Laura Lee Davies

While the image of London being constantly grey and drizzly may be grossly exaggerated, what really can’t be overstated is just how much there is to do in the capital in the event that it does pour it down with rain on your hard-earned day off. Or the whole weekend. Or the entire summer. The truth is, there are untold amounts of things to do if you want to hide away from the rain. We’ve got you covered for indoor activities, whether you’re lost for where to shop, or want to get lost in London’s most interesting museums and exhibitions. There are also the more random rainy day ventures, like if you’ve been caught in a random downpour and want to sample a few classy brollies in a Covent Garden umbrella store, or if you want to hole up in a board game café or a reading room for an entire stormy day. Here’s your guide the best indoor activities in London.

Unveiled! Time Out London’s 100 best books for kids, toddlers and teenagers. From classics to new works, picture books to sophisticated epics, here are reads to amuse and amaze, to offer first experiences and to fire young imaginations. We invited the Time Out team, staff at London’s best children’s bookshops and many contemporary authors and illustrators to name their ten best children’s books. Special thanks go to the writers and artists creating brilliant books who took the time to nominate their favourites – Charlie Higson, Sophie Kinsella, Terry Deary, Cressida Cowell and Chris Riddell. Our list is based more on passion than science and it’s worth pointing out that there are some writers who are so prolific that their votes were split across their repertoire. Jacqueline Wilson, Michael Morpurgo and David Walliams are all great writers who didn’t make it into our final 100. However, we’re really pleased with our list of the best children’s books and we hope it will inspire your family’s own adventures in children’s literature. RECOMMENDED: Check out London’s best bookshops.

LGBTQ+ history shouldn’t be contained to a single, short month every year. Thankfully, in London you can find some of the best queer club nights in the world, along with special events that celebrate LGBTQ+ life, all year round. But things really hit their peak in February, when hundreds of talks, workshops and festivals appear for LGBTQ+ History Month (February 2023), and this year is no different.  There are free film screenings, alt-cabaret and a queer takeover of Queen’s House to choose from, so whether you’re L, G, B, T, Q, I or straight, prepare to be enlightened, inspired and entertained. Here’s our round-up of the London celebrations and activities. 

Tony Elliott was London. From the age of two, when he moved with his family from Reading to South Kensington, his life was inexorably linked to the city he loved. As a student in the ’60s, he quickly plugged into the city’s countercultural scene. He founded Time Out as a radical listings magazine at 21, and steered it – successfully and (mostly) profitably – through four decades of rapid social change. He mentored a generation of independent-minded magazine publishers, editors and journalists, fought for social justice, minority rights and the conservation of London’s historic buildings, and, behind the scenes, was an indefatigable supporter of the capital’s arts and culture industries. From the ’90s onwards he took Time Out global, launching magazines in 60-odd cities plus a definitive series of travel guide books, a website covering more than 300 destinations, and six editor-curated Time Out Markets. But despite all that globetrotting, Tony remained a lifelong Londoner, and it was here in the capital that he died on July 17, at the age of 73. It’s hard to overstate how much Tony’s ‘big idea’ changed London and the world. By launching Time Out, he embarked on a lifelong mission to make the city’s best happenings (from weird art and subcultural club nights to food, drink and shopping) more accessible to more people than ever before. Long before the internet, Time Out democratised culture, making anyone who picked up a copy an instant insider. That was entirely down to Tony’s

Tanto si tenéis un bebé inquieto, curioso o incluso ruidoso, o un adolescente al que hay que entretener, aquí encontraréis varias cosas increíbles que hacer en Londres. Muchos museos y galerías cuentan con sesiones especiales para niños para que los más pequeños puedan explorar su creatividad o participar en actividades, y también un sinfín de opciones al aire libre para cuando quieran estar correteando. Además, muchos de los mejores lugares recomendados son gratuitos, así que por suerte no afectarán mucho a vuestra economía familiar. Con esta lista sobre las mejores cosas que hacer con niños en Londres podréis disfrutar de la ciudad en familia, pero Londres también ofrece un montón de buenos restaurantes, otros donde comer muy barato e infinidad de lugares icónicos para descubrir lo mejor de la ciudad.NO TE LO PIERDAS: las mejores cosas que hacer en Londres.

