Serpentine Gallery

The Serpentine Gallery, on the south side of Hyde Park's Serpentine Lake, is a free contemporary art gallery with an international reputation disproportionate to its small size — partly due to its famous annual Pavilion commission.

The Pavilion

Every summer since 2000, the Serpentine has commissioned a leading architect (who has never before completed a building in England) to design a temporary pavilion in the gallery grounds — Zaha Hadid, Frank Gehry, Ai Weiwei and Herzog & de Meuron have all contributed. The pavilion runs June to October and is free to enter, often functioning as a café.

The Gallery

Exhibitions rotate several times a year, focused on leading contemporary artists — always free. The nearby Serpentine North gallery (in the former Magazine building) adds a second exhibition space a short walk away.

Tips

• The summer Pavilion is one of London's best free architectural experiences — visit June–October.
• Check current exhibitions before visiting — the small size means a focused rather than exhaustive visit works best.
• Combine with a Hyde Park or Kensington Gardens walk.

Serpentine North

A short walk from the main Serpentine Gallery, Serpentine North occupies the former Magazine building — a Georgian gunpowder store with a striking modern extension by Zaha Hadid. It hosts a second, complementary exhibition programme, meaning a single visit can cover two distinct shows.

Best Time to Visit

Weekday mornings are consistently the quietest — the gallery's small scale means even moderate crowds change the experience of viewing the work.

Tips

• Visit both Serpentine galleries in one trip — they're a short walk apart in Kensington Gardens.
• Weekday mornings offer the calmest viewing conditions.