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We do the egg-work to find the best Easter events April is choc-full of Easter activities for the kids, with a fluffle of Easter bunnies vying for attention. We’ve saved you the egg-work and picked out the best 40 things to do, from enchanted train rides to meet egg-bequeathing bunnies, to immersive Peter Rabbit adventures, lamb-bothering, chocolate workshops, the ultimate egg hunts and plenty of free events to see them through the rare DOUBLE BANK HOLIDAY, Easter half-term and the rest of April. If they’ve had their fill of Easter, we’ve gone the egg-stra mile with a whole section of choc and rabbit-free entertainment to egg-splore, so crack on. Audley End Easter Special Hop onto the miniature train - outside Saffron Walden, Essex - and ride deep into the enchanted Audley End woods to visit the Easter bunny in his woodland home. Along the route through the magical forest, kids can use I Spy sheets to spot bunnies burrowing in the undergrowth, colourful eggs and spring chicks. The train stops at the Easter bunny’s burrow, where children will meet the full-sized rabbit and his furry friends, who will give each child a special gift. The next stop is the Easter Trail, where families can wander through pathways to spot springtime animals, nests and eggs. The Easter entertainment continues in the picnic field, where children can explore the adventure play area and watch the Easter entertainment on the stage. Eggsellent food and drink will be available at the Woodland Cafe all day with seasonal treats. Audley End Miniature Railway, Audley End Road, Audley End, Saffron Walden, Essex CB11 4JB. 1 - 16 April. Adults and children over 92cm £17. Children under 92cm £8.50. Under ones go free. Peter Rabbit Easter Adventure Following the success of last summer's Blenheim Palace show - read our review here - Peter Rabbit is hopping back for another adventure, this time in the heart of London’s Covent Garden Piazza. From 21 March to 16 April Beatrix Potter’s world is being brought to life through puppetry and immersive performance in a brand-new show, where children are invited to become the stars of the Peter Rabbit Easter Adventure, joining Beatrix Potter and friends to rescue Jemima Puddle-Duck from the dastardly Mr McGregor. During the 50-minute outdoor experience, children will search for secret notes, maps, and other clues and meet Peter Rabbit, Benjamin Bunny, Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle and a few surprise encounters along the way in Histrionic Productions’ latest experience. Additional activities include Mr McGregor’s Obstacle Course for thrill-seeking children who want to test their driving skills in a mini ROVER for ages four and above. Families will also have the opportunity to clamber onto Mr McGregor’s tractor and have a souvenir photograph taken with the radish-pilfering bunny himself. Peter Rabbit Easter Adventure, Chestnut Bakery, 24 Floral Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2E 9DS. 21 March - 16th April (Closed 11 April and all Mondays except Easter Monday 10 April) The Lindt Gold Bunny Hunt at Hampton Court Palace Seek out the Lindt Gold Bunny and discover the stories of fascinating people who visited, lived and worked at Hampton Court Palace on this 90 minute trail. Run free in the 60 acres of Henry VIII's gardens to find the hidden Lindt statues. Match the name of the trail's palace characters to the red ribbon on the bunny statue at each location and uncover a fascinating story. Your rabbit rummaging will be rewarded with a 10g Lindy Gold Bunny, with non-choc rewards available on request. Tickets include entry to the palace, maze, magic gardens, courtyards Hampton Court Palace, Hampton Ct Way, Molesey, East Molesey KT8 9AU. 1-16 April. Adults from £26.30. Kids from £13.10. Under 5s go FREE. Horniman Spring Fair One of our favourite hidden gems launches its Spring Fair this April, compered by comedian Jasmin Gleeson. The event includes a free Easter bonnet workshop and parade, Easter badge making, stilt walking bubble performers, live music, a Lindihop like a Bunny dance workshop, face painting, giant games, crazy golf, car rides, and bouncy castles. Plus, you can get involved in everything else Horniman has to offer, like the Butterfly House, Aquarium, alpacas, rabbits and goats on the Animal Walk and of course, the beloved walrus at the free museum. Check out our review HERE for more juice. Horniman Museum & Gardens. 100 London Road, Forest Hill, London SE23 3PQ 8 April. 10.30 - 4.30pm. Adults £5. Children £2.50 Free Kids Easter Cookery Masterclass at Colonel Saab Award-winning Indian restaurant Colonel Saab is welcoming children for FREE Easter Cooking Masterclasses, where kids can learn to make the perfect naan bread sandwich as well as easter egg decorating and painting sessions with a local artist. The two-hour classes will run on 10 and 11 April from 3pm and parents can choose to enjoy an optional high-tea service prepared by the restaurant’s skilled chefs while their little ones play chef in the kitchen. The owner, Roop Partap Choudhary’s childhood was the inspiration behind the event, learning recipes as a young boy which had passed down generations. To reserve a space on the classes, contact reservations@colonelsaab.co.uk. Colonel Saab, 193-197 High Holborn, London WC1V 7BD. 10 and 11 April. 3-5pm. FREE. Spring into Easter at Kent Life Heritage Park Turn the cute dial up to eleven with a visit to Cuddle Corner to find lambs and goat kids gulping bottles of milk and fluffles of bunnies. Then track down the Easter Bunny at the Maidstone farm, jump aboard its gloriously bumpy tractor, watch 'fun farmers’ performing in the Big Top, make Easter bonnets for a parade and create Easter pots in the Paint-a-Pot Studio. As well as the bunny, you can also discover an entire, Vintage Village from World War II, complete with 1930s and 1950s decor and an Anderson shelter. Check out our review HERE. Kent Life Heritage Park. Lock Ln, Maidstone ME14 3AU 1-16 April. 10am - 5pm. Adults £12, Children (aged 2. -15) £12, Family £44, Members Free London Easter 10K Work off those eggs and buns at the The London Easter 10k, which returns to Regent’s Park on a road-free route past London Zoo’s animals, the boating lake and Broad Walk. The family friendly event also has an Adult's Fun Run - around 2 miles, which will start at the same time as the 10k race at 10.30am. There is also a short Children’s Race which will start at 10am. Easter goodies await participants at the finish line, along with an Easter themed medal. London Easter 10K. The Broad Walk, Regent's Park, London NW1 4NP. 10 April. 10.30am. 10k Entry Fee from £20. Children’s Race Entry £4, 2 Mile Fun Run £10 Easter Adventure Quest at Eltham Palace Take your sprogs for a cracking adventure quest at Eltham Palace and Gardens. Explore the grounds and gardens to hunt for clues and challenges and discover traditional Easter games like egg rolling and the egg and spoon race. Track down the Easter eggs and you’ll be rewarded with an adventurer’s certificate and a chocolate treat from Love Cocoa. The ticket includes entry to the palace, where you can check out the purpose-built heated home of Mah-Jong, the eccentric former owners’ beloved pet lemur; or explore the basement – used as a games room and a bomb shelter during the Blitz. Children will also enjoy the playground while you stuff your chops with cake and coffee. Eltham Palace & Gardens, Court Yard, Eltham, Greenwich, SE9 5NP. 1-16 April. 10am-5pm. The quest is £2 on top of admission price. Creams Cafe Easter Desserts If your children aren’t already off their chops on eggs and buns, give them the mother of all sugar rushes at a Creams Cafe, where you’ll find three new Easter desserts. From 1 April -14 May they can wrap their gnashers around the Bunny Bum Sundae, (£8.95) - an extreme, chocolate chip and salted caramel sundae, drenched in speculoos sauce and topped with white chocolate blossoms and chocolate bunny bums – or perhaps the Good Egg Thick Shake, (£4.95) topped with chocolate eggs. And parents can wake up with the Spiced Iced Coffee (£3.95) - a blend of espresso, vanilla soft serve and speculoos syrup over ice. Creams Cafe. Numerous locations across London. 1 April -14 May Easter at Beck Evans Farm Sidcup’s shiny, new Beck Evans Farm has gone the egg-stra mile this Easter, with an egg hunt in their beautiful lavender fields with two friendly bunnies (£5pp which includes five eggs). You can even book lunch or dinner with the Easter Bunny himself at their giant soft play from 1-16 April (15pp including meal, Easter Egg and soft play) or enjoy a mooch around their free Easter market from 1-2 April for handmade food, crafts and gifts by local artisans. Beck Evans Farm, Water Lane, Sidcup, Kent, DA14 5BZ Blenheim Palace Easter Eggstravaganza Blenheim Palace teams with luxury chocolatiers, Hotel Chocolat from 4-13 April to offer children the chance to make and decorate their own eggs in a fun and interactive Easter workshop. After completing their choccie orbs, sprogs can head over to the legendary Chocmobile for a free, Hotel Chocolate “Ice Cream of the Gods.” And from 7-10 April, you can enjoy their Easter Eggstravaganza, featuring circus skills, balloon modelling, bubble performances, bungee trampolines and a travelling vintage variety show, plus appearances from the Easter Bunny himself. Blenheim Palace Woodstock OX20 1PP. 4-13 April. £15pp Biscuiteers, Belgravia Easter Sessions Throughout April, Biscuiteers run Easter DIY icing sessions, giving kids the chance to make their own Easter creations, following a handy tutorial. The Kids Easter Icing Classes run for an hour and come with an Easter egg hunt. There’s also the School of Icing; a workshop, Icing Lates and a Spring Afternoon Tea filled with a host of sweet treats. Biscuiteers, 14-15 Eccleston Yards, 21 Eccleston Pl, London SW1W 9AZ Three Billy Goats Gruff at Unicorn Theatre Your bellies might be exploding with Cadbury orbs, but spare a thought for Baby, Middle and Big, three goats who are hungry for more grass. Take your children on their musical adventure at this beautiful children’s theatre as they hatch a plan to cross the bridge to the lush green grass on the other side and outwit the pesky troll who guards it. Featuring music and lyrics by the Olivier award-winning Stiles and Drewe (Mary Poppins, Honk!), this magical fairytale production is the perfect first musical for 3-7 year olds. Unicorn Theatre, 147 Tooley St, London SE1 2HZ. 12-23 April Read on for all your bunny-free April fun Titanosaur: Life as the Biggest Dinosaur For the first time ever, the colossal Patagotitan mayorum titanosaur - one of the largest known creatures to have ever walked our planet - will go on display at Natural History Museum. Four times heavier than Dippy the Diplodocus and 12 metres longer than Hope, the museum’s legendary blue whale, this gigantic creature is a spectacular sight. And from 31 March, you can view this gargantuan dinosaur skeleton up close at this fun, interactive family exhibition. You'll follow the life of a titanosaur, from a football-sized egg plucked from its nest to a fully grown adult, bearing the marks of an encounter with a ferocious predator that took a bite out of its tail. As you weave your way around the gallery, you'll handle specimens, stare into its gigantic sauropod skull and even smell its poo. Natural History Museum, Waterhouse Gallery, South Kensington, London. From 31 March. Under 3s are free. 4-16 are £9. Adults £16. BBC Earth Experience Travel the world and seven continents in one, visually delicious immersive experience through the hit BBC series, Seven Worlds, One Planet. With bespoke narration from Sir David Attenborough himself and hosted at Earl’s Court's purpose-built Daikin Centre, you will experience the incredible diversity of the seven continents through multiple, multi-angle, 360-degree screens, meeting the extraordinary animals which inhabit them. The event - suitable for all age groups - also boasts breakout zones where you can dive into the depths of Water World, marvel at the sweeping landscapes of the Vista Stage, and test your bravery by getting close to creepy crawlies in the Micro Life zone. BBC Earth Experience. The Daikin Centre, Earl’s Court, Hammersmith, London SW6 1TR. Until 31 July. Adult £28.50 children under three go FREE Humans 2.0 at The Southbank London premiere of contemporary circus show Humans 2.0, which will run at the Southbank Centre's Queen Elizabeth Hall (12-16 April). For ages 8+, this show is brought by Circa Contemporary Circus, leaders in the new wave of contemporary Australian circus. Humans 2.0 showcases the mechanics - and beauty - of acrobatics. With a minimalist set, it is the acrobats that become the swings and climbing frames (human towers, hand-to-hand acrobatics, etc). Physical limits are pushed to the extreme but, as the troupe work together to create impressive structures, themes that shine through are trust and teamwork. Created by circus visionary Yaron Lifschitz, Humans 2.0 blends theatre, circus and dance to become primal and deeply engaged with the challenge of being human, asking; Can we ever find a perfect balance, or is adapting to constant change the only way forward? Queen Elizabeth Hall. Southbank Centre, Belvedere Rd, London SE1 8XX. 12 –⁠15 Apr, 7.30pm & Sun 16 Apr, 3pm. £18 ⁠–⁠ £30 The Gunpowder Plot at Tower of London Vaults Older children (12+) will be catapulted into the most exciting history lesson of their lives, in this explosive new, immersive experience, starring Harry Potter’s Tom Felton. Your mission is to go undercover and unmask the mysterious figures behind history’s most