Top Free Things to do in South Bank

From hidden gardens to free exhibitions, pop-up festivals and unusual sightseeing attractions, South Bank has a wealth of different attractions that won't cost you a penny to enjoy.

From free events, workshops, parties and exhibitions to libraries, galleries and street performances, here's a look at the many great things to see and do in South Bank for free.

Free South Bank events: Spring 2025

Throughout the year South Bank's cultural institutions and venues present a variety of free events, ranging from free talks and concerts, film screenings and hands-on activities for kids. Here's a look at what's on for free this season.

Creative Encounters at Southbank Centre

WHEN & WHERE: Monthly at the Clore Ballroom at Royal Festival Hall

Join Creative Encounters for a social evening of conversation, music and making. Each month a different artist leads an evening of playful creativity. Aiming to be a place where you can meet and socialise with new people while trying something different, there’s an emphasis on getting to know others through interacting with hands-on creative activities. All events are free and each month there's a different theme and artist. The Creative Encounters sessions start from 5:30pm and last 3 hours.

WED 12 MAR | Artists from the Black Women Artist Network present Art and Poetry in Harmony, a relaxing evening of meditation, poetry and painting.

WED 26 MAR | Brought up in two indigenous cultures (Hawaiian and Ryukyuan), Stacy Makishi invites you to encounter rowdy rituals and soothing provocations to welcome spring.

WED 2 APR | Join illustrator and collage artist Beth Suzanna to create a large-scale collaborative paper collage that sprawls across The Clore Ballroom floor.

WED 16 APR | Join textile artist Sue Man to discover fabric collage techniques and create your own unique pouch using discarded textiles.

WED 30 APR | Made from recycled fabrics and fragments of poetry, The Tapestry of Imperfections repurposes discarded materials and transforms our hidden truths to honor the imperfect. Add your own voice by writing, drawing or weaving, and become part of this evolving tapestry – or simply relax and watch the installation grow and unfold around you.

WED 21 MAY | Try your hand at typography and collaborative print-making, and learn the art of letterpress with artist Theo Hersey and a DIY printing press.

Futuretense at Southbank Centre

WHEN & WHERE: Thursdays at the Queen Elizabeth Hall foyer, Southbank Centre

In collaboration with BBC Introducing, the Southbank Centre's futuretense series is all about showcasing the best new British and international music, allowing you to discover artists on the up, and find your next musical obsession – for free! Gigs kick off from 6pm and the music is an eclectic mix of new pop, rap, soul, alternative, jazz, folk, electronica and more with two different acts playing at each edition. Acts scheduled to perform at futuretense this season include:

THU 20 MAR | Hear a double bill of free music from producer/songwriter duo KEEP YA NOSE OUT and singer-songwriter Arinola, with R&B influences and a London-flavoured sound.

THU 10 APR | Tap into new, eclectic sounds ranging from gentle, evocative tracks to poetic punk tunes with Canty + Flip Top Head

THU 17 APR | Find your next favourite artist with Reuben Aziz + JADA, up-and-coming artists influenced by hip-hop and R&B

THU 8 MAY | Tune into the sounds of the future with groove-driven rhythms from a musical force of nature, Lydia Lutudi

THU 15 MAY | Two rising-star acts, Saloni + 916, bridge British and South-Asian cultures and music, from hip-hop to Bollywood

Branch Out at Garden Museum

Branch Out at The Garden Museum is a programme of free events and activities exploring gardening, art, floristry, plant science, history, design and more. Usually taking place on Thursday lunchtimes / afternoons, these are free drop-in events although space is limited, so we advise arriving early to secure your spot was workshops tend to be very popular.

SUN 9 MAR 2PM–2:30PM | Irish Dance Workshop
Join Jig and a Swig – London’s social Irish dance community – for a free, all-abilities Irish dancing taster session at the Garden Museum. Absolutely zero prior experience is necessary, simply pitch up in flat shoes and clothes you can move comfortably in and enjoy the craic.

THU 20 MAR 2PM–4PM | The Gardening Drawing Club's Basics of Planting
Guided by artist-gardener Johanna Tagada Hoffbeck, this workshop provides the basics of growing organic vegetables, flowers, and herbs, looking at seed selection, soil, season, biodiversity, and gardening on a budget followed by the opportunity to paint and draw impressions from these encounters with seeds and plants. All materials provided.

THU 27 MAR 11AM–1PM | All About Butterflies
The Garden Museum and Archive of Garden Design are proud to present a free butterfly-themed event inspired by the archives of ecologist and garden designer Marney Hall, including a talk on how to create a wildlife haven in your garden / balcony to attract butterflies and a craft session where you will get to make your own butterfly house or feeder.

THU 17 APR 11AM–1PM | Hand Spun Cotton Workshop
This hands-on workshop hosted by Khadi London, explores history, cultural significance, and role in uplifting communities of the ancient craft of hand-spinning cotton. Guided by expert spinner, Asha Buch, you’ll discover the meditative rhythm of using a traditional portable spinning wheel, known as the peti-charkha, and learn the basics of spinning cotton into thread. This workshop is open to all ages and levels.

