Serpentine Galleries

The lowdown

Right in the middle of Kensington Gardens are two small free galleries showing some of the most talked-about contemporary art in London. The Serpentine South sits by the lake, the Serpentine North a short walk across the park in an old gunpowder store, both free to walk into.

What makes them special is the setting. You wander through the royal park, ducks and joggers and all, and step straight into a sharp, current art show, then back out into the green. The programme is ambitious and changes often, so there is always a reason to drop in.

Every summer they pull off something unique. A different world-famous architect is invited to build a temporary Pavilion on the lawn outside the South gallery, a one-off free structure that stands for a few months and then is gone. Architecture fans plan trips around it.