show is full of songs, dance, comedy and humour and should not be missed.
Bubble Planet
Escape to a colourful world filled with bubbles this London in January with London’s newest multi-sensory immersive experience, Bubble Planet.
Located in a venue near Wembley Stadium, there are 11 different immersive zones that incorporate ball pits, an enormous infinity room, gaming stations, a bubble gum-blowing game, and much more including a virtual reality experience.
Bubble Planet is free for children under the age of 4. Tickets start from £13.90 for kids and £17.90 for adults.
Balloon Museum
More spherical fun can be found at the Balloon Museum this month. Located in Old Bilingsgate, this is no traditional museum rather an immersive space filled with installations by 20 artists that include enormous beach balls, massive inflatable rabbits and, of course, bubbles.
At the heart of the exhibition is an oversized ball pit shaped like a swimming pool and complete with ladders perfect for jumping in….and Instagram. Kids – and particularly teens – will love it.
Dopamine Land
Chase the January blues away with a visit to Dopamine Land. This multi-sensory experience has been designed precisely to make visitors feel good with pillow fights, whimsical digital landscapes, giant ball pits and much more. It’s a guaranteed happiness boost!
Hogwarts in the Snow
There’s still a couple more weeks to visit Hogwarts in all its winter wonderland glory. Hogwarts has been decorated for the festive season with Christmas trees in the Great Hall, wreaths and a dusting of snow. The last day for Hogwarts in the Snow at Warner Bros studio is January 14.
Skate at Somerset House
It’s not quite time to hang up your skates, Somerset House (arguably one of the best ice skating rinks in London at Christmas) is open until 14 January.
Turn It Up: The Power of Music at the Science Museum
Prepare to have a great time when you visit the Science Museum’s exhibition, Turn It Up: The Power of Music. The exhibition explores how and why music drives us to create, perform, feel and connect with others. Enjoy plenty of interactive exhibits including a musical playground and Haile the musical robot, discover weird and wonderful instruments and take a musical Turing test – and more!
The exhibition is on until 6 May.
Family activities at Tower Bridge
Head to Tower Bridge for Saturday 13 January and take part in a fun family activity. This event is themed around Albert Gunter, the bus driver who, in 1952, ‘jumped’ over Tower Bridge in his Number 78 bus when the bridge started to open unexpectedly when he was driving across it. Gunter’s quick thinking saved all the passengers on board but his only reward was £10 and one day off work.
Give Gunter an award to remember when you create a medal in his honour. The drop-in activity takes pace between 10am and 4pm.
Twelfth Night Celebrations
The annual Twelfth Night celebrations are taking place in London again this year and are free for all to join in. Taking place on Sunday 7 January in the Bankside area of London, the celebrations mix ancient customs and modern festivities making for a truly unique event.
Among the various events taking place you can see the Holly Man (also known as the Green Man) being piped over the River Thames, the Bankside Mummers play and the chance to be crowned King or Queen for the day if you find a bean or pea in a cake. Processions, performances and more all take place near Shakespeare’s Globe on the riverside.
Alegría by Cirque du Soleil
The latest show by Quebec-based circus colossus Cirque du Soleil is based on a kingdom in turmoil. Following the death of its leader, the kingdom is divided in two with one group clinging to traditional ways and the other group, the youthful ‘Bronx’, driving for change.
Like all Cirque shows, Alegría is filled with seemingly impossible, mind-boggling tricks, acts, acrobatics, stunts and showmanship. This is the perfect way to bring some much needed joy into the post-Christmas months. Alegría runs from 11 January until 3 March.
The London International Mime Festival
Opening on January 23 and running until February 17 is the London International Mime Festival with a packed calendar of workshops and shows featuring everything from dance to puppetry. Take a look at the website for the full schedule and venue details.
Ice rink at Canary Wharf
The ice rink at Canary Wharf is welcoming skaters until Saturday February 24 so you have plenty of time to get your skates on. The park is located in Canada Square Park.
Winter Lights at Canary Wharf
Once you’ve returned your skates why not take a look at the Canary Wharf Winter Lights, the free festival bringing glowing installations, lively illuminations and some much needed colour to the grey days starting from 17 January until 27 January.