infamous plot. But when you’re surrounded by traitors, who can you trust? With surprises around every turn, descend into the vaults and experience a combination of live and digital actors, virtual reality and fancy pants technology like motion simulators and special effects, transporting you back to London 1605 in the heart of the Gunpowder plot. The Gunpowder Plot, 8-12 Tower Hill Vaults, London, EC3N 4EE Science Fiction: Voyage to the Edge of Imagination Science Fiction: Voyage to the Edge of Imagination invites visitors into a unique, story-led exhibition through the world of science fiction. Visitors will be guided through this ambitious exhibition aboard an alien spacecraft by an artificial intelligence of unknown origin, and will encounter authentic items from celebrated sci-fi films, television series and literature, as well as significant scientific objects that have shaped modern life. Science Museum, Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, SW7 2DD. Until 4 May. £15pp Superworm Trail at Kew Gardens This Easter at Kew Gardens, explore the world of Superworm to see how plants and animals work together as a team, with all the heroes from the best-selling book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. Kew Gardens, Richmond, London, TW9 3AE. 1 – 16 April. Show included with entry ticket. Paddington Afternoon Tea Bus Tour Brigit's Bakery has launched the first, official Paddington Bear afternoon tea bus tour, celebrating the capital.The double-decker has built-in screens, so that Paddington and Mrs Bird can provide an animated guide to the tour, which includes some of Paddington's favourite landmarks, like Big Ben, The Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Hyde Park, Nelson’s Column, Downing Street, St. Paul's Cathedral, Borough Market, Green Park and Piccadilly Circus. The tour takes just under two hours, while you scoff treats including glittering shortbreads, designed to look like nibbled marmalade sandwiches, mini pizzas, smoked salmon and cucumber pretzels, turkey ham and cheddar or cream cheese and cucumber finger sandwiches and naturally, marmalade sandwiches. And for those who share the bear’s sweet tooth, the homemade sweet treats included a rice pudding studded with chocolate honeycomb, chocolate cupcakes crowned with Paddington’s chocolate paws, lemon meringue tarts, chocolate macarons and freshly baked scones with cream and jam. Brigit’s Bakery also provide vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and halal afternoon teas. Check out our review, HERE Paddington Afternoon Tea Bus tour Departs from Trafalgar Square, Wednesdays to Sundays. Prices from £45 adult, £35 child. Shakespeare's Globe Bankside Banish the bored with the Bard at Shakespeare’s Globe. With interactive theatre shows, tailored to a young audience, Elizabethan dress-up, sword fighting demos and storytelling, Shakespeare will keep little ones entertained. Shakespeare's Globe: 21 New Globe Walk SE1 9DT. Dates, times and ticket prices vary. Discover Children’s Story Centre Stratford's immersive, sprog-storytelling Mecca is brimming with entertainment across three floors, plus a wonderfully imaginative Story Garden. Creep through caves, find fairy worlds within magical trees, explore hidden ships, perform in a puppet castle, leap over alligators and man your own spaceships and rockets across two floors, which also host art and craft stations, beautiful reading corners, storytelling sessions, immersive events and installations. Or head outside to the magical new play area to discover Baba Yaga’s hut held up by chicken legs, climb Hootah’s castle and slide out of the Stratford Sputnik. Check out our review here Discover Children's Story Centre 383-387 High St, London E15 4QZ Whizz Down The ArcelorMittal Orbit How about hurling your children down the world’s tallest slide? The 178m long ArcelorMittal Orbit was the iconic landmark of the 2012 London Olympics and is now an attraction with three adventure experiences. Families can speed down the winding slide, abseil, or walk around the glass orbit at the top. You can also pretend it's a high-brow, cultural experience, because the orbit is also a sculpture by Anish Kapoor and Cecil Balmond. And it beats the usual views of grubby swings and bins, because here you can check out the stunning views of Queen Elizabeth Park. To ride the slide, children must be at least eight years old and over 1.3m. ArcelorMittal Orbit, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, 5 Thornton St, London E20 2AD. From £10.75. FREE Pedal Power Disco at the Southbank Centre Burn off those eggs by putting the pedal to the metal and cycle to power the party. Your family can charge the entire disco with their feet - but when the pedalling stops, so does the music, so reach for the lasers and pound those pedals to make sure the beat goes on. Southbank Centre, Riverside Terrace, Level 2, Belvedere Road. 8 April. 12-4pm. FREE Cutty Sark Rig Climb Experience Originally climbed when the ship first arrived to Greenwich in 1954, visitors can now recreate this, by clambering up the famous masts of the Cutty Sark.The Rig Climb Experience invites kids and brave parents to step up from the main deck onto the ship’s ratlines and climb up its top mast, as hundreds of sailors did during the Cutty Sark’s heyday. Once at the top, climbers will experience a controlled descent from the rigging. Participants will be rewarded with some of the best views in London, overlooking St Paul’s Cathedral, The Shard and Tower Bridge. Cutty Sark King William Walk, London SE10 9H Royal Albert Hall Presents Classical for Kids Introducing little ears to the world of classical music, Classical for Kids offers the opportunity for families to attend a chamber concert performed by the professional musicians from the Hall’s very own Albert’s Band. Each concert features carefully selected classical repertoire but presented in a relaxed environment for children to express themselves, with no expectation to stay still or be quiet. This concert is recommended for ages 4-11 but babies and budding musicians of all ages are welcome Royal Albert Hall, Elgar Room. Until 8 April. £12.50 KidZania Ambulances and fire engines hurtle through the streets and emergency workers tumble out to jet hoses at the Grand Flamingo Hotel fire or treat the wounded, while police cordon off the area and Metro journalists interview witnesses.It might not sound like your typical half-term trip, but the kids will love every second, because they are the firefighters, paramedics, press and police role-playing in KidZania, London's extraordinary, 75,000 sqft indoor city for children. Check out our review, here KidZania: Westfield London Shopping Centre Ariel Way W12 7GA. For 4-14 year olds Snot, Sick and Scabs at the Centre of the Cell Deliciously disgusting and sneakily educational centre in a futuristic, light-studded pod suspended above the laboratories of the Blizard Institute in Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry. Children can learn about the heart, teeth or senses, see scientists at work and enjoy their delightfully vile ‘Snot, Sick and Scabs’ session. Centre of the Cell, 4 Newark St, London E1 2AT Wookey Hole Deep within Somerset’s belly lurks Wookey Hole, a magical, subterranean attraction with world-famous caves and eight unique chambers for kids to explore. There is something for every flavour of child, from a cave-diving museum, enchanted valley, 4D cinema, adventure golf, dinosaur grove, play zones and magic and circus shows all included in the ticket price. The more adventurous can even brave the Wild Wookey Experience, climbing, crawling or abseiling through caves. Wookey Hole Caves, The Mill, High St, Wookey Hole, Wells BA5 1BB. Under 3s go free. Children (3-14) £17.65. Adults £21.45 Out-of-Hours at the British Museum Your little ones can walk in the footsteps of the ancient Greeks, Pharoahs or journey through the cultures of China at The British Museum's family-friendly, out-of-hours tours. Taking place between 8.50 – 10am, before the galleries are open to the public, you can beat the unsavoury crowds. And from 4 - 25 March, children can explore Roman history through Minecraft, create a Japan-themed family photo (11 March) and make mosaic masks inspired by the Aztec gods on 18 March. The British Museum, Great Russell Street, London, WC1B 3DG. Under fives go free. £16.50 for 5-15 year olds. £33 Adults Lord of the Rings Quest Take part in the Lord of the Rings, family challenge at West Stow Anglo-Saxon Village to save Middle Earth and explore Tolkien's world Visit the Hobbit Hole and Mirkwood, where there are huge spiders awaiting you. See the enormous dragon guarding its treasure. Meet Halbarad the Ranger of the North, try your hand at archery and you might even meet a friendly Orc. Suitable for adults and children aged 3+ years, there are two parts to the Ring Quest trail, each lasting about 45 minutes. Lord of the Rings Quest West Stow Anglo Saxon Village, Icklingham Rd, West Stow, Bury Saint Edmunds IP28 6HG. Tickets £7 adults, £4 children 5-16 years. £21 for a family (two adults and up to three children). Shrek's Adventure Rumpelstiltskin is on the loose, and he’s causing all kinds of mischief for the characters of Far Far Away and beyond. Luckily, Donkey is on hand to give you a ride on his flying bus and Shrek and Fiona will join up with you as soon as they get the chance. Shrek’s adventure is a wild adventure through the land of children’s favourite ogre and actors, technology and immaculately created sets will make sure your children are engrossed from start to finish. Check out our Shrek’s Adventure review to find out more. Shrek’s Adventure tickets. Riverside Building, County Hall, Westminster Bridge Rd, London SE1 Monopoly Lifesized Go big or go home… or straight to jail at Monopoly Lifesized, an immersive, on-your-feet version of the classic, family game, played on a 15m x 15m lifesized Monopoly board. Enter the 4D experience and compete in challenges for your chance to buy properties. Stage a heist in Mayfair, compete against a clock to build some of London’s iconic buildings, solve a baffling murder mystery or step into the world of codebreakers. The 80-minute experience is suitable for kids from 9 and older and is open every day except Mondays. Monopoly Lifesized, 213-215 Tottenham Court Road, W1T 7PS. Tickets £49 pp Crystal Maze LIVE Experience Older children (from 8 onwards) can take on this immersive adventure, which brings the hit 90s TV show to life.Run around like mentalists, yell, complete a host of difficult challenges and end the game in a fetching, satin bomber jacket. Crystal Maze Live Experience, 22 - 32 Shaftesbury Avenue W1D 7EU Flip Out Hounslow If your children are of the ‘charmingly indecisive’ type, then a trip to Hounslow’s newly-opened Flip Out might be the answer to your prayers. Cramming mini-golf, arcades, laser quest, bumper cars, inflatables, a ninja assault course and soft play under a single, cavernous roof, the beauty of Flip Out is that you pay for entry to the venue and not for individual activities. We’re yet to discover whether you can drive a bumper car around the laser quest arena, performing drive-by shootings with a slushy in your hand, but there’s only one way to find out.Entry is a very reasonable £19pp (dropping to £14 for children under 1.1m tall) for three hours in the ‘Arena’ and if you’re not local to the newest venue in Hounslow, Flip Out has similar offerings all over the country. BUY TICKETS Flip Out Hounslow, Units 3, 4 & 5 High Street Quarter, 8 Smithy Ln, Hounslow TW3 1EH Thomas and Friends at Whistlestop Valley Take unlimited train rides on Thomas, Toby and Mavis, meet Sir Topham Hatt and Sodor Station Sweepers Rusty and Dusty for singalongs and performances at Huddersfield’s Whistlestop Valley.Kids can also enjoy an Imagination Station play zone with Thomas and Friends activities, jumping pillow, bubble zone, storytelling sessions, giveaways for every child and themed activities. Thomas at Whistlestop Valley Park Mill Way, Clayton West, Huddersfield HD8 9XJ Birdies, Angel Birdies’ crazy golf in Angel and Battersea Power Station provide an Insta-worthy, nine hole course featuring three completely new holes - Wing it, Green and Bunker 2.0 - as well as tried and tested fan favourites Hazard, Kinetic, Steps, Infinity and Roulette. Cheeky Burger will keep the kid’s happy, while the coral pink cocktail bar will please the parents. Birdies Level 1, Angel Central, 31-32 Parkfield Street, N1 0PZ Wembley Park Kids can take part in a host of free and paid events at Wembley Park, from stadium tours to acting classes, Wonderkids football sessions and movies.Teens and bigger children can take on the zombie apocalypse at meetspace VR or have a round on neon crazy golf course at Pop Golf. And Union Park has a kids’ splash par (bit nippy in March, though) games court and a bee hotel to keep them entertained. Wembley Park London Holiday to Space at Royal Observatory Greenwich Join Ted and Plant as they explore the Solar System in search of the best place to take a holiday in an intergalactic morning adventure, including a planetarium show and interactive workshop.Recommended Age: 3 - 6 yrs. Open 10am-5pm daily Royal Observatory Greenwich Park, Blackheath Avenue SE10 8XJ Wizard Exploratorium Soho's magic-themed Wizard Exploratorium is a five-storey, geek wonderland, offering a 4D wand-making workshop, immersive trick shop and suitably magical afternoon tea encompassing tea brewing, molecular gastronomy, and technology. Check out our review, here. Wizard Exploratorium, 26 Greek St, London W1D 5DE Like what you've read? Why not subscribe to our free, monthly newsletter?

