Right, Shoreditch may be the darling of London’s creative scene, but when Somerset House decides to throw a party, the city listens. And this time? They’re throwing open the gates—literally. To mark its 25th birthday as a cultural powerhouse, Somerset House invites you to dive headfirst into its magnificent madness with a free weekend celebration called ‘Step Inside 25’, running from 13–14 September 2025. You’ll want to cancel all plans. Even the cool ones.
And while you’re still reeling from that sentence, here’s a link to more events you won’t want to miss: What’s On in London’s Art Scene This Autumn
Discover Hidden Worlds Inside a Creative Icon
Somerset House hasn’t always been a buzzing art hive. A few decades back, it was more spreadsheets than sculptures. But now? It’s a kinetic lab of creativity. For this landmark weekend, they’re pulling back the velvet curtain and letting you roam spaces rarely seen—like Maker Street and the deliciously eerie Deadhouse.
And not just wander. Touch, create, dance, draw, explore, play. The entire building becomes an interactive playground for every curious soul who’s ever wondered what happens behind the scenes at one of London’s most beloved cultural institutions.
Somerset House Studios Brings the Heat
Let’s talk installations, because Somerset House Studios residents are about to flood the house. Turner Prize-winning artist Tai Shani unveils a hauntingly dreamlike sculpture, The Spell or The Dream, reimagining a sleeping figure in a glass box smack in the courtyard. It’s giving Sleeping Beauty, but for the surrealists.
Elsewhere, Nick Ryan’s The VoiceLine transforms The Deadhouse into an echo chamber of sonic wonder, celebrating 100 years of radio history right beneath your feet. Meanwhile, GAIKA’s Tomb of the Sophists mixes sculpture and sound to give your ears and eyes a workout, with spoken word and experimental performances in the Portico Rooms.
And yes, you’ll even get to sneak a peek into the elusive Makerversity, the underground wonderland where technologists, artists and inventors tinker their way toward solving humanity’s messiest problems. It’s like Silicon Valley… but with less ego and better coffee.
Cute Disco? Say Less.
Kids in tow or just a grown-up chasing serotonin? You’re in for a wild ride.
That smash-hit CUTE exhibition you loved? It returns for an encore in the form of the Cute Disco. Expect 80s and 90s bangers, immersive installations, and dancefloor freedom. You might even end up raving with a 5-year-old dressed as Snoopy. Speaking of which…
Yes, Snoopy and Charlie Brown are back. The Peanuts gang reappear with playful drawing workshops celebrating their 75th birthday. Add in face painting, Art Explora’s sensory collaging, and hands-on workshops with the folks from Coléchi, and you’ve got a weekend where nobody utters the word “I’m bored.”
Performance Art, Playable Games, and Poetic Justice
Interactive doesn’t stop with glitter glue. Enter the Upgrade Yourself programme—a game design collab led by Nick Murray, where young creatives (16–25) get to test playable art developed through an artist-led incubator. It’s what Fortnite would look like if it had a philosophy degree.
Poetry fans, meanwhile, can step into Fuel’s The 419, a visual sonnet journey by Inua Ellams and Oluwamuyiwa “Logor” Logo, mapping the flow of money in Lagos through image and verse. It’s part photo exhibition, part societal mic drop.
And don’t miss Virtual Beauty, a 2025 milestone exhibition that confronts how digital tech has reshaped our perception of beauty and identity. Bring your brain—it’s a thinker.
Food, Drink, Music… and a Blue Bridge?
Let’s be real, no party’s complete without stellar food and a cheeky drink (or four). The courtyard will play host to pop-ups like Plantain Papi, Blondies Kitchen, and Future Plate, while house faves like Watch House, Cafe Petiole, and Imad Alarnab’s new Syrian café bring global flavour to the riverside. Plus, the swanky new Setlist bar is mixing up birthday specials.
Your ears, too, are in for a feast. Alison Goldfrapp, Somerset House’s birthday ambassador (what a gig), has curated a weekend soundtrack featuring artists who’ve performed at the venue over the past 25 years. Live performances from the Somerset House Choir will surprise you in all the right places—from the courtyard to the Portico Balcony.
And finally, look up. For one weekend only, Waterloo Bridge will glow Somerset House Blue, thanks to a special Illuminated River commission. Join a guided blue-hour walking tour that ends with a private peek into Somerset House’s secrets. Because why not celebrate turning 25 by glowing across the Thames?
Somerset House at 25: Past, Present, Future
From Leah Williamson splashing in the fountains as a kid to Brian Eno calling it “beautiful and significant for the future,” Somerset House has evolved from bureaucratic greyness to a technicolour dream of art, culture, and community.
As Baroness Floella Benjamin aptly put it, it’s a “creativity nirvana”—and this weekend? It’s a chance to be part of that story. Dive into the archives, get messy with paint, bust a move under disco lights, or sip wine while watching spoken word unfold live.
This isn’t just an artsy open house. It’s a full-blown birthday revolution. Don’t just visit—Step Inside 25.