The ianVisits guide to December's unusual events, tours, lectures and exhibitions happening around London.
Monday 1st December
A talk about Bloomberg News' business model, how Bloomberg News is funded and Bloomberg News' approach to financial journalism
6:30pm to 7pm
6:30pm to 8pm
Holborn
6:30pm to 8pm
Holborn
Starts at 7pm
Richmond
Learn about London's natural heritage and geology, particularly the spectacular features of the Lea Valley.
Starts at 7pm
Homerton
7pm to 8pm
Barbican
Starts at 8pm
Twickenham
More London events on Monday 1st December
Tuesday 2nd December
Starts at 12am
Notting Hill
Dr Cathy Ross takes you through the history of philanthropy in London
6pm to 8pm
The Museum is lit by candlelight on the first Tuesday of each month, from 6 until 9pm.
6pm to 9pm
6:30pm to 7:30pm
New Southgate
6:30pm to 8pm
Holborn
Steph Mastoris explores how the imagery of ever familiar Christmas card acts as a window on history.
Starts at 7pm
More London events on Tuesday 2nd December
Wednesday 3rd December
2pm to 3pm
Richmond
Join paranormal expert Deborah Hyde to learn more about Krampus and to eat traditional Alpine festive cake and drink hot, spiced wine.
6:30pm to 9pm
Barbican
Kate Adie OBE looks at how women’s roles dramatically changed with the outbreak of war.
Starts at 7:30pm
More London events on Wednesday 3rd December
Thursday 4th December
2pm to 3pm
6:30pm to 8pm
Holborn
6:30pm to 8pm
Holborn
Dr Robert Storrie draws on his fieldwork in Amazonia to discuss the meanings of the three shrunken heads in the Horniman's collection.
Starts at 7pm
A comprehensive review of the way in which this key interchange complex operated, together with its ancillary features.
Starts at 7:30pm
More London events on Thursday 4th December
Friday 5th December
£11.25
Who was the most successful Conservative party leader of all time? And who was the worst?
11am to 6pm
Displays from Clowns International's Archive are on show in and around the Grimaldi corner of Holy Trinity Church.
12pm to 5pm
Hackney
£2.50
Tour the remains of the western gate of London’s Roman military fort, located beneath the streets next to the museum.
Starts at 2pm
Hour long tour of the legal Inns of Court includes visits to the Old Hall, Great Hall and Chapel,
2pm to 9pm
Holborn
£10.00
6:30pm to 1am
Camden
Free
The Gentle Author of 'Spitalfields Life' introduces Horace Warner’s 'Spitalfields Nippers'.
Starts at 7:30pm
More London events on Friday 5th December
Saturday 6th December
Look at the least known episode in London’s history, mid-Saxon town Lundenwic (AD 600-900).
All Day
Aldwych
Starts at 12am
East Molesey
Starts at 12am
Kensington
Starts at 9:15am
Welling
£20.00
10am to 1am
Camden
Come and see a unique display of working Meccano models large and small.
10am to 5pm
Barkingside
Flying pigs, retro hairstyles and hand grenades are set to feature in this exhibition of the art and craft of Cambodia’s hand-painted advertising.
10am to 5pm
Stoke Newington
Hundreds of postcard-sized drawings, paintings, collages and photographs on sale in aid of Age UK Barnet.
10am to 5pm
East Finchley
£7.50
What to know about the sometimes strange eating habits of our ancestors?
Starts at 11am
£10.50
Search out the nooks and crannies of a working theatre, exploring the wings and the fly tower,
Starts at 11:30am
Monthly open day at one of London's more unusual, and delightful museums.
2pm to 5pm
Visit one of the Geffrye's 18th-century almshouses which has been fully restored to its original condition,
4pm to 5pm
Bethnal Green
More London events on Saturday 6th December
Sunday 7th December
Monthly opening of the museum inside the remains of Croydon Airport control tower
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A number of vintage buses will be running along route 227 in South London.
All Day
Starts at 12am
Kensington
A monthly opening at the threatened museum of testing machines -- which includes the original massive machine designed by Kirkaldy.
10am to 4pm
Flying pigs, retro hairstyles and hand grenades are set to feature in this exhibition of the art and craft of Cambodia’s hand-painted advertising.
10am to 5pm
Stoke Newington
A collection of Fairground Organs on display and performing for the audience.
11am to 5pm
Amersham
From a secret passage, to a hidden garden, there is much the public doesn't usually see.
Starts at 12:16pm
Islington
£20.00
A candle-lit reading of Charles Dicken's famous novel, in his own home.
Starts at 2:30pm
More London events on Sunday 7th December
Monday 8th December
6:30pm to 8pm
Holborn
Ben Goldacre as he leads you through his latest book, a new collection of the best journalistic articles from the author of Bad Science and Bad Pharma
7pm to 8pm
Elisabeth Blanchet will tell the story behind the Excalibur estate and its residents, and how the Prefab Museum came to be.
8pm to 8pm
Islington
More London events on Monday 8th December
Tuesday 9th December
Free
12:30pm to 1:30pm
City of London
2pm to 4pm
More London events on Tuesday 9th December
Wednesday 10th December
A talk about the height of the travel poster when travel was a luxury, and reflected in poster design.
