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Please be aware of government guidelines before setting off.
Government GuidelinesThe Barbican Centre is based in central London, and is both an outstanding London gallery and one of the biggest performing arts centres in Europe. Open every day of the week, it's a great place for a family day out. It's filled with hidden gems and secrets that some locals don't even know.
Visit the Barbican to learn about photography and art in the Barbican Gallery, enjoy dance and performance in its theatre, and explore the epic greenery in the Barbican Conservatory. The Barbican programme includes live music and theatre, with a focus on championing both up-and-coming artists and leading performance companies.
The Barbican Centre is known for its outstanding work with young people aged 14+, offering them opportunities to curate, programme, write, make and be a part of a wonderful creative community in a cultural melting pot. From Young Poets, Young Programers, National Open Youth Orchestra, Young Curators, Young Visual Arts Panel and Youth Panel, there’s so much to be involved in to be a part of the change they want to see. These give teens the opportunity to practice their craft, curate festivals and have their voices heard.
It's also great for younger kids, running a family film club every Saturday, offering a brilliant programme for young cinephiles with specially curated viewings of films from all around the world. On the final Saturday of the month you can drop in for the free Family Film Club Workshops. These range from film-busting claymation to crafty shadow puppets, providing creative learning and exciting entertainment. You'll be in good hands, as each workshop is led by a fantastic artist and inspired by the film screening. Plus, there's the Big Adventure Trail, an immersive adventure through the Barbican where you can discover its hidden gems through drawing, interactive games and cryptic clue solving.
The Centre regularly hosts interactive activities for your littlest children too, including Rhymetime at the library, and Squish Space and Barbican Blocks for a more energetic activity. In Barbican Blocks, a selection of blocks made out of all sorts of materials that young children can use to shape the space around them in a sensory adventure.
As creative as the Barbican Centre is, at the heart of the venue, it boasts a fantastic and vibrant public library with books, DVDs, spoken word, CDs, recordings and scores available for loan to all visitors. You can listen to music and play the piano, learn about arts, explore the children's stories and use the Internet access and photocopying service.
The Barbican works with an array of outstanding artists, creating an innovative international programme blurring genre and art form. Through collaborating with companies and artists from around the world, the Barbican exposes London spectators to opportunities, experiences and fantastic art that can educate, inspire and challenge.
As the home to three ponds and the incredible Barbican Conservatory, the Centre certainly champions the environment. The Conservatory holds a vibrant mix of species and ponds, some of which are home to ghost carp and koi from America and Japan, plus another pool for terrapins to enjoy. Let the Barbican Conservatory take you away to a multitude of different climates, as the species are a vibrant mix of temperate and arid types. There are areas as diverse as the rocky deserts and bushland of South Africa to the coastline of Brazil. If you want to learn more about the Barbican Conservatory history and the secrets it holds, a tour takes place on selected Sundays led by the Barbican’s resident gardeners.
Known for its Brutalist architectural style, the Barbican is one of the most famous structures in the capital. The post-war complex was designed by British architects Chamberlin, Powell and Bon in the 1950s. There are Barbican exhibition, film and photography tours, all exploring the building and area itself, where you can discover more about the interesting architecture and its beginnings. It’s worth a visit, even just to marvel at this wonderful piece of building design, and is perfect for any budding architects.
Please follow the latest government guidelines if travelling by public transport.
Government GuidelinesThe Barbican Centre is a performing arts centre in the Barbican Estate of the City of London. The centre hosts classical and contemporary music concerts, dance, theatre performances, film screenings, visual arts and art exhibitions. There is also a library, three restaurants and a conservatory. The centre is the largest of its kind in Europe. The Barbican is one of London's hidden gems and is always bursting with fun things to see and do as a family.