School’s out, but that doesn’t mean the learning has to stop there. We’ve found a range of great summer days out in London that will get kids excited about natural history, art, science and more – all without a classroom in sight. Here’s to planning a fun (and eductional) summer holiday in the city.  RECOMMENDED: Summer holidays in London

Natalie Cartwright, make-up artist and displays assistant at The London Dungeon is adding the finishing touches to our young bubonic plague victim. Eleanor, sitting in the make-up chair has, in the space of 25 minutes, gone from fresh-faced 12-year-old to blotchy, scab-encrusted London peasant circa 1665. Does she look good? Put it this way, she wouldn't make it to Christmas. As children all over London prepare for Halloween night, we thought we'd get some advice from the experts. So we've turned up at The London Dungeon after closing time with four Year Eights hoping for looks so horrid that even their own parents will board up the doors on Trick-or-Treat night. With 18 live-action walk-through sets and a wicked sense of humour, the South Bank ís home for truly horrible histories scares the pants off thousands of visitors every year. Along with painstakingly researched set design and special effects that often literally spring from the darkened walkways, the team of actors at The London Dungeon creates an evocative fiction from the facts of London's most gruesome historic moments. Happily for them, their official make-up partners, M-A-C, don't just specialise in making faces look pretty. As Natalie opened up her box of tricks (with a few extra potions sourced from Charles H Fox theatrical make-up store in Covent Garden, one of London's best fancy dress shops) our four young models were clearly ready to pick up tips which might come in handy to secure the odd sick day off sch

If one destination could inspire you to pick up a pen or a paintbrush (or even a guitar) purely by walking around it, it would be Dublin. The setting for James Joyce’s most famous works continues to nurture dynamic creativity today. Temple Bar is Dublin’s ‘cultural quarter’ but go further – hear live music pouring from bars all over town, see stunning art in galleries large and small and fall in love with Dublin’s literary pubs.

Whether you’re a fashionista in search of one-off style, you’re looking for design inspiration for your home, or you just want to indulge in selfie heaven, Dublin is a feast for the senses. There are shops set in Georgian townhouses, the Daniel Libeskind-designed Grand Canal Theatre and the restaurant in the basement of the Dublin Writers Museum boasts a Michelin star.

Looking for somewhere smoochy for your next romantic getaway? Dublin is actually home to the relics of St Valentine! However, you don’t need to make a pilgrimage to Whitefriar Street Church to get in the mood for love. Instead, stroll through the city’s pretty streets or along the banks of the Liffey, get out of town for secluded days by the seashore or spend a lazy Sunday morning in a cosy café. Eat, shop for that special gift or wander the art galleries – many of the best ones are free, so it’s okay if you spend more time looking at each other than at the paintings.

Yes there are beautiful streets to walk down, brilliant shops and top-class restaurants, but Dublin has a wild side, too. Its docklands and river are the perfect setting for waterborne thrills and, just out of town, the parks, mountains and coastline have plenty to test your nerve and lift your spirits

Let’s face it, London Zoo is a big old place for little legs, so here’s our checklist of must-dos while you’re there this half-term with the kids. Whether you’re keen to bask in the shadow of some magnificent beasts or see something altogether cuter with plenty of ‘Awwwwww’, there are plenty of cool creatures to keep everyone occupied.

See the The Crimes of Grindelwald with drinks and nibbles, a special introduction and an evening tour of The Making of Harry Potter? Yes please! Here's how… When any event at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London is announced it sells out faster than Gellert Grindelwald can escape prison and get back to his evil plot for pure-blood domination. But today there's an extra chance to get in on November's exclusive sell-out screening events. Two extra evening sessions have been added – on Saturday November 17 and Sunday November 18 and tickets for these go on sale Friday November 2 at 10am.  It's for over-18s only and it is £149 per ticket, but this is no ordinary film show… You get to take The Making of Harry Potter Tour, walking into the Great Hall and around sets made and filmed  right here for the Harry Potter films and, of course, the new Fantastic Beasts series. Plus there's a chance to see costumes from The Crimes of Grindelwald (not on view anywhere else). You get hot food and a glass of wine, beer or soft drink in the Backlot Cafe, and a choice of drink to take into the cinema with you, along with a bag of sweets or popcorn.  Munch discreetly, because you won't want to miss a word of the special pre-film introduction in the cinema from Pierre Bohanna, Head Prop Maker for all eight Harry Potter films and the Fantastic Beasts saga. Then sit back and find out how Newt Scamanger's wish for a relatively quiet Wizardining life has been dashed once again, on a dazzling adventure that