Starts at 10:30am
A tea party to commemorate the arrival of the Cutty Sark in Greenwich
2pm to 4pm
Talk about a supersonic car with the capability of travelling at 1,000mph by using a rocket and a jet engine.
Starts at 6:30pm
6:30pm to 8pm
Holborn
£15.00
Brian Webb and Rob Shepherd talk about Sir Peter Blake’s Under Milk Wood, not forgetting Dylan Thomas
7pm to 9pm
Starts at 8pm
Richmond
More London events on Wednesday 10th December
Thursday 11th December
Starts at 6:30am
Kensington
Starts at 2pm
Richmond
3pm to 4pm
Becontree Heath
Free
Set your festive spirits alight as Imperial Fringe returns for a seasonal celebration of research science.
5pm to 8pm
Experts discuss the consequences of the fire that sounded the death knell for cylinder recordings
Starts at 6:30pm
Starts at 7pm
Twickenham
A talk about the festive food and eating habits of the residents of the London Shh homes.
Starts at 7pm
£3.00
A look at the origins of Christmas, traditions and customs & some fun stories & songs along the way.
Starts at 8pm
There will be a firework display from a barge positioned mid-stream in Lambeth Reach, in the vicinity of Millbank Pier.
10:30pm to 10:40pm
Pimlico
More London events on Thursday 11th December
Friday 12th December
A guided walk through Hyde Park looking at the seasonal folklore, traditions and feasts that have developed to sustain us through winter’s darkest day
12pm to 1:30pm
Paddington
Renowned astronaut and YouTube sensation will be signing copies of You Are Here.
Starts at 6:30pm
Picadilly
More London events on Friday 12th December
Saturday 13th December
10am to 7pm
Erith
A rare opportunity to venture to the bottom of City Road Lock and walk along the original Victorian brickwork.
10am to 3pm
Islington
Chance to see inside the local police station and to see some of their equipment.
10am to 3pm
Barking
£1210.00
At least 40 pantomime horses race through Greenwich
Starts at 11am
Greenwich
£15.00
Join actors, musicians, and London historian Dr Matthew Green for an immersive tour of London's coffeehouses in the labyrinth of the City.
11:30am to 1:15pm
City of London
Free
From terrible crimes to gruesome legends, London has long been to the backdrop to horrifying tales which quickly take root in popular imagination.
1pm to 2pm
A 75 minute guided walk around the area looking at the history of Brixton market.
Starts at 2:30pm
Stockwell
What is the role of propaganda, in war as well as in peace?
Starts at 2:30pm
More London events on Saturday 13th December
Sunday 14th December
A rare opportunity to venture to the bottom of City Road Lock and walk along the original Victorian brickwork.
10am to 3pm
Islington
Starts at 1:30pm
Bexleyheath
4pm to 8pm
Teddington
More London events on Sunday 14th December
Monday 15th December
No events are listed for today. Sorry.
More London events on Monday 15th December
Tuesday 16th December
A collection of 10 rare films offering glimpses of lost London from 1930 to 1980.
2pm to 3pm
Southwark
A talk and book signing by the famous astronaut.
7pm to 8pm
7:30pm to 9:30pm
Barking
More London events on Tuesday 16th December
Wednesday 17th December
Starts at 2pm
Richmond
Elisabeth Blanchet will tell the story behind the Excalibur estate and its residents, and how the Prefab Museum came to be.
8pm to 9pm
Islington
More London events on Wednesday 17th December
Thursday 18th December
No events are listed for today. Sorry.
More London events on Thursday 18th December
Friday 19th December
Starts at 7pm
Twickenham
More London events on Friday 19th December
Saturday 20th December
The Museum tells the story of the mansion house, as it was used as the Headquarters for Fighter Command during WW2.
10am to 5pm
Stanmore
This Blue Badge Guide led walk outlines the causes behind this conflict, takes you to some of the buildings that played a role.
2pm to 4pm
Aldwych
Guided tour around the walled enclave next to Barbican by one of the resident Brothers.
2:15pm to 7pm
More London events on Saturday 20th December
Sunday 21st December
No events are listed for today. Sorry.
More London events on Sunday 21st December
Monday 22nd December
No events are listed for today. Sorry.
More London events on Monday 22nd December
Tuesday 23rd December
Vigils have been held on the 23rd of every month since June 2004. They are inclusive, secular events, open 'to all faiths and none'.
Starts at 7pm
Southwark
More London events on Tuesday 23rd December
Wednesday 24th December
The famous annual clearance auction by Harts at Smithfield - cash only.
Starts at 10:30am
Barbican
More London events on Wednesday 24th December
Thursday 25th December
No events are listed for today. Sorry.
More London events on Thursday 25th December
Friday 26th December
Annual tug-of-war between the patrons of The Nags Head and The White Hart.
10:30am to 9pm
More London events on Friday 26th December
Saturday 27th December
Starts at 11am
Twickenham
More London events on Saturday 27th December
Sunday 28th December
No events are listed for today. Sorry.
More London events on Sunday 28th December
Monday 29th December
No events are listed for today. Sorry.
More London events on Monday 29th December
Tuesday 30th December
Join City of Westminster Guide Joanna Moncrieff on a foodie themed tour of London's best Christmas Lights.
6:30pm to 8:15pm
Marylebone High St
More London events on Tuesday 30th December
Wednesday 31st December
No events are listed for today. Sorry.