Top 10 Kids' Plays and Musicals Whether your sprogs like to shake their tiny jazz hands, sing along to their favourite show tunes, ponder fun-sized existential dilemmas or see their most loved stories and characters brought to life through the magic of theatre, London has you covered. We've cherry-picked the capital's top ten theatre picks this April, for toddlers, preschoolers, kids and teens from immersive adventures with radish-pilfering bunnies to honey-seeking bears, troll-thwarting goats, superworms, icy princesses and achingly cool circuses. Winnie the Pooh the Musical Entertainment juggernauts, Disney and Rockerfeller Productions have created this theatrical lovechild, which has already bagged five-star reviews in New York and Chicago. Life-sized Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore, Tigger and Kanga puppets hit the London stage this Spring for a musical honey quest with Christopher Robin. AA Milne’s original songs have had the Sherman Brothers' treatment, for a Grammy-winning score, introducing the next generation to the much-loved inhabitants of The Hundred Acre Wood. This engaging,, 65-minute show is aimed at children from 3+ and is already proving to be a sweet and sticky hit. Riverside Studios, 101 Queen Caroline Street, Hammersmith, London, W6 9NB. Until 29 May. Tickets from £29.50 Peter Rabbit Easter Adventure Following the success of last summer's Blenheim Palace show - read our review here - Peter Rabbit is hopping back for another adventure, this time in the heart of London’s Covent Garden Piazza. From 21 March to 16 April Beatrix Potter’s world is being brought to life through puppetry and immersive performance in a brand-new show, where children are invited to become the stars of the Peter Rabbit Easter Adventure, joining Beatrix Potter and friends to rescue Jemima Puddle-Duck from the dastardly Mr McGregor. During the 50-minute outdoor experience, children will search for secret notes, maps, and other clues and meet Peter Rabbit, Benjamin Bunny, Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle and a few surprise encounters along the way in Histrionic Productions’ latest experience. Additional activities include Mr McGregor’s Obstacle Course for thrill-seeking children who want to test their driving skills in a mini ROVER for ages four and above. Families will also have the opportunity to clamber onto Mr McGregor’s tractor and have a souvenir photograph taken with the radish-pilfering bunny himself. Peter Rabbit Easter Adventure, Chestnut Bakery, 24 Floral Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2E 9DS. 21 March - 16th April (Closed 11 April and all Mondays except Easter Monday 10 April) Three Billy Goats Gruff at Unicorn Theatre Your bellies might be exploding with Cadbury orbs this Easter, but spare a thought for Baby, Middle and Big, three goats who are hungry for more grass. Take your children on their musical adventure at this beautiful children’s theatre as they hatch a plan to cross the bridge to the lush green grass on the other side... and outwit the pesky troll who guards it. Featuring music and lyrics by the Olivier award-winning Stiles and Drewe (Mary Poppins, Honk!), this magical fairytale production is the perfect first musical for 3-7 year olds. Unicorn Theatre, 147 Tooley St, London SE1 2HZ. 12-23 April Frozen Directed by Michael Grandage, Frozen: The Musical arrived from Broadway to the West End in 2021, where it has melted the hearts of wannabe Elsas and Arandelle-hardened parents ever since. It has music and lyrics for new and old songs by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez – who created the songs for the film, which have greater magic in their live performance - as well as beautiful choreography, incredible stage magic, illusion and dazzling sets recreating a fairytale Scandinavia. Read our full review HERE Frozen the Musical, Theatre Royal Drury Lane, Catherine St, Covent Garden, London, WC2B 5JF. Until 15 October Humans 2.0 at The Southbank The London premiere of contemporary circus show Humans 2.0 will run at the Southbank Centre's Queen Elizabeth Hall (12-16 April). For ages 8+, this show is presented by Circa Contemporary Circus, leaders in the new wave of contemporary Australian circus. Humans 2.0 showcases the mechanics - and beauty - of acrobatics. With a minimalist set, it is the acrobats who become the swings and climbing frames, with human towers and hand-to-hand acrobatics. Physical limits are pushed to the extreme and themes that shine through are trust and teamwork. Created by circus visionary Yaron Lifschitz, the unique new production blends theatre, circus and dance to ask if we can ever find a perfect balance, or is adapting to constant change the only way forward? Queen Elizabeth Hall. Southbank Centre, Belvedere Rd, London SE1 8XX. 12 –⁠15 Apr, 7.30pm & Sun 16 Apr, 3pm. £18 ⁠–⁠ £30 Superworm Trail at Kew Gardens This Easter at Kew Gardens, explore the world of Superworm to see how plants and animals work together as a team, with all the heroes from the best-selling book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. Kew Gardens, Richmond, London, TW9 3AE. 1 – 16 April. Show included with entry ticket. The Instrumentals Little Belle is feeling down at her grandad’s wake, so she slips into the basement, where she discovers his old, dusty instruments - The Instrumentals. They are pure funk, and they teach Belle to ‘get down’ in a whole new way. Combining Little Angel Theatre’s trademark mix of clever puppetry, music and comedy, this fun, musical adventure is aimed at 4-11 year olds and celebrates love, laughter, life and memories. Little Angel Theatre, 14 Dagmar Passage, London N1 2DN Until 16 April Marty and the Party There’s a party. It’s sure to be arty. There’ll be giggles and nibbles and the dress code is ‘smartly’. Everybody has their dance moves at the ready – Fox is doing the foxtrot, Flamingo is doing the flamenco. But what about Marty? Join Marty as they discover what makes their heart dance, making new friends on the way. Milk Presents and Derby Theatre create this charming and cheeky story aimed at 2-6 year olds. Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London SE1 8XX. 7-8 April. Adult £12. Child £9. The Lion King Now in its 24th year at London's Lyceum Theatre, Disney’s award-winning musical, The Lion King explodes with colour, special effects and enchanting music. Recommended for ages six onwards, it follows the powerful story of Simba as he journeys from wide-eyed cub to his destined role as King of the Pridelands. The musical behemoth by visionary director Julie Taymor features a stonking 232 puppets and has earned its crown as King of the theatrical jungle. Lyceum Theatre, 21 Wellington St, London WC2E 7RQ. Until 18 June Matilda the Musical Matilda is the multi-award winning musical from the Royal Shakespeare Company, inspired by the beloved book by Roald Dahl. Adapted by Dennis Kelly with original songs by Tim Minchin, Matilda The Musical tells the story of a gifted girl who, armed with a vivid imagination and sharp mind, bravely takes a stand against home and school bullies to change her destiny. Winner of more than 100 international awards, including 24 for Best Musical, this extraordinary little girl has been delighting West End audiences and defeating Trunchbulls for more than a decade. Matilda the Musical. Cambridge Theatre, Seven Dials, London, WC2H 9HU. Aimed at audiences 6+. Tickets from £20. Like what you've read? Why not subscribe to our free, monthly newsletter?

Going low 'n' slow with Jackie Weight, our very own world champion smokemaster We are standing in a garden surrounded by rolling fields near Bethersden in Kent, where so far this weekend it has rained, hailed and snowed. But we are British, and the brief glimpses of sun piercing the clouds tell us that it is barbecue season. We are in the presence of greatness: A woman who will banish supermarket burgers and cheap sausages from our grills for eternity. She is Jackie Weight, and she's kind of a big deal. When Jackie's late husband bought her a barbecue lesson in Nashville for her birthday, she harboured a not-unreasonable feeling it may have been bought with him in mind. Naturally, he would be attending with her - just to keep her company, of course. But she graciously accepted, and that day spent grilling in the Tennessee sunshine unleashed within her a previously repressed passion for laying huge slabs of generously seasoned meat over roaring flames. Unbeknownst to her at the time, a brisket titan had been born. You see, Jackie didn't just take her newfound knowledge back to Kent to quietly deliver perfect pulled pork to her family and friends. No, Jackie and her husband began to pour their savings and any holiday allowances they had into trips to the Southern states of America, where they would compete in insanely high-pressure barbecuing competitions. And, much to the chagrin of our American cousins, Jackie Weight started winning. A few at first, then more followed, until eventually she amassed enough trophies to earn an invitation to the Super Bowl of competitive smoking - the Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitational Barbecue. And in 2004 - ONE year after her barbecue lesson - Jackie Weight and her husband became the Grand Champions of the world. She was - and at the time of writing, still is - the first female Chief Cook and the first non-American ever to take the title. With that in mind, we enter Jackie's garden full of trepidation, expecting a fiery, female Marco Pierre-White whose patience will run thin at the first sight of us helplessly hacking away at a baby back rib membrane. Instead, we're cheerily greeted with a perfectly cooked bacon butty and a cup of coffee, which Jackie delivers in between pouring lump wood charcoal into the various smokers and barbecues that line the back yard. We're here for the All American BBQ Feast Workshop, but other classes include the Backyard BBQ Workshop, Next Level 'Wanderlust' Feast and even a Christmas BBQ Feast, for those brave enough to grill deep into the winter. There's precious little time to waste - as anybody who has attempted a low 'n' slow smoke will attest - and as soon as all eight pupils are inside the garden kitchen, Jackie reaches for a 4kg pork shoulder and begins to talk us through her preparations. She's easygoing and chatty, regaling us with stories of her BBQ competitions in between passionate rants about mustard (don't listen to Youtube videos claiming it's needed to help the rub stick to your meat!), wood-soaking (you're just making steam!) and using chimneys with cold, ceramic smokers (it'll smash!). With the pork sizzling away, we move on to a brisket, butterflied and covered in Jackie's own rub (available from her website), which will smoke for four hours, and racks of baby back and beef ribs. We become Jackie's kitchen hands, chopping, mixing and prepping ingredients as she runs us through her dishes. Most is being created for a group feast, but we also get the chance to prepare our own dish - a Meatbomb wrapped in smokey bacon lattice and with a melted cheese centre - before turning our hand to the all-important sides. Jackie teaches without the pretentiousness often associated with the food industry. "Barbecuing is just cooking outside," says the barbecuing world champion at one point, before adding, "but if you must cook on a gas grill, use some wood to give it flavour!" She talks about her recipes with breeziness and her accolades in the same manner. "Yay me!" she jokes after introducing herself with a quick speech about the Jack Daniel's trophy that sits behind us on the floor, unceremoniously squeezed between a shelf of Tupperware containers and the fridge. We toss bacon, corn, cheddar and Jalapeños together into a bread 'pudding', and tumble chicken wings around a cornflour coating to create the perfect crunchy exterior. Chocolate brownies are also placed above flames in the garden and we combine to mix a glorious Bacon and Blue Cheese Slaw. But we are united in praise for one dish in particular. It is as rich as an Oligarch and, we presume, contains enough calories to feed an elephant, but Jackie's Cheesy Mac & Cheese is a revelation. The double use of the word cheese is intentional as - without giving away her recipes - her addition of an extra, sandwiched layer of cheese is the piece de resistance. As a fellow pupil muttered as he took his first forkful: "Mac and cheese? She's literally completed it." Jackie is, of course, the star of the show, but she's ably assisted by her sidekicks. Her partner, Dave, flits around the room clearing up and loading dishwashers. He's part pot-washer, part comedian and always eager to test the dishes when the chance arises. He might have enjoyed decades of Jackie's grill-outs, but his appreciation for her work seems as strong as ever. Their two dogs, Daisy and Minnie, also do their