Guides Half term 2027 Mon 15 to Fri 19 February Updated 6 Sep 2026
Half term in London: what is on, and how to do it without queueing
February and October half terms fill every attraction in London at the same hour. The dates, the free options, and the trick of going in the afternoon.
London half terms are set by each borough rather than centrally, so there is no single date and neighbouring schools can differ by a week. The reliable pattern is the week containing the third Monday of February, and the week following the late October bank holiday. Check your own school before booking anything.
The thing that actually decides your week
Every family attraction in London is busiest between eleven and two, and most of them are close to empty from three. The Natural History Museum, the Science Museum and the Tower have queues at opening that are gone by mid afternoon. If you can shift your day two hours later you get a different city.
The free ones
The big museums are free and they run dedicated half term programmes: trails, workshops and handling sessions, usually free but often needing a timed ticket released a week or two ahead. The Natural History Museum, the Science Museum, the V and A, the British Museum, the National Gallery and the Museum of London Docklands all do this properly.
The parks are free and underrated in half term because everybody is indoors. Richmond has the deer, Hampstead Heath has the views, and the Diana Memorial Playground in Kensington Gardens is the best free playground in the city.
What to book, and when
Anything ticketed and popular goes in the fortnight before: the Tower, the London Eye, Kew, the West End matinees and anything immersive. The theatres put on more matinees in half term than any other week, which is the easiest way to fill a wet afternoon.
February and October are not the same week
February half term is short days and indoor plans, and it is worth having a wet weather option for every day. October half term runs into Halloween, which means the attractions are running events and the evenings are drawing in, and the clocks go back at the end of it.
Dates and events for 2027 go in as venues confirm them. The guide above is what we know so far; it is rewritten as the list fills.
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What is on right now
All 2189 listingsThis guide is rewritten each year before the dates come round. For what is actually happening this week rather than what happens every year, the listings below are dated, checked against the venue and carry the venue's own link.
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Questions people ask
When is half term in London?
It is set by each borough, so there is no single date and neighbouring schools can differ. The pattern is the week containing the third Monday of February, and the week after the late October bank holiday. Check your own school.
What is free in London during half term?
The major museums, which also run free half term programmes, though those often need a timed ticket booked a week or two ahead. The parks and playgrounds are free and much quieter than the museums.
How do I avoid the queues?
Go in the afternoon. Family attractions are busiest between eleven and two and are close to empty from three onwards.
What should I book in advance?
Anything ticketed and popular: the Tower, the London Eye, Kew, immersive experiences and West End matinees. Book in the fortnight before the week starts.
Is October half term different from February?
Yes. October runs into Halloween so the attractions put on events, and the clocks go back at the end of it. February is short days and needs an indoor plan for most of the week.
Every listing on this page is checked against the venue's own page and the page is rewritten each year, usually six to eight weeks before the dates. Times and prices can change on the night; the venue link on each event is the one to trust. How we choose what goes in.