Sinfonia Smith Square Rush Hour concert

WHEN & WHERE: Monthly at 6pm at St John's Waterloo Church

While this concert series is not technically free - with your £2 ticket you also get a free glass of wine so it might as well be! For these early evening one-hour concerts at St John's Waterloo church (opposite Waterloo Station) Sinfonia Smith Square’s emerging professional musicians present their take on classical masterpieces.

WED 12 MAR AT 6PM | Rush Hour #4 Skylines
The March Rush Hour concert features Felix Mendelssohn's Hebrides Overture, Errollyn Wallen's Mighty River and Jimi Hendrix's PURPLE HAZE Variations for String Orchestra.

WED 14 MAY AT 6PM | Rush Hour #5 Transformation
May's programme is inspired by artists who take one work and transform it into another, featuring John McCabe's Six Minute Symphony, Luciano Berio's Folksongs and Maurice Ravel's Le Tombeau de Couperin.

WED 11 JUNE AT 6PM | Rush Hour #6 Radiance
Between the restless 7th Symphony and beloved 9th sits Dvořák’s Symphony No. 8, a work of sunny exuberance filled with Bohemian folk melodies, heartfelt nostalgia, trumpet fanfares, musical thunderstorms, and birdsong.

Saturday Sessions

WHEN & WHERE: Monthly Saturdays (usually first Saturday of the month) at the Clore Ballroom in Royal Festival Hall

Southbank Centre's monthly Saturday Sessions are aimed at young families (typically aged 5-11), providing a fun and energetic place for kids to come together and watch a performance, make something with the artists and of course play with other children and their families – all for free!

These are free drop-in events and there's no need to book. Morning sessions (starting at 10:30am) are Relaxed Sessions (an adapted version for families who may benefit from a more chilled-out space), while the afternoon sessions start at 1pm, followed by a ballroom boogie with DJs for the kids from 2:30pm.

Sat 8 Mar | Saturday Sessions with comedy double act Shelf
Start your weekend with a chuckle with a performance and sketch workshop from the fantastically funny Shelf comedy duo in the Ballroom, plus crafting activities up on Level 2 throughout.

Sat 5 Apr | Saturday Sessions With BAC Beatbox Academy
Learn the foundations of beatbox sounds and drive the rats away in a workshop full of singing, rapping and vibes led by the Beatbox Academy who come to Southbank Centre fresh from their award-winning tour with hip-hop musical The Pied Piper.

Sunday Sessions at The Understudy

WHEN & WHERE: Sun 23 Mar from 2:30pm–5:30pm at The Understudy

Enjoy a cosy afternoon of craft beer and live music at the National Theatre's iconic riverside bar. Hosted in partnership with south London's Gipsy Hill Brewery, the Sunday Sessions pairs a free afternoon of live music by local emerging singer-songwriters plus compelling craft beer specials at the bar. March's Sessions series finishes with a performance by the delightful folk singer-songwriter Charlotte Campbell.

Future Artists: RAM & Manchester Collective

WHEN & WHERE: Fri 28 Mar at 7pm, Purcell Room at Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre

Part of this year's Contemporary Edit Classical Season, hear works and arrangements by the brilliant young artists mentored by members of the Manchester Collective. This is the third year of an innovative creative partnership between the Southbank Centre and the Royal Academy of Music, with students performing material they have composed, curated and refined under the guidance of Rakhi Singh, Co-Artistic Director of Manchester Collective. This is a free-ticketed event. Reserve your free tickets here.

Free South Bank exhibitions: Spring 2025

Many of South Bank's cultural venues, independent galleries, museums and events spaces host free exhibitions throughout the year that are free to attend. Here's a look at the latest free exhibitions to explore in South Bank this season.

Ruth Murray: Byron's Pond

WHEN & WHERE: 29 Jan–27 Apr at Garden Museum

A free exhibition of paintings by contemporary artist Ruth Murray exploring the psychological impact of gardens and how green spaces affect our lives today. Living in a concrete yard in a bustling city, Ruth draws inspiration from the small patches of greenery in her area — her neighbour Ingrid’s vibrant collection of potted plants, community planters in shared alleys, and a serene corner by a brook in the nearby park. Find out more.

Unfolding Time: The Medieval Pocket Calendar

WHEN & WHERE: 14 Feb–15 May at Lambeth Palace Library

Supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund this new exhibition at the Lambeth Palace Library’s state-of-the-art exhibition space reveals the intricate secrets of a remarkable collection of concertina-fold almanacs dating back hundreds of years. Described as a kind of ‘medieval smartphone’, concertina-fold almanacs helped their users keep track of time, look up information, and organise their lives. There are thought to be fewer than 30 of these curious medieval manuscripts in existence and they present a fascinating look back into how people in the Middle Ages organised their lives. Find out more.