Imagination is overrated. Why try to envisage the corridors that Henry VIII once wandered when you can wander the very same halls yourself? That’s one of the coolest things about London’s Historic Royal Palaces, because you can stand in spots where British history was made, for instance, where Catherine Parr and Henry VIII were wed (Hampton Court Palace) or where less fortunate wife Anne Boleyn was beheaded (Tower of London). While Kensington Palace isn’t as large as the likes of Hampton Court or the notorious Tower, it has a lot going for it. For one, the modest (in comparison) Jacobean architecture and impeccably groomed grounds are absolutely stunning, but it also boasts a love affair with some of the nation’s favourite princesses. Queen Victoria was born and raised here, and in fact you can see the bedroom in which she was awoken on June 20 1837 and told she was to be queen. The Queen’s sister, Princess Margaret lived at Kensington Palace for 42 years, and Diana the Princess of Wales took up residence at the palace with Prince Charles. Both Diana and Margaret were renowned for their forward-thinking fashion sense, which not only aped the trends of the time, but also influenced the outfits of those, well, less royal. It’s no surprise then that Kensington Palace has come to be known as the most glamorous of all the royal residences. And, fittingly, it's currently hosting 'Diana: Her Fashion Story', a celebration of Diana's life but also a major new exhibition at the palace,

Whether you've been to The Making of Harry Potter at Warner Bros Studio Tour before or not, this summer there's an exclusive new extra that diehard fans and lovers of costumery won't want to miss.  Behind the Seams goes deeper into the craft and creative process, whisking you off into the world of the Costume Department, where over 25,000 unique items of clothing for the Wizarding World were created. From initial sketches to the finished costumes seen on screen, Behind the Seams is hosted by experts who explain how costumes were aged to look centuries old, or battle-torn, or, in the case of Aunt Marge, why 38 different costumes had to be made for just one scene! With its attention to detail, the tour is best suited to ages 12 and over. But for anyone with a passion for clothing design, this is a treat. Set in a workshop, you get to see costumes that haven't been seen before on the Studio Tour including those of Professor Sprout, Triwizard champion Cedric Diggory and even Lord Voldemort's robes – especially 'distressed' for the Battle of Hogwarts. You also get to choose your own house colours and see what you look like dressed in one of the original Hogwarts robes from the films. Tickets include regular entrance to the Tour (at peak times, the Tour is booked up months in advance, so this could be a great way to get tickets) as well as the one-hour Behind the Seams costume tour. During your regular visit, you report to one of the staff at a designated meeting point and take the

After four decades under the arches in Tooley Street, London Bridge, the city's notorious dungeons moved to the South Bank, where it's made itself at home since 2013. That may not sound like an 'orrible, stinkin' location, but believe us, they've certainly turned it into one: with genuine foul smells and real life rats. When you get there take a trip down a cobbled, shadow-laden alleyway, where you’ll join the 90-minute immersive tour that basically guides you through just how grim it was to live in London in the days of yore. Actors in Victorian garb make you jump as they recount tales of the capital’s history: some legendary, some true, all pretty awful. You’ll hear about tyrant kings, pestilential houses, murder, torture, terror and more murder. The high jinks all takes place in superb sets that gather a stonking variety of scenery, smells, rides and atmospheric lighting to make you feel like you’ve left the twenty-first century behind. You can step into the shoes of a ‘traitor’ in the days of Henry VIII, and sail downriver to the Tower of London. Plus, you can discover all there is to know about the ill-fated Gunpowder Plot from Mr Guido Fawkes himself. And you can wander the streets where Jack the Ripper prowled – and plenty more. The gross get-ups the actors have to wear are disgustingly impressive. The puss-filled sores are enough to make you heave, but hopefully you'll be distracted enough by the genuinely funny approach to the experience. And don't be embarrassed if

