Spring in London is blooming marvellous and 2025 promises an extraordinary lineup of exhibitions. Here are our top picks for three you can't miss: Explore the Saatchi Gallery's "FLOWERS," a celebration of flora in contemporary art, discover the intimate world of Munch's portraits at the National Portrait Gallery and delve into the Thames's mudlarked treasures at the Museum of London Docklands.
FLOWERS - FLORA IN CONTEMPORARY ART AND CULTURE at the Saatchi Gallery
Chelsea is renowned for its annual RHS Flower Show and the ancient Chelsea Physic Garden, so what better host for an extraordinary exploration of all things botanical than the Saatchi Gallery? Covering the top two floors of this famous Kings Road establishment, across 9 rooms, FLOWERS- FLORA IN CONTEMPORARY ART AND CULTURE is a spectacular demonstration of how flowers have infiltrated every part of our lives, from the whimsical interior designs of William Morris and Arthur Sanderson, to the covers of books and music albums, the Flower Power political movements of the 60s and 70s and the psychedelic floral prints on Mary Quant’s miniskirts.
You’ll see art in every size, shape and style: paintings, photography, jewellery, sculpture – and a real highlight at around the halfway point: La Fleur Morte by Rebecca Louise Law. This enormous installation of dried flowers suspended on copper wire takes up the entire room, creating a whimsical, romantic and melancholy space to wander through.
If you want to visit, book soon as FLOWERS- FLORA IN CONTEMPORARY ART
AND CULTURE closes on May 5th.
Open daily from 10:00, last entry 16:30
Tickets from £18, concessions £10, under 6s free.
Closest tube: Sloane Square
Edvard Munch Portraits at the National Portrait Gallery
Discover another side of the Norwegian artist best known for The Scream - his vibrant, intimate portraits. This brand new exhibition of 40 artworks, many of which have never been displayed in this country before, is the first in the UK to focus on Edvard Munch’s portraiture, thanks to loans from all over the world, including 11 pieces from the Munch Museum, Oslo.
The collection is a fascinating journey through six decades of Munch's life, with the sitters coming from all walks of life: family and friends, bohemians and benefactors - even the doctor who treated him following a mental breakdown. Little biographies beside each painting give more context to the model's identities and their relationships with Munch: an interesting cast of characters including Henrik Ibsen, Elisabeth Förster-Nietzsche and Henriette Olsen, the wife of the Norwegian shipping magnate.
The paintings vary from pastoral pastels to bold, energetic colours, to black and white disembodied heads: the artist's foray into the concept of "the naked soul", influenced by Munch's associations with Strindberg and Przybyszewski.
Edvard Munch Portraits is at the National Portrait Gallery from 13th March – 15th June.
Open daily: Sunday - Thursday 10.30 - 18.00 Friday & Saturday 10.30 - 21.00
Tickets from £21, concessions available for children and seniors, under 12s and members free. 25 year olds and under can book £5 tickets on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Closest tube: Leicester Square.
Secrets of the Thames – London Museum Docklands
The latest exhibition at London Museum Docklands delves deep into the past, and the mud, with the UK’s first major exhibition dedicated to Mudlarking: searching for treasures in the exposed foreshore of the Thames once the tide has gone out.
Secrets of the Thames blends archaeology with contemporary art and digital experiences, showcasing a diverse collection of over 350 mudlarked artefacts, ranging from personal keepsakes to significant historical finds, many of which are being publicly displayed for the first time. From Medieval jewellery to a Viking dagger, spectacles to false teeth, these objects offer a glimpse into history and pose questions about the stories of the people who lost them into the river long ago.
Secrets of the Thames is at London Museum Docklands from 4th April – 1st March 2026
Open daily: 10:00 – 17:00, last entry is 3.45pm.
Tickets are from £16, concessions £13.50, under 12s free
Closest tube: Canary Wharf or West India Quay (DLR)
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