Londonist rounds up the week's free things to do in London

Londonist's weekly round-up of free things to do in London from 12 to 18 October 2026 is a core traffic driver for the site and remained live going into Saturday 17 October. Among its picks are a free Gresham College lecture — 'The Science of Puppetry' — with Gresham Professor of Physics Robin May and puppet creator Steve Allen exploring how puppets can help tackle society's challenges; a brand-new free club night called Caliente at the Shacklewell Arms; and a free (or pay-what-you-can) online talk by curators from the British Museum and the National Archives on the Bayeux Tapestry on the Friday. The guide also sends readers to the Frieze Sculpture Trail in Regent's Park, which is free to visit for the full run and offers an autumnal stroll past outdoor contemporary sculpture. Londonist frames the list as a cost-of-living-friendly alternative to the week's ticketed highlights.