Serpentine South Gallery
ENTRY
Free
SETTING
Indoors
WHERE
London
What it’s like
Free contemporary art exhibitions in Kensington Gardens, with a digital guide that does a lot of the explaining for you.
Getting kids into an art gallery is a bit of a gamble, but this one at least takes the money worry off the table. Entrance is free, and there's a Bloomberg Connects digital guide you can pull up on your phone with audio descriptions and curatorial introductions, which is handy if you'd rather not bluff your way through explaining contemporary art to a nine-year-old.
The site does say they advise booking a ticket even though entry is free and you don't have to, which feels like a faff for something with no admission charge, but it means you can skip it if you're passing and fancy popping in. There are also relaxed hours exhibitions with no lighting effects or music, worth knowing about if you've got a child who finds galleries overwhelming.
It's fully step-free with wheelchairs to borrow at the desk, accessible toilets, and baby changing facilities in both galleries, plus free nappies and wipes at the lobby if you get caught out. There's a café and a restaurant on site, so a gallery visit can easily stretch into lunch. Parking nearby is metered, in Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park, and the site nudges you toward public transport instead, which given it's central London is probably the sensible call anyway.
This isn't a hands-on children's museum, so it suits kids who can cope with quiet looking rather than climbing and pressing buttons. With the free entry and no fixed session times, it's an easy one to fit into a bigger day out in the park without committing to a whole afternoon.
Facilities
Need to know
- Wheelchairs
- One wheelchair available to borrow at each gallery, subject to availability
- Dogs
- Assistance dogs only
- Booking is suggested even though entry is free, but you can turn up without one
- There's a free Bloomberg Connects digital guide you can use on your phone via the gallery wifi
- Wheelchairs to borrow are first come, first served at each gallery
- Free nappies, wipes and sanitary towels are kept at the lobby desks
Plan your visit
Is it actually free to get in?
Yes, entrance to the galleries is free. They do suggest booking a ticket in advance, but you don't have to.
Is there anywhere to park?
There's metered parking in Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park nearby. The gallery itself points you toward walking or public transport instead.
Can we bring a buggy or wheelchair?
Both galleries have step-free access throughout, and each one has a wheelchair you can borrow if needed, subject to availability.
What if my child gets overwhelmed by busy places?
They run relaxed hours exhibitions with no lighting effects or music, which is worth timing your visit around if that helps.
Are there baby changing facilities?
In both galleries, and there are free nappies and wipes at the lobby desks if you need them.
Can we bring the dog?
Only assistance dogs are allowed in the galleries.
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