99 THINGS TO DO IN 2020
Cultural highlights
Discover new artists
The Royal Academy of Arts is one of the oldest permanent collections of art in the UK and is a must-visit for art-lovers. Its Summer Exhibition (9 June to 16 August) has run since 1769 and displays works across all mediums from emerging and established talent. Other big exhibitions in 2020 include Picasso on Paper (until 13 April) and Tracey Emin/ Edvard Munch (from 15 November). www.royalacademy.org.uk
Night at the museum
The London Transport Museum is launching a series of themed Museum Lates in conjunction with its new exhibition, Hidden London (until January 2021), which delves into the history of London’s Underground. On selected dates you can party like it's 1999 in a disused station or experience the Tube as an air-raid shelter. www.ltmuseum.co.uk
Scores of your favourite films
As well as the annual BBC Proms (17 July to 12 September), the iconic Royal Albert Hall has another stunner in store for 2020. Films in Concert sees the return of old favourites with a live orchestra, from The Lord of the Rings and Star Wars (both October) to Titanic (May). www.royalalberthall.com
The Royal Albert Hall has a stunner in store: Films in Concert sees the return of old favourites with a live orchestra
Go down the rabbit hole
The Victoria and Albert Museum is renowned for its exhibitions – we’d expect nothing else from the world’s leading museum of art and design. Its collection covers 5,000 years of history, but 2020 is the year it transforms into Wonderland and invites you to immerse yourself in the mind-bending imagination of CS Lewis, exploring the world of Alice in literature, art, film, music and fashion (from 27 June). www.vam.ac.uk
Explore the mind of a monarch
Kew Palace marks the 200th anniversary of the death of King George III with an exhibition that reveals the real man behind the 'madness', from his passion for architecture to his musical talents. George III: The Mind Behind the Myth opens on 3 April. www.hrp.org.uk
Admire a master of portraiture
Alongside the most extensive collection of portraits in the world, the National Portrait Gallery will exhibit David Hockney: Drawing from Life (until 28 June), focusing on depictions of the artist and a small group of his most intimate muses, including his mother and Celia Birtwell. www.npg.org.uk
Treasures of Tutankhamun revealed
100 years ago, Howard Carter unearthed the tomb of Tutankhamun: possibly the greatest archaeological discovery of all time. A touring exhibition, Tutankhamun: Treasures of the Golden Pharaoh, will be drawing the crowds to Chelsea’s Saatchi Gallery until 3 May. It sold out in Los Angeles and Paris (it was France’s most-visited exhibition of all time), so be sure to book ahead to view King Tut’s priceless treasures in person. www.saatchigallery.com
An artist of note
Tate Britain houses the largest collection of British art in the world. This year’s standout exhibition is Turner’s Modern World (from 28 October), celebrating the great artist’s portrayals of the industrial revolution. The exhibition coincides with Turner’s appearance on the new £20 banknote. www.tate.org.uk
Delight in the classics
The Southbank Centre has come up trumps with a toe-tapping Classical Season, with nights dedicated to much-loved singers, conductors and composers. Relive Paris in the 1920s (28 April) or fall in love with the Philharmonia Orchestra’s rendition of the American Romantics, Barber, Copland and Bernstein (14 May). www.southbankcentre.co.uk
Art in the park
Greenwich Peninsula has undergone massive redevelopment in the last couple of years, culminating last summer in the opening of a new five-kilometre elevated and , among works by other renowned artists.
