London Art & Design School Trips & Tours

The world’s largest collection of decorative and applied arts. Some areas focus on the history of costume and are of particular interest to pupils studying textiles. The holdings of ceramics, glass, costumes, jewellery, furniture, sculpture, prints and photographs are among the largest and most comprehensive in the world.

The expanded Photography Centre at V&A South Kensington is the largest space in the UK dedicated to a permanent photography collection, hosting a world-leading programme of displays, events and opportunities for research. The collection comprises around 800,000 photographs that span the 1820s to today.

Britain’s spectacular museum of modern and contemporary international art. Themes include landscapes, environment, still life, action, and the body. The viewing level offers awe-inspiring 360ᵒ views of the London skyline from high above the River Thames, whilst The Tanks celebrate new art and showcase performances, interactive art and video installations.

An outstanding collection of Old Masters from the early Renaissance to 1900. A collection of Old Masters’ works from the early Renaissance onwards. The five floors and wings are arranged chronologically, making it easy for your pupils to track artistic progression. Examples include Giotto, Duccio, and many more.

If you're visiting the National Gallery this year, celebrate the museum's bicentenary with NG200 - a year-long festival bursting with art, creativity and imagination.

Contemporary art by largely unseen UK artists and established international artists rarely exhibited in the UK. The Saatchi Gallery acts as a launchpad for lesser-known artists and houses brave, contemporary art. Well-proportioned rooms with high ceilings showcase works famed for courting media controversy and gaining extremes of critical reaction. This gallery is ideal for challenging more traditional ways of thinking.

One of the biggest temporary art exhibition centres in the world. The gallery has a reputation for presenting a diverse range of landmark exhibitions, casting new perceptions on prominent, established artists, and providing a platform for works of up-and-coming art and artists. The Hayward develops ideas and encourages critical discussions.

An independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and Architects. The Royal Academy of Arts has a unique position in being an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects whose purpose is to promote the creation, enjoyment and appreciation of the visual arts through exhibitions, education and debate.

A touchstone for contemporary art internationally. For over a century the Whitechapel Gallery has premiered world-class artists from modern masters such as Pablo Picasso, Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko and Frida Kahlo to contemporaries such as Sophie Calle, Lucian Freud, Gilbert & George and Mark Wallinger. The Gallery is a touchstone for contemporary art internationally, plays a central role in London’s cultural landscape and is pivotal to the continued growth of the world’s most vibrant contemporary art quarter.

The Old Street, Spitalfields and Shoreditch areas have become London’s capital of street art. There’s a dazzling array of images to see, and the great thing is the art is continually changing. You’ll visit the well-known street art spots and see favourite spots that are a little off the beaten street art tourist track. You’ll learn something about Banksy too.

Step on to authentic sets, discover the magic behind spellbinding special effects and explore the behind-the-scenes secrets of the Harry Potter film series. Tread the original stone floor of the iconic Hogwarts Great Hall, encounter animatronic creatures and wander down Diagon Alley. Your Harry Potter World school trip is located at the Studios where all 8 films were produced.

45 minute workshops are also available, covering Art and Design, Business Studies, English and Drama, Film and Media and STEM subjects, as well as Primary.

The London Dungeon has been delighting audiences for over 40 years and brings together an amazing cast of theatrical actors, special effects, scenes and rides in an exciting walk-through experience that lets you see, hear and smell historic London and its perilous past. Get pupils thinking about spoken language and stage directions as they review script writing and explore the physical creation of a show as they look at the design process, including room layout, make-up and costume design and highlight the importance of historical accuracy in relation to topic, characters and set design. 

Let your pupils develop their sketchbooks in this bustling area of London. Here, they can draw inspiration from the many street performers and passers-by. A great way to inject new life into exam prep work!

The ArcelorMittal Orbit is the perfect destination for persons of any age! You will be able to admire breath-taking views of London from the UK's tallest sculpture, from stunning viewing platform with floor to ceiling windows & from the outside observation walkways suspended 80m above the ground. You will also experience the adrenaline of riding the world's tallest, longest and fastest tunnel slide of 178 metres length. You will travel through light and dark sections, loops and gentle curves at a speed of up to 15 miles per hour!

Take your group on a self guided visit to the Design Museum, to view designs from around the world including architecture, fashion, furniture, graphics, product and transport. Design is a continually evolving subject which the Design Museum explores through its exhibitions programme, permanent collection, learning and research activities.

The Photographers' Gallery was founded in London in 1971, and was the first independent gallery in Britain that was devoted entirely to photography. It is the leading centre for contemporary and historical photography with 3 exhibition spaces.

Visual Literacy workshops are led by a photographer-educator, and centre around an exhibition currently on show at the gallery.
Students take part in group discussion, image analysis and practical assignments responding to themes in the exhibition, all aimed at improving visual literacy. In the workshop, students will:

• Consider the formal elements and vocabulary used to describe photographs
• Explore how ideas, feelings and meanings are conveyed and interpreted
through images
• Reflect on how the context of an image shapes how we read it
• Develop an understanding of the term visual literacy

For Visual Literacy workshops, it is useful for pupils to bring cameras (iPads, phones, compact cameras, DSLRs) for the practical assignments. Pupils can share cameras in pairs or small groups.

In the camera obscura workshops, students will explore the history and science of photography using The Photographers’ Gallery’s own camera obscura. After experimenting with the camera obscura room, students will take part in a practical activity, working in pairs create their own hand-held pinhole camera obscuras. In the workshop, students will:

• Develop an understanding of the science behind how a camera obscura works,
and its applications throughout history
• Work collaboratively to make functioning hand-held camera obscuras
• Explore different ways of capturing images using the camera obscure

For camera obscura workshops, it is useful for pupils to bring cameras (iPads, phones, compact cameras, DSLRs) for the practical assignments. Pupils can share cameras in pairs or small groups.