Art and Photography Exhibitions to See in London This Summer

London's galleries are positively buzzing this summer, with an extraordinary array of art and photography exhibitions that span centuries and continents. Whether you're drawn to Old Masters or cutting-edge contemporary work, there's something to captivate every visitor. Here's our guide to the exhibitions you simply must see.

Major Art Exhibitions

Frida Kahlo at Tate Modern

The most anticipated exhibition of the season has arrived. Frida: The Making of an Icon is a major London survey of Frida Kahlo's art, image and legacy at Tate Modern, with tickets from £25 and running until 3 January 2027. Kahlo's work is presented alongside that of her peers and later artists influenced by her legacy, including Kiki Smith, Judy Chicago, and Ana Mendieta. She created around 150 works in her lifetime, a third of which were self-portraits.

Anish Kapoor at Hayward Gallery

In a full-circle moment, Anish Kapoor returns to the Hayward Gallery, where he staged his first major UK survey almost three decades ago. Curated by Ralph Rugoff as part of the Southbank Centre's 75th anniversary, the show fills the entire space with gargantuan immersive works. Expect warped steel mirror sculptures and enigmatic objects coated in Vantablack, the blackest known substance on Earth.

Ana Mendieta at Tate Modern

This major exhibition dedicated to Ana Mendieta presents many of her iconic works alongside newly remastered films, early paintings, and late sculptural pieces, many of which have never been seen in the UK before. The show will continue outside the gallery walls, embracing Mendieta's deep relationship with the natural world. The retrospective runs from 15 July 2026 to 17 January 2027, with tickets at £18.

Waldmüller: Landscapes at the National Gallery

In summer 2026, the National Gallery will present the first-ever UK exhibition of paintings by the Austrian 19th-century artist Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller (1793–1865). It brings together his detailed and atmospheric landscape paintings of forests, mountains, lakes and rural scenes across Austria and Sicily, highlighting his precise brushwork and vivid use of light and colour. Best of all, entry is free.

Richard Dadd: Beyond Bedlam at the Royal Academy

In July 2026, the Royal Academy will present a survey of the Victorian artist Richard Dadd (1817-1886). Dadd constructed fairytale worlds and compelling compositions inspired by Shakespeare. He experienced psychosis and spent 42 years as a patient in Bethlem and later Broadmoor Hospitals. This exhibition will bring together around 60 of Dadd's most impressive oils and works on paper – art that has since inspired artists, writers and musicians, including Cornelia Parker, Angela Carter and Freddie Mercury.

Photography Exhibitions

Japanese Women Photographers at The Photographers' Gallery

This landmark exhibition reframes the history of Japanese photography through the voices and lens of 27 women working from the 1950s to today. Spanning identity, pop culture, fashion and everyday life, the exhibition celebrates internationally renowned Japanese women photographers, alongside those who have long been overlooked.

Portrait of a City at Dulwich Picture Gallery

Dulwich Picture Gallery's summer exhibition surveys a century of American photography through the lens of urban life. Spanning the early 20th century to the 2010s, the show brings together 34 photographers including Alfred Stieglitz, Dorothea Lange, Diane Arbus, and Garry Winogrand. Running from 28 July to 4 October 2026, tickets are from £16.

Nhu Xuan Hua at Autograph Gallery

Autograph shines a light on French Vietnamese artist Nhu Xuan Hua with Of Walking on Fire. For this, her first UK solo show, Hua takes the inadequacies of language as her starting point, exploring how stories are communicated across generations. Through her "surreal and uncanny" lens, she invites us to consider how diasporic memory can splinter, blur and eventually slip from our consciousness.

Free Exhibitions Worth Seeking Out

Beyond the ticketed blockbusters, don't miss the free offerings scattered across London. Whitechapel Gallery's Backyard Biennial offers a locally-tinged antidote to glitzy art biennials. Focused on the diverse local communities of east London, it celebrates the unique historic, cultural, and creative identity of the East End. It unfolds across over 30 venues from 15 July to 6 September 2026.

Meanwhile, the Barbican's Project a Black Planet: The Art and Culture of Panafrica traces more than a century of artistic and cultural production shaped by Pan-Africanism. With over 300 works from the 1920s onwards spanning paintings, installations, posters and film, it's the first major exhibition to consider both the influence of Pan-Africanism on visual art and the critical role of artists in shaping Pan-African visions.

Make the Most of Your Visit

With so many exceptional exhibitions to choose from, planning ahead is essential. Book tickets in advance for the major shows at Tate Modern and the Royal Academy, especially at weekends. And if you really want to deepen your understanding of London's art world, consider exploring with a local guide from Viazo – they can offer insights into the stories behind the works and help you navigate between venues, making your cultural adventure all the more memorable.

Whether you have an afternoon or an entire week, London's summer 2026 exhibition scene promises to inspire, challenge and delight in equal measure.