6 London museums open late, from live jazz to silent discos

Worried that museums are silent, stuffy places full of old antiquities and hordes of box-ticking tourists? Think again. Many of London’s top cultural attractions are reinventing themselves, bringing in fresh crowds and younger visitors by throwing open their doors to host after-dark activities.

Want to sleep over with dinosaur bones, Ben Stiller-style? You can at the Natural History Museum. Prefer to hang with the artsy in-crowd at the V&A? Everyone’s invited. Feel like playing games, practicing crafts, soaking up live music or catching a movie? It’s all on the agenda at these late-night London museums open after dark.

1. Natural History Museum  

If you can’t remember the last time you had a sleepover, Dino Snores for Grown Ups  is your opportunity to unleash that inner child. Your night begins at 6.30pm with a three-course dinner and the chance to explore selected galleries, now empty of daily tourist bustle. Then the real fun begins: nocturnal activities include a live animal workshop with ethical handling company ZooLab, a science show, stand-up comedy and a movie marathon. You’ll fall asleep under the blue whale in Hintze Hall, then wake up to breakfast and morning yoga, before checking out at 10am. Upcoming sessions on 17 April and 15 May are now open for booking.

For a night at the museum that has more to do with groove than geology, join its late-night Silent Disco.  From 10pm to 1am, three DJs battle for your attention over wireless channels, while a supply of drinks is readily available at the bar. The next after-dark parties are on 27 March and 4 April.

2. Victoria and Albert Museum  

Describing itself as the “original contemporary late-night event” – at one of the first latenight museums in London – the V&A’s monthly Friday Late sessions are renowned for attracting artists, designers, creatives and assorted scenesters for an informal evening of DJs, live performance, film and installations. There’s also room for thoughtful conversation and healthy debate: previous lates have delved into contemporary societal issues such as navigating truths in the AI-driven world and access for disabled people working in creative industries. Drop by on the last Friday of any month, except January, May, and December.

3. London Transport Museum

Expect carefree games, pumping tunes and stiff drinks when the doors are thrown open for Museum Lates . Each monthly event is inspired by a particular theme – whether drawn from the collection, the history of transport or just Londoners’ lores and tales. Next up on 20 March is an appreciation of all things Art Deco – relive the gilded age of the flapper by crafting your own headdress, dancing the Charleston, hopping on vintage buses and sipping on-tap classic cocktails. On 21 April, things dial back to the jazz age, with a seated concert featuring students from London's top conservatories.

4. The National Gallery  

Enjoy regular post-work screenings, workshops, live music and multimedia performances at the National Gallery's Friday Lates . This February, check out life drawing sessions inspired by the museum’s paintings, a string quartet performance from students at Guildhall School of Music & Drama, and a short film by the National Gallery’s 2025 artist in residence Ming Wong. End your evening at one of the museum’s stylish bars and restaurants, such as Bar Giorgio in the Sainsbury Wing or Ochre Brasserie at the Getty Entrance.  

5. Science Museum  

Just for kids? Hardly. Park your preconceptions at the door and hit up the adults-only Science Museum Lates . As well as panel discussions, tours, film screenings, live performances, talks and workshops, this crucible of empirical thought has thrown off the academic shackles with silent discos and videogame sessions. If that got your attention, be sure to check out the Power Up experience  in the daytime, which gives you the chance to trace the evolution of gaming over 160 different consoles from the past 50 years.

6. British Museum  

Celebrate the end of the working week with a dose of culture at the British Museum , which stays open until 8:30pm every Friday, (except for Good Friday). For zero charge, you can visit current exhibitions and galleries and soak up the vast night sky from the Great Court – the largest covered public square in Europe. Take a deeper dive into history with a 20-minute, volunteer-led spotlight tour – subjects include ancient Egypt, the Enlightenment, the Rosetta Stone, and Ancient Greece’s Parthenon. If you've worked up an appetite from all that walking and talking, the Court Cafe helpfully remains open until 8pm, and you can grab a souvenir at the gift shop until 8:15pm.