Like the Pantheon Crypt in Paris, where you can see the tombs and memorials to great figures from history, Westminster Abbey is a popular attraction to peruse the graves, tablets, busts and stone dedications. Seventeen kings and queens are buried here, along with dukes, countesses and history’s ‘celebs’ – Darwin, Dickens, Hardy, Behn, Olivier, etc. Throughout the cloisters and chapels of the Abbey are most than 3,000 souls that have been honoured with stones, statues and shrines. There’s even an entire stained glass window dedicated to Isambard Kingdom Brunel, and a whole corner for poets and creatives in the South Transept, including DH Lawrence, Jane Austen, Dylan Thomas, Lewis Carroll, Shakespeare and many more. It’s also worth exploring the Abbey’s grounds while you’re there. The gardens are quite beautiful, with four in all: the original Garth, Little Cloister and College Gardens, as well as the more recent addition, St Catherine's Garden. The College Garden is one of the most intriguing, as it is home to the original infirmarer’s patch, which was (and still is) used to grow medicinal herbs and foods for the residents of the Abbey. But of course all the gardens are beautifully presented and surrounded by gorgeous architecture, so any would make for a lovely stroll. Due to the fact that Westminster Abbey is still a fully functioning church, the visiting times often vary, so check the website first if you’re planning to go down to see which bits will be accessible. If you’

Before the days of Google, YouTube, Wiki and the like, the only way for people to find out about stuff was by books and word of mouth. Unthinkable, huh? Well, in the early twentieth century Robert Ripley was one of the most experienced mouthpieces out there. He made a name for himself as a cartoonist, creating regular illustrations depicting exotic and unusual cultures from around the world for the New York Globe and later the New York Post. These led to a run of books, a radio slot that lasted 14 years and was broadcast from weird and wonderful places, including underwater, in the air and in a snake pit. Ripley also landed a TV show in 1948, shortly before his fatal heart attack a year later. The late, great adventurer’s legacy lives on in Ripley’s Believe it or Not! These museums of oddities – the largest of which is here in the capital and first opened its doors in Piccadilly Circus in 2008 – are still delighting and disgusting viewers today (because who doesn’t want to gawp at a two-headed cow?). As you embark on this self-guided tour through the five-storey building, you’ll encounter seven zones: Amazing Art, Curious Cultures, Remarkable People, Incredible Nature, History Rediscovered, Weird But Wonderful and Amazing Microsculptures by Willard Wigan. Particularly bizarre exhibits include a picture of Michelle Obama made out of bottle tops, Jo Jo the dog-faced man, a gorilla made out of car bumpers, the man who had his body reshaped to look like a lizard, the tallest man

In 2012, Italian architect Renzo Piano transformed London’s skyline with a strange but striking structure. Despite its glassy, futuristic look, the huge pyramid that is The Shard (now the capital’s tallest tower) was in fact influenced by the London of old. Piano took inspiration from the eighteenth-century spires he’d seen in artworks by Venetian landscape painter Canaletto. Reaching 244 metres from the ground, The Shard was built with everything in mind: offices, homes, hotels, bars, restaurants and, of course, the alluring viewing platform. From the highest point the public are allowed access (floors 69-72) you get stunning 360° views of the city. There’s also a weekly silent disco up there on Saturday nights and other events, such as Sky-High Yoga or film screenings. If you’re intending to get up to The View at The Shard you don’t have to plan too far ahead because it’s open every day. Ok, it’s closed on Christmas Day, but apart from that it’s open 10am-10pm: Every. Single. Day. And you don’t have to wait until you get to the tip for the excitement to begin, as your journey starts the minute you step foot in the lift. Look up, because screens in the ceiling provide fascinating facts and hypnotic visuals as you hurtle skywards to floor 69. From here you can explore three more levels by foot (don’t worry, there is another lift if you can’t manage the stairs), with walls of windows providing an incredible backdrop. On a good day views stretch as far as 40 miles away (that’s

