Banksy, Benedict, Beckham, and More Reasons to See London This Fall

Banksy’s not-so-happiest place on earth, Dismaland. (Photo: Carrie Seim)

By Carrie Seim

Grab your raincoat and book a flight — London is having a major cultural moment. Benedict Cumberbatch is playing Hamlet. Audrey Hepburn is playing muse. And Banksy is playing all of us, with his brilliantly ghastly Dismaland.

Even if you can’t snag a ticket to drool over Sherlock or exit through Banksy’s gift shop, there are a slew of cool new shows and museum openings worth a hop across the pond. Here’s how to choose your own London adventure this fall:

For theater geeks + soccer fiends

Photo: Ellie Kurttz

Sure, Cumberbatch is earning heaps of (mixed) attention for his starring turn as Hamlet (through Oct. 31), but the season’s biggest theater score may be the debut of “Bend It Like Beckham: The Musical.” The show, which sets the beloved go-girl soccer flick to music, can veer toward saccharine, but its swirling, sassy Bollywood dance numbers are pure joy. #theatergoals!

Related: Downton Abbey Star Wants to Show You London This Fall

For artsy anarchists

“The Rising Tide” installation for Totally Thames. (Photo: Jason deCaires Taylor)

If you can’t make the two-hour train trip from London to Weston-super-Mare (tickets via Rail Europe for Banksy’s seaside Dismaland (through Sept. 27) — a once-in-a-lifetime, terrifically horrifying, dystopian experience that only costs $5 — you can still revel in rebellious art at Tate Modern’s “World Goes Pop” show (through Jan. 24). And don’t miss a stroll in the Thames to catch “The Rising Tide,” an underwater installation from sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor — its four giant cement horses, with oil derricks for heads, reveal themselves only when the tide ebbs. They’re part of the Totally Thames arts and music festival (through Sept. 30).

For space cadets

Photo: RIA Novosti

“Cosmonauts: Birth of the Space Age” at the Science Museum (through March 13) boasts the largest collection of Russian spacecraft and ephemera ever displayed. The riveting exhibit features three flown spacecraft (including Vostok 6, which carried the first woman in space), 10 engineering models and scores of objects from the Russian space program, from 1800s astronomical dreamers to today’s International Space Station engineers. The USA’s 3-ton Apollo 10 command module is also displayed in the museum’s permanent collection, so you can see both sides of this Cold War race to the heavens.

For amateur sleuths

Photo: Museum of London / object courtesy the Metropolitan Police’s Crime Museum

Since the 1870s, London’s detectives have been displaying evidence from the grisliest and most intriguing crimes in UK history in their own secret Scotland Yard museum. The new “Crime Museum Uncovered” show at the Museum of London (Oct. 9 – April 10) reveals 600 of these clues — including a gun used in an assassination attempt on Queen Victoria and a Jack the Ripper neighborhood leaflet — for the first time. Bring your own magnifying glass!

For style stars

The Victoria & Albert Museum bridges east and west with its radiant “The Fabric of India” exhibit (Oct. 3 – Jan. 10). The 200 vibrant textile pieces on display range from an enormous Sultan’s tent and a paper-thin Islamic talismanic shirt from the 1500s to luxurious saris and couture skirts by contemporary designer Manish Arora. Then step through “Shoes: Pleasure and Pain” (through Jan. 31), the museum’s playful exhibit on the agony and ecstasy of footwear throughout history.

For Audrey addicts + Shakespeare romantics

“Audrey Hepburn — Portraits of an Icon” at the National Portrait Gallery (through Oct. 18) chronicles the beloved star’s multilayered life with a collection of photos, from her glamorous magazine covers to stunning personal snapshots taken by her children. Fans of The Bard, meanwhile, should book tickets for intimate candlelit performances this fall at the new Sam Wannamaker indoor theater at Shakespeare’s Globe (ongoing).

For design die-hards + biker babes

London’s Design Museum is spinning with “Cycle Revolution” (Nov. 18 – June 30), which details the surging popularity of bicycle culture, design and gear, and recreates a working bespoke bicycle shop.

For adventurers in West Africa and Wonderland

Photo: Pitt Rivers Museum, University of Oxford

The British Library’s two page-turning exhibits this fall? “West Africa: Word, Symbol, Song” (Oct. 16 – Feb. 16), celebrating West African history and culture via antique literary texts, narrative dance performances, and rare instruments. And “Alice in Wonderland” (from Nov. 20), which honors the 150th anniversary of the Lewis Carroll classic and displays his original manuscript.

Related: How to Travel Like a Royal in London

For hotel lovers + high fliers

Outside the luxe Radisson Blu Edwardian, Hampshire. (Photo: Handout)

To take in all these cultural treasures, you’ll need a home base with a central location and historic appeal. The Radisson Blu Edwardian, Hampshire, a former hospital turned luxury hotel, presides in the heart of Leicester Square, with spacious rooms, grand historic details and walking access to London’s theater district and tube (rooms from $319/night in Sept.)

Virgin Atlantic makes the hop between London and NYC (round-trip fares from $700) a swinging affair, with its recently renovated Newark Clubhouse and hipper-than-hip Heathrow lounge, which this month began hosting live musical performances (so you can rock out while waiting to board). The airline has also recently gussied up its economy class perks on many flights, offering hot towels, cheese-and-cracker trays and complimentary adult beverages. Cheers!

For museum-going gourmands

A chef prepares a meal at Percy & Founders. (Photo: Handout)

Soaking up all of London’s culture can work up an appetite — try these swinging restos to recharge:

• The Portrait Restaurant, on the National Gallery’s museum rooftop, overlooks Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament and the London Eye.

• The playfully posh Babylon Restaurant offers superb seasonal dining (three words: white tomato soup) and great city views, plus access to The Roof Gardens, a marvelous oasis where flamingos wander and ducks paddle. Don’t fret if you don’t have a reservation, the gardens are free and open to the public except for special event days.

• Blueprint Café at the Design Museum is also just a quick walk over the bridge from the Tower of London museum.

• Percy & Founders, a new, chicly designed upscale pub, is the perfect stop for cocktails after exploring the quirky, tiny (and slightly creepy!) Pollock’s Toy Museum, just a few steps away.

For more London info and schedule updates, check visitlondon.com

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