best to join the classes as the sweet, meaty scent proves a constant draw and their search for dropped scraps is eager, but fruitless. The whole class is delivered in a purpose-built, wooden 'classroom' in Jackie's garden, the walls peppered with photographs of our teacher grilling with Heston Blumenthal, meeting Prince Charles and lifting her Grand Champion trophy ("The Americans didn't mind me being there... until I started winning," she tells us with a smile) She is generous with her time and advice, talking individual guests through specific techniques for their own barbecues and taking questions throughout the day. But for now, the class is nearing an end and we grab beers and relax outside as we wait for the thermometers to signal our meat's imminent arrival. Jackie's reluctance to open a restaurant of her own ("I don't want the hard work! I've done enough hard work in my life") is a travesty for meat-lovers like me, but is perhaps what makes her barbecue workshops such incredible value for money. What price to have a world champion barbecuer cook a feast so large we will be eating it for the rest of the week? I'd wager a tasting menu could fetch the price of today's workshop on its own. But we will leave today armed with a snippet of Jackie's vast knowledge, a recipe sheet, customised aprons and a long list of discounted prices for everything from kitchen knives to upmarket, pellet-fed barbecues - all courtesy of brands who work with our host. Oh, and we'll leave with food. So much food. For the first time, we all fall silent as tray after tray is delivered to our table. We are faced with a mountain of meat, smoked and grilled to perfection. There isn't a restaurant in the country that could deliver a grill like this, and we sit in the chef's garden trying - and failing - to make a dent in the endless pile of food in front of us. Whenever we feel as though we have finished, Jackie reappears with a dish we'd forgotten - the brownies are a sad victim of our gargantuan feast as they receive nowhere near the love they deserve, having been delivered to a crowd of diners with no space for dessert. Eventually, we drag ourselves from our meat comas and say our goodbyes. I fire off a text home with some pictures of the day's spread as I load a cool box of leftovers into my car. My phone pings before I even have a chance to turn the key: "You'd better be bringing some of that home..." The All American BBQ Feast workshop costs £125pp www.bbqworkshop.co.uk Bethersden, Kent Like what you've read? Why not subscribe to our free, monthly newsletter

The UK's ONLY taco festival returns to Walthamstow on May 6 - 7 The Tacover, the UK's best Mexican street food festival, is returning for the second time this May, as the sweet aroma of tacos wafts its way across Signature Brew's Blackhorse Road venue on May 6th and 7th. The family and dog friendly food fest will showcase the country's finest taco vendors, including local, Leytonstone heroes, Homies on Donkeys, who were named the winner's of BBC's Best Takeaway in 2022. A special effort has been made to accommodate Vegan and Halal dishes and "most, if not all" tacos will be gluten free. And what's more, it's a special Bank Holiday weekend, (cheers, King Charles!), so there's no excuse for not stuffing your face full of Mexican grub. The event is sponsored by Mexican soda brand, Jarritos, so expect a bar stocked with Mandarin, Lime, Grapefruit and Guava flavoured drinks. Plus, if Rishi Sunak fancies a trip to E17, they'll be stocking his beloved Mexican Cola. Each day will be split into two sessions. From 10am - 2pm, it'll be a kid-friendly affair, with a free Jarritos for children on arrival, plus face painting, games and sets from local DJs, We Can Be Heroes, who specialise in children's parties and festivals. Under 11s go free, so there'll be plenty left in the kitty to stuff your face while they hit the dance floor. The 3pm - 9pm session will be over 18s only, and Latin DJs will have you swinging your hips while deciding whether to take to the stage for the competitions, such as a tortilla-slap contest, clean t-shirt challenge and the hot taco challenge. If you do decide to let your competitive streak run wild, you won't be alone - all of the vendors will also be competing in the Vendor Awards. Saturday will finish with the judges' awards and on Sunday, the pinnacle: The People's Vote, where YOU decide who makes the finest taco in town. Tickets are £15, but they won't hang around so get yours rapido! May 6 & 7, 10am - 2pm / 3pm - 9pm Tickets £15 (Under 11s free) The Tacover, Signature Brew, Unit 15, Blackhorse Ln, London E17 5QJ, click here for tickets and information Photo by Jeswin Thomas on Unsplash Like what you've read? Why not subscribe to our free, monthly newsletter

Pop Art Phenomenon Launches Clarendon Fine Art UK Tour on 25 April Unlike his collaborator Banksy, Mr Brainwash does not hide from the limelight and the larger than life pop artist will be taking over the iconic Battersea Power Station for one of his most outrageous exhibitions yet. The pop art phenomenon flies from LA to London to launch the eagerly awaited show at Clarendon Fine Art in the power station on 25 April, opening to the public until 3 May. The French street artist - AKA Thierry Guetta - has a special connection to the iconic building and unveiled a giant mural there in 2021 to celebrate the launch of the Battersea Power Station Underground, which was accompanied by a large-scale light show on the Power Station itself and the unveiling of a Life is Beautiful sculpture. The mural is now on display inside the Grade II* listed building - So excitement is high for his big, Battersea return. The high impact and high value new collection is rich in styles and themes, including pop culture sculptures like Life is Beautiful, which became his catchphrase after his legendary LA exhibition of the same name catapulted him to fame in 2008, making history as the most highly attended private exhibition of all time with more than 50,000 visitors and artwork selling for six figures. The show will unveil large-scale statement pieces, brick artwork celebrating his street art origins, painted balloon sculptures, neon mirror artworks, “vandalised” frames liberating art from canvases, and paper originals deconstructing popular culture. Mr Brainwash will also be releasing two exclusive, limited editions, Long Live the King and Power to the People. Long Live the King commemorates the coronation of King Charles III and is the partner piece to the Platinum Jubilee Queen of Hearts editions, which are already being collected for double their original price. Power to the People is Mr Brainwash’s bold, new depiction of the show’s Battersea Power Station location, emblazoned with his graffiti, a Life is Beautiful neon and with nods to Pink Floyd’s iconic Animals album artwork and Banksy, who directed the Oscar-nominated Exit through the Gift Shop documentary, charting Mr Brainwash’s meteoric rise to fame. After the London exhibition, the show will go on tour to Clarendon Fine Art’s Birmingham and then Bluewater, Kent Galleries, both of which will feature Mr Brainwash in attendance, followed by week-long, public exhibitions. After starring in Banksy’s 2010 documentary, Mr Brainwash said: “Banksy captured me becoming an artist. In the end, I became his biggest work of art.” Since then, Mr Brainwash has designed album covers for Madonna, Rick Ross and Michael Jackson, collaborated with everybody from Mercedes-Benz, the Beckhams, First Lady Michelle Obama - for her Let Girls Learn organisation - and Pope Francis for his Scholas youth foundation. And he is changing the face of street art in the UK with his unique brand of positivity. Mr Brainwash London Show, 25 April - 3 May. Clarendon Fine Art, Upper Ground Floor, Turbine Hall A, The Power Station, London SW11 8BZ. Birmingham Show, 26 April, 7-9pm, Clarendon Fine Art, 9 Colmore Row, Birmingham B3 2QD Kent Show, 27 April, 7-9pm, Clarendon Fine Art, Bluewater Pkwy, Dartford, Greenhithe DA9 9SQ Like what you've read? Why not subscribe to our free, monthly newsletter

London's Best Art Shows this Easter The capital is spoiling us this April with some of the most exciting exhibitions for months - we’ve rounded up the best 15 shows that your eyeballs will thank us for. It includes Gilbert & George’s brand new gallery; UV-light painted landscapes and shows which induce trance states plus world travels with Sir David Attenborough and an Ugly Duchess. There are also a gaggle of immersive exhibitions beckoning us to leap inside paintings; AI shows offering to guide our digital avatars around artists’ minds; powerful installations to explore and retrospectives of some of the most influential artists of the 20th Century. So point your eyes here and then take them there. Thin Air Expect large-scale laser light sculptures, UV light-painted landscapes and trance states with heightened imagination via sounds played at specific frequencies. Taking advantage of more than 55,000 sq ft of interconnecting, cavernous environments at Royal Docks’ The Beams venue, this exhibition brings together works by seven global, contemporary artists and collectives and explores the boundaries between art and technology, using light, atmospherics, sound and experimental new media. The Beams, Thameside Industrial Estate West End of Thames Refinery, Factory Rd, London E16 2HB. Until 4 June. Adult tickets from £20. Concessions £17. Children (4-16) £10. Mr Brainwash Takes Over Battersea Power Station One of the world’s most collectable and provocative contemporary artists, Mr Brainwash, flies from LA to London to launch his eagerly awaited, new exhibition at the restored Battersea Power Station on 25 April, opening to the public until 3 May. The pop art phenomenon - AKA Thierry Guetta - will make a personal appearance at the launch of the Clarendon Fine Art show; one of his most audacious yet, appropriating and reinterpreting the classics and offering his signature, subversive and playful takes on the modern world. The high impact and high value new collection is rich in styles and themes, including pop culture sculptures like Life is Beautiful, which became his catchphrase after his legendary LA exhibition of the same name catapulted him to fame in 2008, making history as the most highly attended private exhibition of all time with more than 50,000 visitors and artwork selling for six figures. The show will unveil large-scale statement pieces, brick artwork celebrating his street art origins, painted balloon sculptures, neon mirror artworks, “vandalised” frames liberating art from canvases, and paper originals deconstructing popular culture. Mr Brainwash London Show, 25 April - 3 May. Clarendon Fine Art, Upper Ground Floor, Turbine Hall A, The Power Station, London SW11 8BZ. Birmingham Show, 26 April, 7-9pm, Clarendon Fine Art, 9 Colmore Row, Birmingham B3 2QD Kent Show, 27 April, 7-9pm, Clarendon Fine Art, Bluewater Pkwy, Dartford, Greenhithe DA9 9SQ BBC Earth Experience Travel the world and seven continents in one, visually delicious immersive experience through the hit BBC series, Seven Worlds, One Planet. With bespoke narration from Sir David Attenborough himself and hosted at Earl’s Court's purpose-built Daikin Centre, you will experience the incredible diversity of the seven continents through multiple, multi-angle, 360-degree screens, meeting the extraordinary animals which inhabit them. The event - suitable for all age groups - also boasts breakout zones where you can dive into the depths of Water World, marvel at the sweeping landscapes of the Vista Stage, and test your bravery by getting close to creepy crawlies in the Micro Life zone. BBC Earth Experience. The Daikin Centre, Earl’s Court, Hammersmith, London SW6 1TR. Until 31 July. Adult £28.50 children under three go FREE Gilbert & George Launch Their Own Free Gallery Everybody’s favourite, besuited art duo, Gilbert and George launched their own museum on April Fool’s Day, around the corner from their London home and studio. The pair have transformed a former, Spitalfields brewery into the three-storey Gilbert & George Centre, and in keeping with their “art for all” mission, the venue will be completely free . The grand, emerald iron gates (designed by the pair) will open every Friday to Sunday, for visitors to enjoy three exhibition spaces, a research centre and film room all dedicated to the duo’s art, which they have been making for more than 50 years, since meeting at St Martin’s School of Art. Find our more, HERE The Gilbert & George Centre, 5a Heneage Street, London E1 5LJ. Opens every Friday - Sunday. FREE. Spaghetti Blockchain New York artist Mika Rottenberg will be showing her labyrinthine video piece, Spaghetti Blockchain (2019) in a new, multi-channel format across the world’s largest wrap-around screens at Outernet Arts every Sunday until 7 May. The free, immersive experience explores our obsession with producing and consuming products in a dizzying and often overwhelming journey through colourful, ASMR performances, Siberian Tuvan throat singers to the CERN antimatter factory and a mechanical potato farm harvester. The screens and space are filled with overwhelming colour, constant movement, ear-tickling effervescence and deep, singing tones. Outernet London, Charing Cross Rd, London WC2H 8LH, UK. Until 7 May. FREE. MILK This free, Wellcome Collection exhibition explores our relationship with milk and its place in politics, society and culture. Featuring more than 100 items, including historical objects, artworks and new commissions, it asks why Brits regard cow’s milk as essential for a healthy diet? When did breastfeeding become a political subject? And how has milk been used to exert power or provide care? Wellcome Collection. 