Usher in uniforms circa 1950 will greet you as you enter this enchanting experience. As part of a ‘Dreamworks Tour’ group, you’ll be ferried around on a classic London Routemaster that’s all set to take you on the ‘Shrek Adventure’. Only, something seems to have gone awry… Cue a spirited, panto-style Princess Fiona, who hands out the 3D glasses and leads you on to an alternative mode of transport – which turns out to be the breathtaking 4D opening scene of your adventure. You’ll soar skyward from the South Bank (with the help of a VR technology that cost millions, apparently) to Far, Far Away – if Rumpelstiltskin and his coterie of witches don’t throw a spanner in the works. After a humungous crash, you’ll next find yourself on a breakneck chase through a pongy, squidgy place that could only be Shrek’s swap. But with no sign of the big green guy, you’ll have to heed the wise words of Cinderella. Shrek’s Adventure London comes from the same attractions stable as the London Dungeon and it follows the same tried-and-tested format: you’re led from one vignette to the next, and find yourself part of a new story in which you’ll have to solve clues, join in the odd musical number, get up to generally daft stuff in order to reach the end of the tour – and, fingers crossed, a happy ending. The set design is faultless, and there’s something unexpected waiting around every corner. This is a charmingly fun trip into Shrek’s wry, wonky fairytale world, and you’ll encounter lots of famili

‘I wish I’d known about the Cardinal spider before I wrote my story,’ says my 13-year-old daughter, Eleanor. Eleanor loves indie music, Hitchcock films and history. A budding Lucy Worsley, she looks at the arachnid specimen in the box being handed around. The cardinal spider is the largest of its kind, native to the UK. It got its name because Cardinal Wolsey, who built Hampton Court Palace, hated the eight-legged beasties, which would lurk in corners and fall on heads unexpectedly. Eleanor reckons it would have been perfect in her English homework murder mystery (Jane Seymour, by the head cook, with the stew). We’re standing in the kitchens at Hampton Court Palace on a winter night with a small gathering of under-10s, parents and a couple of grandparents, on a Family Ghost Tour. Some of our fellow visitors are also Tudor trainspotters, others are tourists who have visited the Palace on a day trip and are extending that with this brilliant evening tour, many of the kids are just up for a few thrills and the excuse to squeal loudly in the darkness. Everyone laps up the spider stories and peers into the dark rafters tentatively. Throughout the winter months each year – when the nights get dark earlier – those with a ghoulish curiosity or simply with a wish to explore one of the world’s most famous royal residences without the crowds can join Hampton Court Palace ghost tours. These are suitable for over-15s, but for a handful of tours each season, families with children aged eig

Plum + Spilt Milk is now known as Rails If security checks and passport queues have left you mourning the glamour of travel, dine here. On the first floor of the Great Northern Hotel just beside King’s Cross Station, the check-in for Eurostar at St Pancras is but a fond adieu across the road, and the classy dining room seems to buzz with the excitement of having just arrived or preparing to set off. Directed by Michelin-starred chef Mark Sargeant, the kitchen showcases contemporary and classic British cooking. My dish of orange-poached figs in a salad with beets and English blue cheese was tangy, soft and well matched with crisp, candied walnuts. Mains aren’t cheap, but my companion’s lamb was pink, tender and, I’m assured, well worth the outlay, while my baked marrow melted deliciously on the tongue, and was served with heritage carrots that were earthy and delicately seasoned with coriander. Without a Continental train journey on which to snooze it all off, it was good to see that desserts are offered in two portion sizes. Thanks to the friendly guidance of the attentive but unassuming waiting staff, the piquant iced peanut and salted caramel mousse ‘little pudding’ proved just the ticket.

In autumn 1888, a killer lurked the streets of Whitechapel’s nastiest slums, picking up prostitutes and brutally murdering them. Such was the gruesome nature of each killing that the outcry at the time turned events into legend even before the last victim had died. The fact that even today we still have no idea who committed the crimes makes the story of Jack the Ripper a fascinating one. Even though this murder mystery never reached a satisfying conclusion, it has inspired everything from Victorian newspaper cartoons and walking tours, to plays, novels, movies and over 100 theories about just who Jack the Ripper was. The most recent addition to the legend is the Jack the Ripper Museum, set over the floors of a Victorian house on Cable Street in the heart of Whitechapel. Go along and explore all the known facts about the victims and the chief suspects, trace over the police investigation and see artefacts that give you a clearer picture of grim daily life in the Victorian East End – then see if you can piece it all together and come to your own whodunit conclusion. A visit is not for the easily spooked. While time might make us feel a little safer, there’s no escaping the truly vile nature of each murder. Five young prostitutes – Mary Ann Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine Eddowes and Mary Jane Kelly – were found dead in lodgings and on the streets around Whitechapel in just a few terrible weeks between August 31 and November 9 1888. Each of them had their th

