For just three nights this March, night owl art enjoyers can head to some of the city’s most renowned institutions to view exhibitions outside of regular opening hours as part of the Art After Dark event. From Thurs 6th until Sat 8th March, The National Gallery, Royal Academy of Arts, and National Portrait Gallery, alongside a selection of independent West End galleries, will keep their doors open until 9pm, granting the public access to headline exhibitions as part of their night out.
This will coincide with ‘Piccadilly Un:Plugged’, a three-day takeover of the West End by eco-feminist artist and founder of NASA’s International Space Orchestra Dr. Nelly Ben Hayoun-Stépanian. Running during ‘galaxy season’ (when distant galaxies are at their most visible) and ahead of the lunar eclipse, ‘Piccadilly Un:Plugged’ feature various space-themed installations designed to get you looking into the cosmos.
There’ll be asteroid-sized moon rocks placed around Piccadilly Circus; two inflatable UV cats, inspired by Schrödinger’s quantum physics paradox, will be positioned in the neighbourhood; and an astronomical soundscape made up of audio signals of recordings of the West End and Hayoun-Stépanian’s family’s heartbeats, which have been transmitted to the moon and back via University of Manchester’s Lovell Telescope at Jodrell Bank Observatory, will be broadcast in Piccadilly Circus. Scientists and reps from the SETI Institute (Search For Extraterrestrial Intelligence), will also be on hand to guide you through the use of UNISTELLAR’s advanced telescopes to check out views of nebulae and planets like Jupiter, and partake in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence.
With Battersea Power Station, South Bank and Canary Wharf all currently playing host to light festivals; a giant illuminated sun handing in Greenwich; and these cosmic installations to come, London really is lit right now.
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Key Information
Dates | Thurs 6th – Sat 8th March 2025
Address | Various locations
For more information | artoflondon.co.uk