Hayward Gallery

What to see at the Hayward Gallery

The Hayward Gallery does not have its own permanent collection and, instead, hosts a programme of temporary exhibitions.

Current and planned exhibitions include:

Haegue Yang: Leap Year
This exhibition (until 5 January 2025) offers a survey of Haegue Yang’s wide-ranging work, from paper collage to large-scale installations. Drawing on diverse histories, East Asian traditions and modernism, Yang incorporates materials such as bells, yarn and Korean paper into her sculptures. Leap Year showcases key pieces from her career alongside new commissions, inviting viewers into immersive multisensory environments that explore themes of labour, migration and cultural connotations. £19.

Huang Po-Chih: Waves
Taiwanese artist Huang Po-Chih explores globalised trade through the lens of the textile industry in East Asia, focusing on personal narratives. Drawing on his mother’s experience as a garment worker in Taiwan, Huang weaves stories from across the region, examining the impact of migration and trade on low-paid workers. The exhibition (until 5 January 2025) features new video and text-based works alongside installations, photography and sculpture, reflecting on the artist’s role within global capitalism. Free.

Linder: Danger Came Smiling
This exhibition (11 February 2025–5 May 2025) marks Linder’s first London retrospective, highlighting 50 years of her work as a feminist artist. It features her early photomontages from the 1970s punk scene in Manchester alongside new digital montage works. Linder explores themes of the body and its representation, from glamour photography to digital deep fakes, using a scalpel to dissect cultural attitudes towards lifestyle, sex, food and fashion. £19.

Mickalene Thomas: All About Love
This exhibition (11 February–5 May 2025) showcases two decades of work by Mickalene Thomas, known for her large-scale portraits of black women in repose. Featuring paintings, photographs, collages and installations, Thomas reclaims space in art history for women, particularly black and LGBTQI+ figures. Her works draw on European painting traditions while transforming the gallery with textiles and furnishings that reflect her 1970s upbringing.

Yoshitomo Nara
This exhibition (10 June–31 August 2025) marks the first UK solo show of Yoshitomo Nara, one of Japan’s leading contemporary artists. Featuring over 150 works across drawing, painting, sculpture, and ceramics, it offers insight into Nara’s personal and creative worlds. Known for his expressive portraits and sculptures, Nara explores themes of rebellion, isolation and freedom.

Gilbert & George: 21st Century Pictures
This exhibition (7 October 2025–4 January 2026) spans 25 years of work by Gilbert & George, showcasing large-scale images that explore human experiences and their motto, Art for All. Featuring bold titles, each piece examines social norms and taboos, tackling themes from the everyday to the controversial. Key series such as New Horny Pictures (2001), The London Pictures (2011), and The Corpsing Pictures (2022) address issues of hope, fear, sex, religion, and death.

Visiting the Hayward Gallery

The Hayward Gallery is part of the Southbank Centre on the South Bank of the River Thames between Hungerford Bridge and Waterloo station.

The gallery is open Tuesday to Sunday (it is closed on Mondays).

Admission to exhibitions is fairly expensive when compared to other art museums in London, although it is cheaper if you’re aged under 30. Unlike most other galleries, the Hayward Gallery does not offer discounted entry if you have a National Art Pass.

The Hayward Gallery Cafe is a nice spot for a drink and a light meal and its central location means that there are plenty of other places to eat and drink nearby.

We may earn a small commission if you book after clicking the links below.