The festival takes place around the streets, docks, squares and malls of Canary Wharf. A free map of the installations is available to download here. The light trail is open from 5pm – 10pm daily.
Fantasy: Realms of Imagination at The British Library
One of the best things to do in London in January is to visit the British Library’ and it’s exhibition, Fantasy: Realms of Imagination.
This whimsical exhibition explores the long history of fantasy through props, costumes, manuscripts, early editions of novels and clips from TV shows including Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
On display are maps and posters alongside a room inspired by the American mystery series Twin Peaks. There’re live action role play costumes, a video game based in the Fallen London world and plenty more guaranteed to delight fans of the genre young and old.
The exhibition runs until 25 February
Wildlife Photographer of the Year
The annual Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition is on at the Natural History Museum showcasing some of the world’s best wildlife photographers as they capture “the natural world in all its fragility and diversity”. The 100 photographs on display are always amazing.
Although the NHM itself enjoys free entry, you do need to purchase tickets for the exhibition. The Wildlife Photographer of the Year runs until 30 June 2024.
Fashion City at the London Museum of Docklands
Put your best foot forward and head to the London Museum of Docklands where the exhibition, Fashion City, explores how Jewish fashion makers shaped London style.
Discover the people and places that were pivotal to making London look good including renowned wedding dress designer Netty Spiegel, master milliner Otto Lucas and flamboyant Mr Fish.
Fashion City runs until 14 April.
Shows at the Unicorn Theatre
There are a couple of fun shows taking place thiss month at the Unicorn Theatre, the first purpose built professional theatre for children and young people aged 2 – 21 in the UK.
The immersive theatre show, Ready, Steady, Lift Off! invites children aged 3-8 to join a weird, wacky and totally out-of-this-world astronaut programme.
Also aimed at the Under 10s is the highly acclaimed musical, the Three Billy Goats Gruff.
See the official website for dates and details.
Family Sundays at the Old Royal Naval College
Head along to Greenwich and the Old Royal Naval College every Sunday and enjoy a range of family-friendly activities from story-telling to arts and crafts. These events take place in the Painted Hall, which is this month home to Coalescence by artist Paul Cocksedge. Family Sundays are free for kids; parents will need to pay £5.
Japan: Myths & Manga at the Young V&A
Ongoing at the shiny new Young V&A (the former Museum of Childhood) is this exhibition, Japan: Myths & Manga.
The exhibition explores how landscape and folklore in Japanese history have influenced Japan’s culture, technology and design and includes memorabilia from the Studio Ghibli favourite My Neighbour Totoro, Heel-less Shoes by Noritaka Tatehana and a woodblock print by Utagawa Hiroshige dating back to 1860.
Family Activities at the V&A and Young V&A
Pick from a handful of fun family activities taking place this month at the V&A. The self-guided Caribbean Collection Family Activity invites visitors to discover the museum’s artists, designers and makers that make up the museum’s rich collection
Discover designer Clara Chu’s design process as part of the Young V&A’s Meet the Designer sessions. Taking place in “The Shed”, this is a wonderful way to peek behind the curtains and see the creative process of both a busy designer and design studio.
Also taking place at the Young V&A on Fridays are a series of free and informal sound workshops aimed at children aged 0-2.
Family Day at Westminster Abbey: The Bayeux Tapestry and Beyond
Explore how the events of 1066 and the Battle of Hastings shaped Westminster Abbey. Following the famous invasion of England, William was crowned King at Westminster Abbey, events that were all capture on the famous Bayeux Tapestry.
During this fun family event, children are invited to choose their own character from the Tapestry and create a brand new scene using craft and collage materials.
The event (included in the price of admission) takes place on Saturday 20 January between 10am – 2pm and is aimed at children aged 3+.
Astronomy Photographer of the Year
Get lost in space at the National Maritime Museum this month with the opening of Astronomy Photographer of the Year exhibition, showcasing the world’s greatest space photography.
This annual event is the chance to marvel at glittering stars, shimmering galaxies, fiery suns, and sliver moons all presented in some incredible photos. Photographers from across the globe compete to take home the prestigious title.
