As the new year dawns, are you resolving to see more culture in 2020? If so, hopefully my monthly what’s on guides will give you inspiration. Each month I select upcoming cultural events for families that I’m most excited about.
As much as I’ve enjoyed the festive period, I’m looking forward to getting back to normality, whatever that is! This month I’m most excited about seeing Grayson Perry’s new exhibition at Holbourne Museum in Bath – many of the crowd-sourced exhibits haven’t been seen by Perry since his art college days!
Here’s my pick of the most promising cultural things for families in London this January:
Play, build, write and perform your own protest at Tate Modern using cardboard structures. Special artist-led sessions at the Intergenerational Studio: Making Protest include designing your own video games (4 January 2020) and exploring how our bodies occupy space as a means of protest (5 January 2020). 2 – 5 January 2020. FREE, drop-in.
Celebrate the Epiphany at Dia de los Reyes at Museum of London Docklands. Mix traditional sweet bread ‘Rosca de Reyes’ in a sensory session, ready to bake at home. 4 January 2020. FREE, first come, first served.
Everyone’s favourite con-animal is celebrated in Osterley Park and House‘s exhibition The Tiger Who Came to Tea. Cuddle a life-size tiger, make tea in the play kitchen, take a trail through the garden and enjoy themed treats in the Cafe’s special tiger marquee. 11 January – 1 March 2020. Usual entrance fees apply, advance booking recommended.
Enjoy two FREE lively sessions with my favourite museum storyteller, Olivia Armstrong – Into the Night storytelling at the Barbican (11 January 2020, booking recommended) and Brave and Bold Family Workshop at the British Library (26 January 2020, first come, first served).
Image: Canary Wharf Lights
Brighten dark nights with a wander around the 25 light installations which make up Winter Lights 2020 at Canary Wharf (16 – 25 January 2020, FREE); alternatively, Lightopia Festival makes its first visit to London at Chiswick House and Gardens (22 January – 1 March 2020, paid).
Spectacular family-friendly outdoor show RISE kicks off Brent’s year as London Borough of Culture 2020. Dance, theatre and projections outside Wembley Stadium tell the area’s story of activism, writing and athleticism. 18 January 2020. FREE.
Explore Victorian streets with Layers of London in this interactive family crowd-sourcing session at the Museum of London. Digitally trace buildings and colour in houses to help create new layers of London’s past. 18 January 2020. FREE, drop-in, ages 6+.
Calling all eco-visionaries! Take part in collaborative activities and share ideas on how to create a thriving habitat at the Royal Academy Family Studio: Climate Champions, led by the Climate Museum UK. 19 January 2020. FREE, drop-in.
Celebrate the Year of the Rat with FREE Chinese New Year events at Royal Museums Greenwich (25 January 2020); National Gallery (26 January 2020); and Burgh House (26 January 2020). Expect days packed with performances, crafts, and storytelling.
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How’s your month looking? What are you most looking forward to? Let me know in the comments below, or over on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook. I absolutely love hearing what you get up.
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