Celebrate the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Dickens with a new special exhibition at the Museum of London. Sound and projections will recreate the atmosphere of Victorian London, taking you on a haunting journey to discover the places and subjects which inspired his writings.
Art, costume, original manuscripts and objects will explore Dickens' imagination, including the author's writing desk and chair which will be brought to life through an innovative audio-visual experience, based on the famous painting of Dickens' dream.

During your visit you'll discover how Dickens' childhood experiences of London, working in a blacking factory while his father was locked away in a debtor's prison, were woven into the stories he wrote. The great social questions of the 19th century, including wealth and poverty, prostitution, childhood mortality and philanthropy, will also be examined, all of which set the scene for Dickens' greatest works.

2FOR1 Admssion: £8

Opening times: 9 December 2011 - 10 June 2012, 10:00-18:00 daily. Closed 24-26 December 2011.

Telephone: 020 7001 9844

/charles-dickens-at-the-museum-of-london

Well-known for her repeating dot patterns, Yayoi Kusama's art encompasses an astonishing variety of media, including painting, drawing, sculpture, film, performance and immersive installation. There has never been an exhibition of this size of her work in the UK and this spectacular exhibition is an unmissable opportunity for both Kusama fans and those new to her work.

At the centre of the art world in the 1960s, she came into contact with artists including Donald Judd, Andy Warhol, Joseph Cornell and Claes Oldenburg, influencing many along the way. After achieving fame and notoriety with groundbreaking art happenings and events, she returned to her country of birth and is now Japan's most prominent contemporary artist.

Admission: Adult £10

/tate-modern

Lucian Freud (1922 - 2011) was one of the greatest artists of the past sixty years. Paintings of people were central to his work and this major exhibition will be the first to focus on his portraiture.

The exhibition will be divided into broad thematic groups which concentrate on particular periods, groups of sitters and formal considerations to demonstrate Freud's stylistic development and technical virtuosity. Insightful paintings of the artist's lovers, friends and family, referred to by the artist as 'people in my life', have been selected to demonstrate the psychological drama and unrelenting observational intensity of his work.

Admission: Adult £14

2FOR1 offer: Monday - Friday 10.00 - 12.00. 9 February - 30 April 2012 (excluding 6 - 9 April)

/lucian-freud-portraits-at-the-national-portrait-gallery

Picasso and Modern British Art is the first exhibition to explore Picasso's lifelong connections with Britain. Comprising over a hundred and fifty works from major public and private collections around the world, the exhibition charts Picasso's rise in Britain as a figure both of controversy and celebrity, tracing the ways in which his work was exhibited and collected here during his lifetime.

2FOR1 Admission: Adult £14 (Concession £12)

/tate-britain

Take the whole family out on a day trip to Japan! HYPER JAPAN will be a celebration of Japan's traditional heritage as well as its vibrant pop culture; immerse yourself for a day or two and soak up the atmosphere of this fascinating culture. HYPER JAPAN is dedicated to bringing you everything cute, cool and contemporary about today's Japan. HYPER JAPAN will showcase culture, customs, language, travel, anime and food from Japan and much more. Whether you're a foodie, an anime-mad otaku, a creatively-inspired cosplayer or you just love the traditional culture and cuisine of Japan, HYPER JAPAN will be full of discovery about this fascinating, innovative and inspiring country.  HYPER JAPAN 2012 Spring will be hosting the UK Sushi Roll Championship 2012, the Eat-Japan Sake Awards, as well as the Eat-Japan Food Court. Work up an appetite wandering round the rest of the show!　

Admission:

£6 (General admission for Friday)  

£12 (General admission for Saturday & Sunday)

Opening Times:

Friday 24th February 15:00-21:00

Saturday 25th February 09:30-20:00

Sunday 26th February 09:30-17:00

THE GREAT CLASSICS: Choral Favourites performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall. 2FOR1 concert seats from £20 - £30. Concert starts at 19:30 for an evening of choral delights.
Read more

Of all the Old Masters, Turner admired Claude the most, enthusing about the quality of light in his Italian landscapes. This exhibition brings together closely related works by both artists, offering the chance to explore the enormous influence of Claude's mastery of light and landscape on Turner - from his formative years until the end of his life.
 
The show includes oils, watercolours and sketchbooks and introduces the story of the Turner Bequest and its importance in the history of the National Gallery. The final room of the show exhibits archive material dedicated to this relationship.
 
2FOR1 Admission: £12/£11 concessions

/turner-inspired---in-the-light-of-claude