Quirky attractions

In addition to world-famous attractions like the London Eye, South Bank has several smaller attractions that are free to visit including some fascinating cultural spaces where you can often catch pop-up exhibitions, talks, free workshops and other interesting events.

Go behind the scenes at Sherling High-Level Walkway

Described as central London's biggest factory, every aspect of the National Theatre's theatre production works - from metalwork, carpentry and painting to prop manufacture and rehearsals - takes place inside the theatre complex itself. You can view the theatre's workshops from the Sherling High-Level Walkway where informative exhibition boards outline the different production preparations taking place. Open 12pm-6pm on Wed and Sat, entrance via Dorfman Theatre.

Watch archive films at the BFI Mediatheque

Explore highlights from the world’s greatest film and TV archive in BFI Southbank’s free digital viewing space, the Mediatheque. Visitors can view over 95,000 titles from the BFI National Archive. The available film footage covers more than a century of film and TV material including news reels, feature films, TV shows and commercials. Simply choose a booth and touch the screen to start your viewing. Headphones are provided, but you are also welcome to bring your own. Find out more here.

Poetry at The National Poetry Library

The National Poetry Library (located on the 5th floor of the Royal Festival Hall) is the largest public collection of modern poetry in the world. In addition to a massive selection of anthologies, magazines and journals, the library hosts free temporary exhibitions themed around poetry and poets.

Free exhibitions at Lambeth Palace Library

One of the largest libraries of its kind in the world, the state-of-the-art Lambeth Palace Library is home to The National Library & Archive of the Church of England. The collection contains tens of thousands of books, maps, manuscripts, letters and other written materials, some of which are 1,000 years old! The library is free to visit and hosts free temporary exhibitions that highlight treasures from the library’s collection, as well as free evening lectures (space is limited so make sure to book). See what's on here.

Iconic sights

They say the best things in life are free and when it comes to iconic sightseeing opportunities that won't cost you a penny, you are spoiled for choice in South Bank! Take a stroll along the river and stop and sit for a while to soak up the views.

Sightseeing on the Queen’s Walk

Possibly London’s most famous riverside promenade, the Queen’s Walk is stacked with iconic views. Favourite photo opportunity stops include the world-famous views of the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben, the grandeur of the London Eye and the views of St Paul’s Cathedral as seen from Observation Point in front of Gabriel’s Wharf. Read our guide to what to see on your Queen's Walk stroll here.

Watch graffiti artists at work on Leake Street

This 300-metre-long tunnel runs all the way beneath Waterloo Station connecting South Bank with the Lower Marsh High Street in Waterloo. Leake Street is London’s longest graffiti wall and every inch of space is covered with an ever-changing collection of street art murals. Anybody is free to leave their mark and the graffiti changes daily. A great place to take some fun photos and to watch local graffiti artists at work!

A street acrobat performs in front of Jubilee Gardens

Watch the street performers

While strolling the Queen’s Walk take time out to watch the street performers. Every day brings a different collection of talented buskers, acrobats and other performers to the banks of the river. Performers can be found at the dedicated busking spots near the Southbank Centre in front of Jubilee Gardens, next to Hungerford Bridge and on the pedestrian crossings of the Golden Jubilee Bridges.

A view of the London Eye from Jubilee Gardens on a sunny day

A picnic in the park

Next to the London Eye, take time out from the crowds with a picnic on the lawns at Jubilee Gardens. Behind the iconic Oxo Tower is the pretty Bernie Spain Garden and its lush herbaceous borders. A little more off the beaten track, is Archbishop's Park (once part of the expansive Lambeth Palace Gardens), where you’ll find an excellent kid's playground and some ping pong tables. The small St Thomas Gardens next to the hospital have a handful of picnic tables and benches offering some of the best views of Big Ben.

More ways to save in South Bank

While the following activities aren't all free entry, here are some more top tips on how to make the most of South Bank on a budget.

NATIONAL THEATRE FRIDAY RUSH
Looking for bargain-priced tickets for the National Theatre's shows? A limited number of £20 tickets are available to purchase directly at the box office in South Bank on the day of a show from 10am. Even better yet, every Friday at 1pm £10 Friday Rush tickets are released online for each of the following week’s performances. An incredible offer worth setting an alarm for!

LAMBETH AND SOUTHWARK RESIDENTS DISCOUNTS
If you are a resident of the Lambeth or Southwark boroughs you can become an OV Local member at the Old Vic, which entitles you to 20% off tickets, food and drinks at the Old Vic. Find out more here. Lambeth residents can also get £8 tickets to exhibitions at the Hayward Gallery Wed–Fri and after 5pm on Saturday, as can visitors aged under 30. Find out more and book online here.

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Top Free Things to do in South Bank

You don't need to spend a fortune to enjoy a great day out sightseeing in South Bank.

Top Free Things to do in South Bank