183 Euston Road, London NW1 2BE. Until 10 September. FREE The Ugly Duchess - Beauty and Satire in The Renaissance This fascinating, FREE exhibition explores one of the National Gallery’s most famous faces, Quinten Massys’s 16th-century depiction of an old woman, known as ‘The Ugly Duchess’. The piece is displayed alongside Leonardo Da Vinci’s ‘grotesque’ heads, as well as other important artworks that look at how women, old age and facial difference were satirised and demonised in the Renaissance, shaping attitudes that still exist today. And for the first time, ‘The Ugly Duchess’ is reunited with her companion, 'An Old Man’ on rare loan from a private collection, with the pair parodying the traditional wedding portraits of the time. The National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 5DN. Until 16 June 2023. FREE Frameless Immersive art experiences are beckoning us to leap into paintings all over the world, but Frameless is art immersion on steroids. Situated in Marble Arch, it is the largest, permanent multi-sensory experience in the UK. Boasting four, themed galleries - Beyond Reality, Colour In Motion, The World Around Us and The Art Of Abstraction - with some of the world’s greatest works of art exploding across the walls, floors and ceilings of a 30,000 sq ft space. You can step inside more than 43 masterpieces by 28 artists, including Kandinsky, Monet, Van Gogh, Klimt, Munch, Monet, Rembrandt, Dali and Cezanne with musical scores accompanying each brushstroke. Frameless, Marble Arch, London W1H 7FD, UK Van Gogh Exhibition: The Immersive Experience This immersive juggernaut has been touring the world, welcoming more than 5 million visitors. And it has found a new home at London’s Spitalfields. Lose yourself in the iconic brushstrokes of more than 300 works, in this light and sound spectacular featuring two storey projections, plus a drawing studio and VR experience exploring his life and inspirations. You can even enjoy a beautiful piano show from pianist Lara Melda while admiring Van Gogh’s work through cutting-edge 360° digital projections. Van Gogh Immersive Experience, Commercial Street, London E1 6LZ, UK. Until 16 April. David Hockney: Bigger & Closer (Not Smaller & Further Away) Using large-scale projection in a remarkable new, immersive gallery space, David Hockney takes us on a personal journey from LA to Yorkshire, through 60 years of his art, with a specially composed score by Nico Muhly and commentary by the artist himself. Lightroom’s vast walls and revolutionary sound system enable us to experience the world through the eyes of one of the most influential artists for the 20th Century, from the Sixties to the present day. David Hockney Lightroom Show, 12, Lewis Cubitt Square, London N1C 4DY, UK. Until 4 June. Dali Cybernetics: The Immersive Experience Discover the surreal universe of Spanish genius Salvador Dali in London's first, collective metaverse show, entered via an interdimensional digital arts portal, because doors are so last year. Explore his masterpieces through large-format projections, interactive installations, holograms, virtual reality and artificial intelligence. A virtual reality experience with total freedom of movement that will invite visitors to spend fifteen minutes in Dalí's digital universe. Each visitor will have a digital avatar to physically walk with their companions in a collective virtual space where the most recognized works of Dalí will come to life, immersing you in a world of melting clocks, space elephants and giant ants. Launched in Spain, the London show has proved so popular, its run as been extended until 17 April. Dali Cybernetics. 152 Brick Lane, London E1 6QL. Until 17 April. Mike Nelson: Extinction Beckons Constructed from materials scavenged from salvage yards, junk shops, auctions and flea markets, the immersive installations in this eerie and atmospheric exhibition represent the first major retrospective of work by internationally acclaimed British artist Mike Nelson. Weaving references to science fiction, failed political movements, dark histories and countercultures, they touch on alternative ways of living and thinking: lost belief systems, interrupted histories and cultures that resist inclusion in an increasingly homogenised and globalised world. The Hayward Gallery is completely unrecognisable in this disorienting and brooding show, which features sculptural works and new versions of key large-scale installations. Hayward Gallery, Belvedere Rd, London SE1 8XZ, UK. Until 7 May Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirror Rooms The Instagram-friendly Infinity Mirror Rooms have no doubt saturated your social media pages for the past few months. But if you’re late to the party, the run has been extended until June to check out one of the most talked about shows of the past year. The immersive installations of endless reflections include Kusama's Chandelier of Grief, a room which creates the illusion of a boundless universe ofrotating crystal chandeliers. A small presentation of photographs and moving image – some on display for the first time – provide historical context for the global phenomenon that Kusama’s mirrored rooms have become today. Tate Modern. Bankside, London SE1 9TG, UK. Until June. Spaces In-Between Immersive experience studio, Pixel Artworks and visual light artist, Rupert Newman have launched Outernet London’s first interactive body movement artwork, Spaces In-Between. The new show enables the public to synch their body movements with a breathtaking, digital light artwork on the largest digital canvas in the world, made up of 360-degree, four storey screens. As you move, so will the digital screens in three, giant artworks, ‘Tessellations,’ ‘Transcendence’ and ‘A Step Beyond’ accompanied by music from composer Sarah Warne. Spaces In-Between. Outernet, Charing Cross Rd, London WC2H 8LH, UK. Free. Until September. Headstrong: Women and Empowerment Headstrong celebrates the work of female photographers in Britain. It looks at women who have made work exploring their representation, everyday lives and what it means to embrace diversities that challenge the conservative order of patriarchal society. Their work is playful, thought-provoking and often surprising and is one of the first shows for the shiny, new Centre for British Photography. Headstrong: Women and Empowerment. 49 Jermyn St, St. James's, London SW1Y 6LX, UK. Until 23 April Alice Neel: Hot off the Griddle The Barbican presents the largest UK exhibition to date of American artist Alice Neel, whose vivid portraits captured the shifting social and political context of the American twentieth century. Describing herself as ‘a collector of souls’, Neel worked in New York during a period in which figurative painting was desperately unfashionable. Crowned the ‘court painter of the underground,' her canvases celebrate those who were marginalised in society: labour leaders, Black and Puerto Rican children, pregnant women, Greenwich Village eccentrics, civil rights activists and queer performers. This exhibition brings together more than 70 of Neel’s most vibrant portraits, shown alongside archival photography and film, bringing to life what she called ’the swirl of the era’. Alice Neel: Hot off the Griddle. Silk St, Barbican, London EC2Y 8DS, UK. Until 21 May Like what you've read? Why not subscribe to our free, monthly newsletter?

Breathlessly giddy hop through Covent Garden with Beatrix Potter and friends Following the success of last summer's Blenheim Palace show - read our review here - Peter Rabbit has hopped back for another adventure, this time in the heart of London’s Covent Garden Piazza. We were invited to the launch of Histrionic Productions’ immersive, Easter experience, which brings Beatrix Potter’s world to life through puppetry and immersive performance in a brand new show, which runs until 16 April, with London’s most iconic market as its stage. The children taking part are presented with yellow bunny ears to wear throughout the 60-minute adventure, as parents follow them and a young Beatrix in a breathlessly giddy quest around Covent Garden to rescue Jemima Puddle-Duck. We follow clues, maps and secret notes and meet dastardly Mr McGregor, Benjamin Bunny, Squirrel Nutkin, Jeremy Fisher, Peter Rabbit, Mrs Tiggy-Winkle and finally, Jemima Puddle-Duck herself. Nestled in Floral Street’s cobbles is the flower-festooned, Chestnut Bakery, where we eat an enormous and life-affirming apple crumble croissant, before heading upstairs to meet a young Beatrix Potter and begin our adventure. The children sit on little piles of books as various radish-pilfering Peter, Flopsy, Mopsy and Cotton-Tail puppets leap about and reveal that Jemima Puddle-Duck has been swiped by pesky old McGregor. And so begins our quackers quest. The setting for this version is much more modern than last year’s, replacing Blenheim Palace's picturesque and timeless gardens and potting sheds with the buzzing, shop-addled streets of London. The actor’s costumes have also been updated, swapping Potter’s lace and bonnet for dungarees. But the revamp is necessary and works perfectly in this new, Big Smoke adventure. It's exciting for both young and old eyes to see this tourist hotspot in a totally new light, with wholesome surprises, secrets and characters popping up around every corner. Highlights include a deliciously daft Benjamin Bunny scene in a special farmyard pen, right in the heart of the Piazza, which has the children cackling like mad old drunks. Beatrix also gives the children a street masterclass in hiding from Mr McGregor, and the bunny-eared children delight in approaching the villain of the tale as he works on his tractor, freezing whenever he turned around. The enthusiastic (and incredibly patient) actors captivate all of the children and the puppets were utterly charming and lifelike - made to resemble mended, well-loved treasures from another time. The show approaches its dramatic crescendo when McGregor lures and locks our tiny team of bunny detectives in his shed, where we discover poor Jemima being forced to fire out endless eggs into a bizarre machine. Thankfully, the children find keys and we make our escape, scampering across Covent Garden to the lively grand finale - we won’t share any spoilers, except to say that it’s a high octane climax with all of Potter’s most-loved characters. The children can then wind down in the Peter Rabbit art and craft “activity burrow", while the parents grab coffee, before exiting through the gift shop, cradling stuffed bunnies. And if they need another hit of Peter action before heading home, they can enjoy additional activities, including Mr McGregor’s Obstacle Course for thrill-seeking children who want to test their driving skills in a mini ROVER for ages four and above. Families also have the opportunity to clamber onto Mr McGregor’s tractor and have a souvenir photograph taken with the lettuce-bothering bunny himself. The experience touches upon the life of the author, whose story and illustrations were famously rejected by six publishers, until she finally decided to publish them herself, with 250 copies which proved so popular, Frederick Warne and Co. (one of the publishers that had originally rejected the book) decided to publish it. She had originally written the stories (inspired by her pet bunny, Peter) in a series of letters to her governess’s ill son in 1893. The stories have since been translated into nearly 40 different languages and sold more than 45 million copies in the past 120 years, and it was lovely to see a new generation of little, bunny-eared fans falling in love with her characters 121 years later, in a very different London than Potter experienced. Peter Rabbit Easter Adventure, Chestnut Bakery, 24 Floral Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2E 9DS. Until 16th April (Closed 11 April and all Mondays except Easter Monday 10 April) £25.30 pp. Under 2s £6.60pp Like what you've read? Why not subscribe to our free, monthly newsletter?