It might seem ghoulish to follow in the footsteps of Victorian London’s most horrible crimes, but the events surrounding the serial killer Jack the Ripper hold as much fascination now as they did a hundred years ago. No doubt their dark appeal is considerably strengthened by the fact that the real life murderer was never found, leaving the story open for us all to attempt to solve ourselves. In fact, the first Jack the Ripper tours were being taken around the streets of east London just a few years after the attacks took place, and the stories have abounded in print and on screen ever since. On this Jack the Ripper tour you can visit sites related to the Ripper legend and hear the gruesome details of each murder, along with stories of the five sorry victims: Mary Ann Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine Eddowes and Mary Jane Kelly. If your fascination goes further, visit the Jack the Ripper Museum on Cable Street, too.

Been to the Tower of London so often you know all the ravens by name? Run through the fountains at South Bank until the kids have shrunk a shoe size? When you’re tired of London this summer take the kids out of the city on a new adventure to the seaside towns of Essex or the wide open spaces of East Anglia. All the events and trip ideas below are easy to reach by train with Greater Anglia. Advance fares start from £5 to Southend-on-Sea* – so all you’ve got to do is book ahead, pack your picnic and have a great day out!   Summer Holiday Adventure Jul 28 If the kids are already seasoned theatregoers, try something different on a day out to Norwich. This immersive children’s show at Stage Two at the Norwich Theatre Royal is specially created for kids aged two to six and their families (£6). Make your own passports and set off by plane to somewhere hot, fuelled by your imaginations. Build sandcastles, swim through bubbles, have tea with a mermaid or maybe get swallowed by a whale! Liverpool Street to Norwich by train with Greater Anglia     Ipswich Maritime Festival Aug 19 and 20 Do you have a budding Sailor Sam or Steamboat Suzy in your family? This free festival is the ideal excuse to explore the seaside town of Ipswich. With decorated ships and boats, costumed historical re-enactments, music, rides, Punch and Judy shows, children’s activities and lots of stalls, there’s lots to see and do, and if you go on the Sunday you’ll catch the fire performers and the firework finale. Li

Don’t get us wrong, we love our own Science Museum in South Kensington, but it’s outclassed by the Experimentarium in Copenhagen. Recently overhauled with a huge range of interactive experiences, the museum reopened this spring and is sexier than ever – from its copper-clad helix staircase to the slick film theatre to the Labyrinth of Light, where you can try to out-manoeuvre your own shadow. But the best bit is the rooftop, where colourful touch-sensitive pads let you create light, sound and music in a game that combines brain training and tag. You’ll see a crane and huge building blocks up there too, to let kids get behind the wheel and take control, creating their own world. Considering London’s obsession with all things rooftop, we’d love to see a bit of alfresco science fun over here. Stuck here for the summer? Here are loads of great things to do with kids in London.

London does Valentine’s Day in all manner of weird and wonderful ways. So forget red roses or boxes of chocolates and try one of these superior quirky alternatives. The Bloody Brunch Club Valentine's Special Among the many pre-Feb 14 Valentine's warm-ups is this loved-up version of a popular boozy brunch club. Angled as more of a party rather than a quiet, couply affair, there'll be a special Valentine's menu over three sittings over the day, including a singles' sesh for those searching for love. Oh, and you can upgrade your ticket for bottomless bloody marys if you're thirsty for more than just love. Haunt, N16 7UY. Sat Feb 11. £19.50-£29.50.   Viking Aphrodisiac History Masterclass Forget strawberries and champagne, this year you're invited to step back through the ages and enjoy Valentine's Day with a historic twist. The Queen of Hoxton Rooftop will play host to a seductive still life, where everything on the table was at one point or another considered an aphrodisiac. Presented by food historian Tasha Marks, you’ll sip, sniff and taste your way through 2000 years of frisky foodstuffs. Queen of Hoxton, EC2A 3JX. Sun Feb 12. £20. Valentine's Day Dog Walk Stroll and chat with fellow dog lovers on a walk this weekend in aid of the All Dogs Matter charity. Here’s a conversation starter: if Julia Roberts had been in a film about foiling the marriage of two pals’ pets, would it have been called ‘My Best Friend’s Man’s Best Friend’s Wedding’? Various locations – check event web

