Museums & Arts · Our pick in London
Southbank Centre
Concerts, art and the riverside
About Southbank Centre
The Southbank Centre grew from the 1951 Festival of Britain, whose Royal Festival Hall still anchors it. Today the complex includes the Royal Festival Hall, the Queen Elizabeth Hall, the Purcell Room and the Hayward Gallery, with concerts, dance, literature and exhibitions year-round. Its terraces, foyers and riverside are busy all day, and the skateboarders’ Undercroft is part of the scene.
Why it's on our list
- Royal Festival Hall
- Hayward Gallery
- Riverside terraces
Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Southbank Centre before you go.
Playing now and coming up
Concerts and performances in the Royal Festival Hall and Queen Elizabeth Hall over the next two weeks.
Full programme and tickets at southbankcentre.co.uk
Listings from Data ThistleAdd or update an event
Hotels nearby
The closest hotels in our guide to Southbank Centre, as the crow flies.
- Corinthia London0.3 mi6 min walk
- The Savoy0.3 mi7 min walk
- Strand Palace Hotel0.4 mi8 min walk
- Raffles London at The OWO0.4 mi8 min walk
- One Aldwych0.4 mi9 min walk
What’s nearby
Distances from Southbank Centre are approximate, measured in a straight line (as the crow flies). Times are approximate too: walking at about 80 metres a minute, cycling at about 15 km/h and driving at typical city-traffic speeds. Traffic and routes vary.
Nearest stations
- WaterlooJubileeNorthernBakerlooWaterloo & CityNational Rail0.2 mi5 min walk
- EmbankmentDistrictBakerlooNorthernCircle0.3 mi5 min walk
- TempleDistrictCircle0.4 mi7 min walk
Nearest taxi ranks
- Taxi rank, Cab Road0.3 mi6 min walk
- Taxi rank, Station Approach Road0.3 mi7 min walk
Black cabs can also be hailed in the street: a lit yellow TAXI sign means the cab is available.
Key sights
- London Eye0.2 miWalk 4 minCycle 1 minCar or taxi 5 min
- Covent Garden0.5 miWalk 10 minCycle 3 minCar or taxi 7 min
- Trafalgar Square0.5 miWalk 10 minCycle 3 minCar or taxi 7 min
- Westminster Abbey0.6 miWalk 13 minCycle 4 minCar or taxi 8 min
- Leicester Square0.7 miWalk 13 minCycle 4 minCar or taxi 8 min
- The British Museum1.0 miWalk 21 minCycle 7 minCar or taxi 11 min
- Buckingham Palace1.2 miWalk 23 minCycle 7 minCar or taxi 12 min
- The Shard1.3 miWalk 26 minCycle 8 minCar or taxi 13 min
- Tower of London1.8 miWalk 35 minCycle 11 minCar or taxi 16 min
- Harrods2.0 miWalk 41 minCycle 13 minCar or taxi 18 min
Main rail terminals
- Waterloo0.2 miWalk 5 minCycle 1 minCar or taxi 5 min
- Charing Cross0.4 miWalk 9 minCycle 3 minCar or taxi 6 min
- Victoria1.3 miWalk 26 minCycle 8 minCar or taxi 13 min
- London Bridge1.4 miWalk 27 minCycle 9 minCar or taxi 13 min
- Liverpool Street1.7 miWalk 34 minCycle 11 minCar or taxi 16 min
- Euston1.7 miWalk 35 minCycle 11 minCar or taxi 16 min
- King’s Cross St Pancras1.7 miWalk 35 minCycle 11 minCar or taxi 16 min
- St Pancras International (Eurostar)1.8 miWalk 37 minCycle 12 minCar or taxi 17 min
- Paddington2.6 miCycle 17 minCar or taxi 22 min