Top 12 Events to Dismantle the Patriarchy for IWD 2023 Looking for some fun and interesting ways to smash the patriarchy this March? Then check out our round-up of the top 12, glass-ceiling smashing events taking place across the capital to celebrate women and explore what we can do to bosh existing gender inequalities into the past. ‘Embrace Equity’ is the theme of International Women’s Day 2023 - on 8 March - which has been chosen to highlight the difference between equity and equality and demonstrate its role in challenging gender stereotypes and ending discrimination. WOW: Women of the World Festival The world’s biggest festival celebrating women, girls and non-binary people is back with its 13th edition. Taking place at The Southbank Centre the weekends after IWD, the festival invites you to be part of the global movement and see world-class speakers, activists, musicians and comedians in one place. Each day, festival-goers can explore a totally different line-up of talks, workshops, performances, music and more, as well as evening talks, performances, family-friendly events. There’s a gaggle of free stuff to discover too, from the brilliant WOW Marketplace and WOW Pop-Up performances to WOW Speed Mentoring. WOW: Women of the World Festival.The Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London SE1 8XX. 10-12 March Kimpton Fitzroy Launches the House of Pankhurst The luxury, Bloomsbury hotel launches its annual creative residency marking IWD, supporting artists who embody feminist values. Delving into its rich history as the site of Suffragette, Emmeline Pankhurst’s former home and its local literary connections, the hotel launches the House of Pankhurst. This residency focuses on poetry and its role in progressing the women’s movement throughout history. Its first creative resident presents rising poetry star, Hayley Frances, who has written a poem titled ‘Fable of the Singing Queens Of England’ which is inspired by the hotel’s history and architecture. There will also be poetry inspired cocktails at Fitz’s bar and a special menu inspired by The Suffragette Cookbook which you can enjoy at Burr & Co. House of Pankhurst, Kimpton Fitzroy Hotel, 1-8 Russell Square, Bloomsbury, London, WC1B 5BE Women: Witches and Wenches This International Women’s Day, join special guest speakers Maria Beadell, Vanessa King and Dr Alice Tarbuck as they explore the capital's history of accused women, marginalised ‘magic’ and public punishment. In 1542, the first Witchcraft Act in England was enacted, establishing it as a capital offence. From depictions in 17th century literature to protective witch bottles, Londoners’ belief in the occult was visible for centuries, even after multiple laws were repealed. This event is part of a special series inspired by their Executions exhibition. Museum of London Tower Hill Underground Station, Tram Refreshment Cart, London, EC3N 4DJ. £25pp. 8 March Headstrong: Women and Empowerment Headstrong celebrates the work of female photographers in Britain, exploring their representation, everyday lives and what it means to embrace diversities that challenge the conservative order of patriarchal society. Their work is playful, thought-provoking and often surprising and is one of the first shows for the shiny, new Centre for British Photography. Centre for British Photography. 49 Jermyn St, St. James's, London SW1Y 6LX, UK. Until 23 April. The Doyle Collection IWD Headshot Initiative London women can head to The Marylebone Hotel for headshots by none other than award-winning photographer Lisa Tse, who previously co-curated the ‘209 Women’ portrait exhibition in Westminster. To celebrate this year’s IWD, The Doyle Hotels across London, Dublin, Cork and Washington DC will host their annual initiative, supporting women in business with professional headshots for LinkedIn and websites. All proceeds from each £15 ticket will be donated to UN Refugees, a global organisation dedicated to saving lives, protecting rights and building a better future for refugees, forcibly displaced communities and stateless people. The Marylebone Hotel, 47 Welbeck St, London W1G 8DN. £15 pp. 1 and 2 March. The Other Art Fair Saatchi Art’s The Other Art Fair returns to The Truman Brewery this March, with an impressive 61% female line-up, championing some of the most exciting emerging female talents working today and continuing its ongoing mission to strive for gender parity in the art world. The annual event offers Londoners the chance to buy artwork directly from more than 150 emerging talents, and to mark IWD, with rising stars including London oil painter Sarah Lim-Murray and Peruvian artist and muralist Gisella Stapleton. The Sistxrhood has also created an installation for the fair and female tattoo artist Ally Ink will be offering appointments as part of her music-focused From Song to Skin project. The Other Art Fair London, 9-12 March, The Truman Brewery, London E1 The Royal Opera House IWD Celebrations Celebrate International Women’s Day with performances, tours plus online content across ROH's social platforms, celebrating the work of female artists, creatives, and leaders who have shaped the history of opera and ballet. From 8 - 21 March, the ROH will be offering its HerStory tour, celebrating the amazing woman who have directed, worked on and performed in productions at the famed Covent Garden theatre. The Library Theatre will also be hosting a performance of Joseph Toonga’s Born to Exist: The Woman I Know, followed by a panel discussion between Toonga, Royal Ballet creative producer Emma Southworth and dancers Aishwarya Raut, Nadia Gardner and Kloé Dean. Royal Opera House, Bow Street, London, WC2E 9DD. 8-21 March Working Women of the East End Walking Tour It’s difficult to cross the street in East London without bumping into a group of tourists taking notes on Jack the Ripper’s crimes. But the Working Women of the East End tour gives a voice to the female stories of the area, including the women whose lives were claimed by Ripper and the stories and locations important to Britain’s First Feminist; Mary Wollstonecraft, the East London Suffragette, Sylvia Pankhurst, Eleanor Marx and the Match strike of 1888. It also delves into what life was like for women, throughout the East End's history. Working Women of the East End. Meeting point: Tower Hill Station, London EC3N 4DJ. From £30 pp. Women in Art Walking Tour For centuries, Art History has been studied through the work and achievements of the male gaze. This two-hour walking tour at the iconic National Gallery will challenge that narrative, proving that women are not merely muses and objects of the male gaze, but its creators and innovators who had a vital role in art’s evolution. You’ll discover artists including Rachel Ruysch, whose still life commissions bagged more money than Rembrandt ever achieved and impressionist Berthe Morisot, who exhibited work alongside Monet, Degas and Renoir, despite restrictions on her gender. Women in Art Tour. National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 5DN Firebird & Friends Celebrate International Women’s Day On 8 March, Firebird, Soho’s female-owned, open-fire restaurant and natural wine bar will host the inaugural Firebird & Friends. Founders Madina Kazhimova and Anna Dolgushina have invited some of hospitality’s biggest, female stars to join them in hosting a one-off dinner in celebration of International Women’s Day. Caia’s Head Chef Jessica Donovan, Where The Pancakes Are Founder Patricia Trijbits, Updown Farmhouse’s Sommelier Ruth Leigh and Chef Pippa MacDonald, previously of Angela Harnett's Marchants Tavern, will join Madina and Anna for an intimate evening of small plates paired with natural wines. Firebird. 29 Poland St, London W1F 8QR. 8 March. Profession: Documentarist The Lexi Cinema marks IWD by showing solidarity with the women of Iran and celebrating Iranian filmmaking with Profession: Documentarist. Consisting of seven short films documenting female filmmakers’ struggle against authoritarian regime, the piece is a testament to the importance of film-making and documenting during times of political turmoil.⁠ Before the feature, there will be a recorded message made especially for the Lexi audience, from two of the seven filmmakers, Shirin Barghnavard and Sahar Salahshoor. The Lexi Cinema,194b Chamberlayne Rd, London NW10 3JU. 8 March International Women’s Day 2023: Dear Black Women & Girls Festival This one-day wellness festival elevates, educates and empowers Black women and girls, by focussing on their needs and wellness. Returning for its second year, the event features yoga, sound healing and meditation classes, panel discussions on topics such as self-care and self-love and interactive workshops. Dear Black Women & Girls Festival Novotel, International Centre, 1 Shortlands, London W6 8DR. 11 March Like what you've read? Why not subscribe to our free, monthly newsletter?

Creatures even include some of the ‘African Big Five’ and animals that are extinct in the wild IT’S 11:30am and after a trek up a fairly challenging hill, we find ourselves face to face with two of the last 4,000 Siberian tigers on the planet. They are spread across a wooden platform, basking in the sunshine and keeping a watchful eye on the humans, who move cautiously along the perimeter of their huge enclosure. We’re at Port Lympne Safari Park, Wild Animal Reserve and Hotel, with the coastal town of Hythe off in the distance behind us, but we could easily be on the plains of Africa or trekking through the lowlands of Asia, where Water Buffalo frolic in the mud and a Red panda slinks through the dense bamboo cover. This beautiful pocket of rural Kent is an animal lover’s dream and for our money, could be the most exciting wildlife experience in the UK. We join a gaggle of other, enthusiastic early-risers waiting for the gates to open at 9:30 in the morning. Families with young children, photographers with armfuls of expensive camera equipment and couples all watch as a Black Howler monkey swings from branch to branch above our heads, emitting a guttural howl as it shakes itself from its sleep. It’s a fitting welcome for a visit to a park where animal encounters are never far away. Port Lympne offers day guests two ways to experience the park: By foot, or aboard one of the regular safari truck tours, which depart from an area known as ‘Basecamp’ in the centre of the estate. We, like most visitors, attempt both. We begin our day by setting off along the paths that dart back and forth from Basecamp through the rolling countryside. It’s not long before our first animal encounter, as we stroll through an enclosure where a mob of wallabies bounce along beside our path. From there, we circle back past a Clouded Leopard and Serval, both of whom have taken the opportunity for a lie-in, and won’t grace us with their presence for a good few hours. And then, we’re straight into the big-hitters. As we walk down an unassuming dirt path between two fields, we see movement behind a bush ahead. First a flash of grey and then, in one, glorious lollop, an Eastern Black Rhinoceros emerges no more than 20 feet away. It’s one of 14 who call Port Lympne home and their presence here is about much more than providing an incredible experience for visitors. They’re part of a breeding programme that has seen eight rhinos sent back to Africa. The park is owned by The Aspinall Foundation, whose aim is to help repopulate the planet with animals that are facing extinction. And two rhino cows born in Kent - Kivu and Tana - were successfully sent to Thaba Thola in South Africa in 2004, where they have since reared nine calves. Given that in the early 90s, the number of rhinos in the world had dropped to just 2,500, that’s a remarkable impact for a wildlife park in Britain. We drag ourselves away from the gorgeous rhinos and find ourselves in the Baboon House, where a troop of the scarlet-bummed primates scavenge along the floor for breakfast leftovers. The Guinea Baboons signal the beginning of our journey into the primate section of the park, where the Western Lowland Gorillas are undoubtedly the Kings. Their vast enclosure includes a play park comprising swings, monkey bars and a four-storey slide and our guide later tells us that their bedrooms - hidden out back through a door to a private area - are heated in the winter and air-conditioned in the summer, which might go some way to explaining why the silverback in front of us saunters around the place with an air of complete nonchalance, plucking food from the ground and relaxing amongst the long grass. But none of the current gorillas have quite managed to live up to the fame of one of their predecessors - the internet sensation, Ambam, whose ability to walk on two feet put him, and Port Lympne, on the map for animal lovers around the world. Behind the open enclosure is the Palace of the Apes, a huge, metal playground that soars maybe five storeys into the sky and provides a place for the huge beasts to climb, swing and chase each other through the tree tops. It’s a magical sight, and our visit is only cut short by the unbearable stench of gorilla, which is somewhere between stale sweat and old socks. It’s one of the main reasons they didn’t release Planet of the Apes in 4D. We skirt along another Rhino field, before Red River Hogs, Lemurs, and plenty more primates lead us back towards the Port Lympne Mansion, a beautiful old manor house that welcomed guests including Charlie Chaplin, the Prince of Wales, Lord Mountbatten, Sir Winston Churchill and T.E. Lawrence during the pomp of the roaring 20s. You can read about our afternoon tea there, HERE. And you can see why it attracted such notable guests. The house itself is like stepping back in time to a decadent bygone era when monied homeowners could afford to employ artists to paint entire rooms with murals of wild animal scenes, and install statues on every corner. And the views down across the vast estate to the English Channel are nothing short of incredible. We’ll be returning here later for a giraffe encounter, which certainly deserves its own write up HERE. But for now, we’re heading up through the beautiful gardens to the tigers and lions, who sit - both metaphorically and literally - at the very summit of Port Lympne Wildlife Park. As well as showcasing the park’s dedication to conservation, Amba and Amura, the Siberian tiger sisters, have become the pinnacle of the park’s overnight experiences. A lodge built along one side of the enclosure gives a lucky family the chance to wake up to the sight of the world’s largest cats prowling outside their bedroom window. Next door, Lion Lodge offers the chance to get up close and personal with African Lions, Kamari and Hussani. It’s a once in a lifetime experience, but for a cheaper option there’s the Pinewood glamping huts, which are close enough to experience the thrill of falling asleep to the roars of a pride of lions. Other overnight stays include Rhino Lodge, Bear Lodge, Giraffe Lodge, Wolf Lodge, Hog Deer Creek, Leopard Creek and an assortment of huts, treehouses and forest hideaways that let you experience the animals as they creep out under the safety and serenity of darkness. We’re not here for the glamping (though we’re absolutely jealous of those who are) so we stroll back towards Basecamp for the final part of our day: The Safari Experience. Port Lympne offers various versions of the tour, from a 2.5hr AAA Safari (from £105) that whisks smaller groups through encounters with Rhinos, Rothschild giraffes and plenty more, to a 90-minute Rangers Tour (from £30), which takes larger groups on a whistle-stop tour of the park through the Asian and African areas. But a regular Truck Safari of the kind we enjoyed, is included with every admission. Whichever you choose, you’ll hop aboard a pleasingly musty, camouflaged safari truck and head right into the centre of the enclosures, where the creatures run wild and a guide provides informative, entertaining and, all too often, heartbreaking information about the animals and their reasons for being at the heart of a conservation drive. There’s something intensely exciting about discarding all comfort and heading into the domain of the animals. The trucks are crude, raw-metal machines and every bump tosses us out of our seat. We regularly have to stop to switch into four wheel drive, at which point our guide can no longer speak over the deafening rumble of the engine. And the animals are wonderfully unpredictable, leaving us craning our necks to catch a glimpse of their bums as they disappear behind a tree. It’s everything a safari should be, save for the fact that it shouldn’t be here, in Southern Kent - something even Port Lympne’s conscientious owners have publicly stated. We pass too many wonderful animals to name them all. Giraffes, water buffalo, black rhinos, wolves, spectacled bears, ostrich and even Przewalski’s horses - the breed so wild that even Ghengis Khan couldn’t tame them. As our ranger tells us, this entire species of horse was brought back from the brink of extinction, when just NINE were found in a private collection after it was thought the last one in the world had died. Now, there are over 1,500 in the world, and Port Lympne has sent its own horses to China to help with the repopulation efforts. And as our long day draws to a close, it’s Port Lympne’s - or, more specifically, The Aspinall Foundation’s - continued, successful efforts to save and repopulate species that sets it apart from other safari parks or zoos. From the safari through to the overnight stays and the beautiful mansion house at the centre of it all, it’s clear that the animals come first at this Wildlife Park. And while we come a close second, we leave with a sense of satisfaction that our money has gone towards a great cause. Our young children, however, left with a very different, but equally important memory: That giraffes have very small poos, which they decide must be due to the length of their necks. The future of conservation is in safe hands. Click here to read about our Port Lympne Afternoon Tea Click here to read about our bucket-list, giraffe feeding experience Port Lympne Safari Park Admission costs £29 (adults)/£26 (children) including Truck Safari Book now Port Lympne Safari Park, Aldington Rd, Lympne, Hythe CT21 4LR Like what you've read? Why not subscribe to our free, monthly newsletter?