As 2017 is the fiftieth anniversary of the Sexual Offences Act – decriminalising male homosexuality in England and Wales – there’s an added sense of celebration to February’s rainbow of LGBT events Even the words lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender have been overtaken by more fluid descriptions of how people express their sexuality. It’s a myth that lesbianism was never illegal because Queen Victoria didn’t believe it existed. However, it was only in 2000 that individuals could at last be openly LGBT in the armed forces; trans people got the right to change their legal gender as recently as 2005; and in Northern Ireland same-sex marriage still hasn’t been legalised. So, there is some cause for partying, but there’s also a lot of work still to be done. Through 2017 there are several blockbuster LGBT events, including Tate Britain’s ‘Queer British Art 1861-1967’ exhibition (Apr 5-Oct 1). And this month alone, you’ll find all manner of arts, education and social events taking place. Here are a few highlights, so whether you’re L, G, B, T, Q, I or straight, prepare to be enlightened, inspired and entertained. And whatever you are, just be. Be a party animal Long Live Queen James An evening of revelry inspired by James I’s openly gay lifestyle. There will be drinking, specially devised playlets by performance artist Scottee and playwright Mark Ravenhill, and workshops exploring the Stuart penchant for cross-dressing and wearing make-up. Banqueting House. Feb 22. £10.   Be in

It’s cold and wet outside and you spent all the money in the party season, but hey, shake off that midwinter misery by exploring London’s greatest free indoor spaces. We've picked some of our favourite spots to stay in when you’re going out. Walk through history in the Monument Court at Sir John Soane’s Museum Lewis Bush   This fascinating (free-entry) museum in Holborn boasts an impressive ‘Monument Court’ crammed with architectural artefacts and curiosities spanning thousands of years. Think of a number in the Science Museum’s new maths room Nick Guttridge   The grandly named ‘Mathematics: The Winton Gallery’ is a brand new cathedral to calculation. Browse its exhibits and marvel at the beauty of the gallery’s Zaha Hadid design – inspired by maths and physics. Take your sense of smell on a tour of the Roja Dove Haute Parfumerie at Harrods An olfactory arcadia on the sixth floor of this famous department store, the Haute Parfumerie features a carefully curated selection of fine scents, handpicked by fragrance guru Roja Dove. Viagra for the nose. Free your mind in the Wellcome Collection’s reading room   Get a better understanding of health, medicine and your own body at the Wellcome Collection. Its funky reading room is the perfect place to chill out and contemplate your navel (and other parts of your anatomy).   Feast on style in the Designer Maker User space at the Design Museum Luke Hayes Opened in autumn 2016, the relocated Design Museum is as beautiful to look a

Who knew that Moominvalley was on the Northern line? Setting off from the Southbank Centre’s Spirit Level, you pass through a portal to Tove Jansson’s worlds real and imagined – from an artist’s studio to dense forests, over a rocky beach and through snowscapes – to understand more about the inspiration for one of the world’s most loved children’s book series. Beyond the chance to gaze on Jansson’s beautiful artwork, here’s what we discovered at the Southbank Centre’s new Adventures in Moominland exhibition.           1. If it wasn’t for crumbs in bed, the Moomins wouldn’t exist. As a child, Tove Jansson was a bit of a midnight feaster, raiding her parents' larder for snacks. Her uncle used to tell her that if she made a mess, a nasty Moomintroll would be lured from his lair. The Moomintroll became an outlet for her feelings and eventually evolved into the loveable creature we know today. 2. Nature gave birth to Moomintroll. His shape is inspired by clouds and snow. 3. The evils of war couldn’t destroy Moomin magic. The fear of comets (a theme in the Moomin story) reflects the reality of life in Finland under fire in World War II. Jansson and her friends would paint and listen to jazz in her studio to keep calm while bombs went off in the city outside. 4. Jansson’s art started small. Tove Jansson’s early work was often drawn very small because her mother Signe made a living designing stamps for the Finnish postal service.  5. Art imitates life. Tove Jansson is reflected in t