October half-term 2026 in South Kensington: museums and park days
October half-term is close, and for families in and around Knightsbridge the timing of this year's museum openings could hardly be better. For many London schools the break falls in the last week of the month, and by then two major exhibitions will have opened on Exhibition Road. Check your own school's dates, then use this as a plan for the week.
Wildlife Photographer of the Year
The Natural History Museum's annual exhibition opens on Friday 16 October and runs until 11 July 2027, showing 100 award-winning images from this year's competition. It is the obvious half-term booking for families with children who love animals, and the photographs are often as powerful for teenagers as for adults.
The museum's exhibition page sets out the pricing tiers. Adult tickets are £21 at peak times, which means weekends during school holidays, £19 for standard slots, including weekdays in the holidays, and £17 off-peak, which applies Tuesday to Thursday in term time. Children, students and other groups pay reduced prices, under fours go free, and a ticket includes museum entry after the exhibition. Advance booking is strongly advised.
The Space Show at the Science Museum
For younger children, the free Space Show is a lively option: a live family show of science demonstrations presented by Science Museum Mission Control. According to the Science Museum's free activities page, it runs on Saturdays and Sundays until 25 March 2027, plus selected weekdays during school holidays. It is free but ticketed, so book in advance.
Becoming America for older children
From Friday 23 October, the Science Museum also opens Becoming America: How Science Shaped a Nation, a free, ticketed exhibition recommended for ages 11 and over. Its objects include a 1776 print of the Declaration of Independence and Benjamin Franklin's chart of the Gulf Stream, making it a good fit for secondary school children studying history.
Fresh air in Hyde Park
Between museum visits, Hyde Park is a short walk north. The Royal Parks promotes autumn events in the park including Halloween activities, creative workshops and seasonal walks, and a self-guided autumn walk is marked on the park map. Our Hyde Park guide has more on the park, from the Serpentine to the quieter meadows.
A sample half-term day
- Morning: Wildlife Photographer of the Year at opening time, when the galleries are quietest.
- Lunch: eat in or near the museums, then walk up Exhibition Road.
- Afternoon: the Science Museum, timed for a Space Show session if you have little ones.
- Late afternoon: a run around Hyde Park before heading home.
Our Natural History Museum guide covers the permanent galleries, including the ones children ask for first.
Booking tips
Half-term weekends are the busiest days in South Kensington's museums, so book timed tickets as early as possible and aim for weekday mornings. South Kensington station connects to the museums by pedestrian tunnel, which is handy on wet days. Everything here is within walking distance of Knightsbridge.
Lead image: Diliff via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.