London’s Best Art Shows This March The capital is teeming with immersive art exhibitions beckoning us to leap inside paintings; AI shows offering to guide our digital avatars around artists’ minds; powerful installations to explore and retrospectives of some of the most influential artists of the 20th Century. So we’ve cherry-picked the cream of the arty crop for our round-up of London's top 12 art exhibitions this March. When Flowers Dream It’s your last chance to catch the utopian, candy-coloured world of Pip & Pop - aka Aussie artist Tanya Schultz - made from sweets, sugar and craft materials. Ending on 5 March, When Flowers Dream at Kew Gardens' Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art uses eye-popping colours to immerse viewers in a magical food fantastia, exploring consumption and abundance. Don't miss the bespoke installation for Kew; a trippy landscape filled with foods of the future, created in collaboration with Kew scientists. When Flowers Dream, Kew Gardens, Richmond TW9 3LL, UK. Until 5 March Frameless Immersive art experiences are beckoning us to leap into paintings all over the world, but Frameless is art immersion on steroids. Situated in Marble Arch, it is the largest, permanent multi-sensory experience in the UK. Boasting four, themed galleries - Beyond Reality, Colour In Motion, The World Around Us and The Art Of Abstraction - with some of the world’s greatest works of art exploding across the walls, floors and ceilings of a 30,000 sq ft space. You can step inside more than 43 masterpieces by 28 artists, including Kandinsky, Monet, Van Gogh, Klimt, Munch, Monet, Rembrandt, Dali and Cezanne with musical scores accompanying each brushstroke. Frameless, Marble Arch, London W1H 7FD, UK Vogue X Snapchat: Redefining the Body Curated by Edward Enninful OBE, this FREE collaboration between Vogue and Snap Inc illustrates how augmented reality can advance the realm of physical fashion, transforming clothing designs through Snapchat’s interactive Augmented Reality Lense. Launched during London Fashion Week, it features six of the world’s leading fashion brands and designers, from Dior, Kenneth Ize, Richard Quinn and Stella McCartney to Thebe Magugu and Versace. Vogue X Snapchat. 84-86 Regent Street, London, UK. Until 5 March Van Gogh Exhibition: The Immersive Experience This immersive juggernaut has been touring the world, welcoming more than 5 million visitors. And it has found a new home at London’s Spitalfields. Lose yourself in the iconic brushstrokes of more than 300 works, in this light and sound spectacular featuring two storey projections, plus a drawing studio and VR experience exploring his life and inspirations. You can even enjoy a beautiful piano show from pianist Lara Melda while admiring Van Gogh’s work through cutting-edge 360° digital projections. Van Gogh Immersive Experience, Commercial Street, London E1 6LZ, UK. Until 16 April. David Hockney: Bigger & Closer (Not Smaller & Further Away) Using large-scale projection in a remarkable new, immersive gallery space, David Hockney takes us on a personal journey from LA to Yorkshire, through 60 years of his art, with a specially composed score by Nico Muhly and commentary by the artist himself. Lightroom’s vast walls and revolutionary sound system enable us to experience the world through the eyes of one of the most influential artists for the 20th Century, from the Sixties to the present day. David Hockney Lightroom Show, 12, Lewis Cubitt Square, London N1C 4DY, UK. Until 4 June. Dali Cybernetics: The Immersive Experience Discover the surreal universe of Spanish genius Salvador Dali in London's first, collective metaverse show, entered via an interdimensional digital arts portal, because doors are so last year. Explore his masterpieces through large-format projections, interactive installations, holograms, virtual reality and artificial intelligence. A virtual reality experience with total freedom of movement that will invite visitors to spend fifteen minutes in Dalí's digital universe. Each visitor will have a digital avatar to physically walk with their companions in a collective virtual space where the most recognized works of Dalí will come to life, immersing you in a world of melting clocks, space elephants and giant ants. Launched in Spain, the London show has proved so popular, its run as been extended until 17 April. Dali Cybernetics. 152 Brick Lane, London E1 6QL. Until 17 April. Mike Nelson: Extinction Beckons Constructed from materials scavenged from salvage yards, junk shops, auctions and flea markets, the immersive installations in this eerie and atmospheric exhibition represent the first major retrospective of work by internationally acclaimed British artist Mike Nelson. Weaving references to science fiction, failed political movements, dark histories and countercultures, they touch on alternative ways of living and thinking: lost belief systems, interrupted histories and cultures that resist inclusion in an increasingly homogenised and globalised world. The Hayward Gallery is completely unrecognisable in this disorienting and brooding show, which features sculptural works and new versions of key large-scale installations. Hayward Gallery, Belvedere Rd, London SE1 8XZ, UK. Until 7 May Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirror Rooms The Instagram-friendly Infinity Mirror Rooms have no doubt saturated your social media pages for the past few months. But if you’re late to the party, the run has been extended until June to check out one of the most talked about shows of the past year. The immersive installations of endless reflections include Kusama's Chandelier of Grief, a room which creates the illusion of a boundless universe ofrotating crystal chandeliers. A small presentation of photographs and moving image – some on display for the first time – provide historical context for the global phenomenon that Kusama’s mirrored rooms have become today. Tate Modern. Bankside, London SE1 9TG, UK. Until June. Spaces In-Between Immersive experience studio, Pixel Artworks and visual light artist, Rupert Newman have launched Outernet London’s first interactive body movement artwork, Spaces In-Between. The new show enables the public to synch their body movements with a breathtaking, digital light artwork on the largest digital canvas in the world, made up of 360-degree, four storey screens. As you move, so will the digital screens in three, giant artworks, ‘Tessellations,’ ‘Transcendence’ and ‘A Step Beyond’ accompanied by music from composer Sarah Warne. Spaces In-Between. Outernet, Charing Cross Rd, London WC2H 8LH, UK. Free. Until September. Headstrong: Women and Empowerment Headstrong celebrates the work of female photographers in Britain. It looks at women who have made work exploring their representation, everyday lives and what it means to embrace diversities that challenge the conservative order of patriarchal society. Their work is playful, thought-provoking and often surprising and is one of the first shows for the shiny, new Centre for British Photography. Headstrong: Women and Empowerment. 49 Jermyn St, St. James's, London SW1Y 6LX, UK. Until 23 April. Alice Neel: Hot off the Griddle The Barbican presents the largest UK exhibition to date of American artist Alice Neel, whose vivid portraits captured the shifting social and political context of the American twentieth century. Describing herself as ‘a collector of souls’, Neel worked in New York during a period in which figurative painting was desperately unfashionable. Crowned the ‘court painter of the underground,' her canvases celebrate those who were marginalised in society: labour leaders, Black and Puerto Rican children, pregnant women, Greenwich Village eccentrics, civil rights activists and queer performers. This exhibition brings together more than 70 of Neel’s most vibrant portraits, shown alongside archival photography and film, bringing to life what she called ’the swirl of the era’. Alice Neel: Hot off the Griddle. Silk St, Barbican, London EC2Y 8DS, UK. Until 21 May Dan Pearce: DNA Mixed media artist, Dan Pearce has reflected on a decade in the art scene and the cultural influences which have had a lifelong impact on his work, for DNA, his biggest solo show yet - and on 23 March, you can meet the artist, while viewing his latest work at the the Clarendon Fine Art, Covent Garden exhibition. It includes Lichtenstein-inspired lenticulars, which transform before your eyes, revealing Monroe, Dali and Twiggy behind a heart-shaped gun; the Queen sporting back tats and piercings, surrounded by affectionate graffiti, and swarms of black butterflies gathering to form a skull. The artist’s work employs spray paint, hand-painted acrylics, lenticular, neon lights, objects, 3D printing, screen-printing, textured resin, gold leaf and collage, as well as his own photography and street art and he has amassed a big celebrity following, from Idris Elba, Anthony Joshua and Sharon Osbourne to Boy George, 50 Cent and will.i.am. DNA Exhibition, Clarendon Fine Art, 117 Long Acre, London WC2E 9PA. 23 March Like what you've read? Why not subscribe to our free, monthly newsletter?

It's time to celebrate your mums, people! They birthed you, fed you and put up with you during your 'difficult years', so a bunch of flowers just isn't going to cut it. Whether she's a boozehound with a perverse lust for gin, a spa-fanatic with a need for a treatment or two, or the type of woman who expects to be treated like a queen at a five-star restaurant, we've got something for everybody right here. No excuses now, ladies and gents - get booking and make sure you're the number one, favourite child from here on in. GET BOOZY! Henley Gin Experience If mum’s a gin fan, then what better way to spend a day than at gin school, where she’ll be guided through the process of creating her very own gin by award-winning Master Distiller, Jacob Wilson. It’s all set in the idyllic surroundings of a series of restored, 18th century barns near Henley-on-Thames, which is very firmly in the posh part of Oxfordshire. Naturally, the day starts with a swift G&T (it’s important to do your research before embarking on your own bottle of the good stuff), before heading over to the distillery to see how it’s done. From there, mum will be plonked in front of her own, personal copper still where she’ll formulate her own gin from over 100 botanicals, under the gentle guidance of the experts. The stills produce just a little too much gin for a single bottle, so it’s vital the distillers clear up after themselves by enjoying their concoction in one more G&T - and a delicious gin cocktail - before being handed a specially labeled bottle of their exclusive creation to take home. Sound like the perfect day? Well, why not make it a weekend - the Henley Distillery can also organise accommodation at the neighbouring Bottle & Glass Inn for £150 a night, leaving you free to enjoy a good few more G&Ts. Price £100pp Henley Distillery, Phillimore Estate at Hampstead Farm, Binfield Heath, Henley on Thames, RG9 4LG, Buy tickets Oxford Artisan Distillery Tour There’s gin on offer over at Oxford Artisan Distillery, too - but that’s not all. A 60-minute behind-the-scenes peek at this booze palace shows guests how the distillery makes its award-winning Vodka, Gin and Rye whisky. Naturally, mum will get to sample them all, as well as a couple of ‘partnership gins’, called Physic and Ashmolean. As if all that wasn’t enough, the distillery’s Garden Bar provides the perfect excuse to make a day of it. The gorgeous cocktail bar, set inside an old barn and with plentiful seating outside under the trees, serves up alcohol freshly bottled from the stills next door. It’s a mere 30 minute walk to Oxford town centre, so ditch the car and enjoy a tipple or ten. Price £20pp Oxford Artisan Distillery, Old Depot, South Park, Cheney Lane, Oxford OX3 7QJ, Buy tickets EXPERIENCE SOMETHING NEW! 02 Arena climb for two Get the heart pumping with a trip to the top of the O2. You'll be able to join your mum as you both clip in to a safety wire and start the 365 metre mini-hike over the canvas roof of the iconic London music venue. Once you reach the top, you'll be able to relax and take in the epic views across the capital from your vantage point 52 metres in the air. Grab a few photos and bask in your achievement before heading back to solid ground again. Price £84 for two people The O2, Peninsula Square, London SE10 0DX Book tickets iFly Indoor Skydiving If you fancy giving mum a taste of extreme sports without the added stress of actually killing her, then iFly Indoor Skydiving is the one for you. She'll get to dress up like she's going to hurl herself out of an aeroplane, before leaping into a fierce headwind, where she'll float on thin air... only she'll never be more than five feet from the ground. It'll certainly be a talking point, and if you take some pictures from just the right angle, she might be able to convince her friends at the WI that she took to the skies for Mother's Day. Price £69.99 Locations include Milton Keynes, Basingstoke and Manchester Sunrise Balloon flight for two Take to the skies for a gentle float through the clouds on a hot air balloon trip over the countryside near you. This once-in-a-lifetime experience includes a full, 60 minute flight where you'll be able to gaze across the vast, green landscape or get nosey at your neighbours. Did you know Julie from number 67 has a swimming pool in her back garden? You do now! You'll be tracked all the way by a recovery team on the ground, so wherever you land you'll be able to enjoy a glass of Prosecco before jumping in the van and being whisked back to base. Price £260 for two UK wide - over 100 sites to choose from, Buy tickets 30 minute flying lesson You spent your adolescence getting lifts to town and back from mum, so now it's time you helped her dial up her skills a touch. Flying lessons! Now she can come and pick you up from the Bahamas when you've had a few too many drinks and forgotten your wallet. OK, so it might need a few before she's tackling the Bermuda Triangle, but these lessons are still the real deal. She'll be in a two-seater cockpit with a CAA licensed instructor and will get her hands on the controls as she soars into the clouds. And this counts towards the hours needed for a private pilot license, so if she catches the bug, you might be on your way to getting some free holidays. Everyone's a winner. Price £99 Locations in Peterborough, Essex and Retford, Buy tickets GET BLENDING! Tea Blending Workshop Tea connoisseurs, Bird & Blend Tea Co. are offering special blending workshops at all 12 of their UK stores to celebrate Mother’s Day. Guests will be plied with plenty of tea, as well as tea-based cocktails to ensure they’ve adequately tasted enough of the stuff to make important decisions about the herbs and flavours to cram into their own, special blend. After a 2.5hr masterclass, all attendees will leave with a goody bag filled with samples and recipe cards and, of course, their own blend of tea for future consumption. Price £45pp Available at 12 venues across the UK, including Brighton, Bristol, Cardiff, Exeter, London, Manchester, Nottingham, Buy tickets Blend With Love Not to be outdone, Whittard of Chelsea will run their own, limited edition tea-tasting and blending masterclasses from 16-19 March. Taking place in the fancy Holmes Hotel in Marylebone, the classes will see Whittards’ experts take guests on a tea-tasting journey through a floral Jasmine, a gentle China Rose, a malty Assam, a smooth Keemun and a fragrant Chai. Experts will be on hand to guide mum through the tea-blending process, before pairing her creation with a Whittard of Chelsea biscuit for the ultimate flavour sensation. The masterclass will finish with a goodie bag worth over £37 for every guest, containing their own tea blend in a personalised caddy, biscuits paired to match, Whittard of Chelsea English Breakfast Tea, a Pan infuser mug and sustainable woven Jute bag. What’s more, mum will be able to visit any Whittard of Chelsea store with her unique recipe card to re-purchase her own, personal blend in future. Just be prepared for all of your presents from now on to include a box of tea… Price £20pp 16 – 19 March 2pm or 4pm The Laboratory Room, Holmes Hotel London, 83 Chiltern Street, London, W1U 6NF, Buy tickets SPA BREAKS! All About Mum Spa Day This might be all about mum, but it's a spa experience you'll want to tag along for - just to make sure everything is up to standard, of course. You'll be greeted with a glass of Prosecco, which should set you up nicely for a day of non-stop pampering. Head to the rooftop hot-tub or enjoy the indoor hydrotherapy pool before heading for a private mud Rasul treatment AND a 30-minute ESPA facial each. If the idea of travelling home after all that relaxation seems a little too taxing, upgrade to an overnight stay and make a weekend of it. Price from £95pp - upgrade to overnight stay available The Spa at Bedford Lodge, Bury Rd, Newmarket CB8 7BX, Buy tickets Like Mother, Like Daughter Spa Break Treat mum to a spa weekend where absolutely everything has been covered, from dinner and drinks to luxurious treatments - all in the surroundings of a former mill building that's been named the best eco spa in the world. And the best thing about this package? It's for two, so someone is going to have to bite the bullet and keep her company. You'll both be welcomed with a drink to sip while you slip into your robes and slippers. From then on, it's all about relaxation - unwind in the pool, enjoy the heat and ice experience or just lay back on a lounger and do absolutely nothing. You'll need to find time for two treatments each, and when the sun sets it'll be time to head for the spa's Bistro and Bar 1911, to enjoy cocktails and a two course meal. And when you're done with all that relaxation, head back to your gorgeous apartment for a good night's kip. Price from £449 per couple Titanic Spa, Low Westwood Lane, Linthwaite, Huddersfield, HD7 5UN, Buy tickets One Night Spa Break Combine a spa break with a city break at the Aztec Hotel & Spa in Bristol. A stay at the 4-star hotel comes with a 25-minute Taste of Wellness treatment and guests will have full use of the spa's pool, jacuzzi, steam room and newly refurbished Himalayan salt sauna. Quite honestly, leaving all that behind sounds like a bad idea, but if you do decide to venture outside the hotel, Bristol is a vibrant city with plenty to offer, from excellent shopping to a busy nightlife. If you're sticking around the hotel, a visit to the Rosette-awarded, Curious Kitchen restaurant comes highly recommended. Price from £155pp Aztec Hotel & Spa, Bristol, Buy tickets WINE AND DINE HER! The Ritz Yes, you'll need deep pockets to treat your mum to Mother's Day at The Ritz, but she birthed you, you ungrateful swine, so go talk to the bank manager and get it sorted. You'll be well rewarded for your effort, with a three-course Sunday lunch served inn the stunning Michelin-starred restaurant. There'll be live entertainment, too, and you'll leave with a tummy full of grub created by John Williams MBE and a special gift from The Ritz, just in case your mates don't believe you were there. The ultimate brownie point winner: If you've got siblings, this will ensure favourite child status for years to come. Price £295 adults/£150 children The Ritz, 150 Piccadilly, London W1J 9BR, Buy tickets Dine in style on a steam train A trip to the Isle of Man - smack bang in the middle of the water between Northern Ireland and the Lake District - might seem a little extra, but it’s worth it just for the chance to dine in style on board one of the world’s only narrow gauge dining cars, while being pulled by a steam engine. The Pullman style carriage was built in 1905 and restored ten years ago - and now it’s taking centre-stage in the heritage Steam Railway’s 150th birthday. The old train will roar through the beautiful Manx countryside as your mum is treated to either a three-course Sunday lunch, or a luxurious afternoon tea, washed down with a carefully crafted list of 14 wines, cocktails and soft drinks from the onboard bar. Sunday lunch price £35 adults/£17.50 children Afternoon tea price £30 adults/£15 children Douglas Station, Bank Circus, Douglas, IM1 5PT, Buy tickets Brigit’s Bakery Afternoon Tea Tour Treat mum to an afternoon tea with a twist, as this delicious treat is served aboard a Routemaster bus as it winds its way pasty London’s most iconic landmarks. The route will take her past the Royal Albert Hall, Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Harrods and plenty more sights, but it’s not just her eyes that’ll be treated - there’s plenty for the taste buds, too. Savouries include Feta, tomato & red pepper savoury muffin; Cucumber, cream cheese and mint finger on basil bread and Mini mushroom quiche, while sweet treats are made up of Lavender cupcakes, Rose & lychee choux and Red velvet bites. Plus, there’ll of course also be coffee, tea and hot chocolate and the classic English scones with clotted cream and jam. Price £45 adult/£35 children Departures between 12:00 and 17:00 from Victoria Coach Station and Trafalgar Square Japanese Afternoon Tea at Karma Sanctum Soho If your mum isn’t the type to swoon over a cupcake, then maybe Karma Sanctum Soho’s Japanese version might be more up her street. Savoury dishes include Crispy shrimp, Chicken katsu slider, Hirata bun with wasabi crunchy tofu and Salmon tartare, while sweet offerings involve a chocolate and caramelised miso tart and a selection of mochi. It’s all served in the decadent Wild Heart Bar, where funk and soul music is the order of the day, and a flight of mini cocktails including Jack Daniel’s Espresso Martini and Chambord Shot will help get mum in the mood for dancing. Price from £42, served between 12:00 - 18:00 Karma Sanctum Soho, Buy tickets Like what you've read? Why not subscribe to our free, monthly newsletter?

Karen’s Diner Serves a Side of Masochism with your Burger Calling all Karens - we have somewhere you’ll want to speak to the manager about. Just don’t expect an apology, because this restaurant prides itself on “great burgers and very rude service.” Karen’s Diner finally comes to London, with one TripAdvisor nightmare opening in Barnet on 10 March and a second in Islington on 14 April. Following its success at flipping birds and burgers at disgruntled guests in Manchester, Birmingham and Sheffield, the restaurant chain brings its rude waiters to the Big Smoke and encourages you to be just as insulting to the staff. Established in Sydney and inspired by the Karen meme, referencing "a middle-aged white woman with an asymmetrical bob asking to speak to the manager” the novelty diners were launched to enable guests to “live out their Karen dreams” with staff, who are deliberately terrible at their jobs. And for the first time, The Hadley Hotel venue in Barnet will offer the chain's first overnight experience alongside the diner, for a night of appalling service priced at £199 for two people. The food is in keeping with its Fifties American Diner decor, with hotdogs, fries, Karen’s Chicken Bingo Wings and burgers named ‘I Want To See The Manager’ the ‘Karen’s Got Real Beef’ and the ‘Basic Karen’. There are also milkshakes, wines, beers and a range of novelty cocktails, including “The Music is too Loud” and “You’ve Just Lost My Business.” The “Potty Karen” is a murky brown drink, served in an actual toilet. Bottoms up! So if you’re hungry for a side of masochism with your burger, buckle up for the London launch next month. And if you’re a real Karen with ID proof, they’ll give you a free drink.. and then tell you to f*ck off. Karen's Diner, The Hadley Hotel, 113 Hadley Rd, Barnet EN5 5QN. Opens on 10 March Like what you've read? Why not subscribe to our free, monthly newsletter?