This event looks at how plants form shapes like spirals and repeated patterns in their leaves and roots, showing how simple maths explains these clever designs.
Authors Nigel Dunnett and James Hitchmough chat about how naturalistic planting changed city design, with Arit Anderson and Dr Helen Hoyle adding insight.
Archaeologists explain how a hoard of Iron Age metalwork, found in Melsonby in 2021, reveals clues about power, identity and ceremony in ancient Britain.
Michael Rayner explains how new research is changing what we know about English battlefields, from Bosworth to Winwick, and why they still matter today.
The talk looks at Milein Cosman’s journey from Düsseldorf to Britain, her vivid drawings of performers, and the creative bond with her husband Hans Keller.
Physicist Rachel Edwards shares how engineers use sound to spot hidden problems in things like rollercoasters, and how new technology could let us see sound moving through structures.
The talk looks at practical ways to plan ahead for later life, covering wills, powers of attorney, staying independent and involving family in choices.
Art historian Jack Hartnell shares the strange story of a wounded medieval figure and shows how it helped shape people’s ideas about medicine and the body.
Professor Iryna Gurevych explains how false claims spread online, showing how modern AI can help reveal tricks behind misleading posts, images and charts.
Madelon Vriesendorp talks about how artists and architects share ideas and imagination, showing how play and creativity shape the way buildings are made.
Speakers share real examples of how accessibility shapes arts and design, showing that inclusion sparks creativity and draws people together in inspiring ways.
Vlatko Vedral talks about clever ideas that challenge our ideas of space, time and gravity by looking at how quantum physics and general relativity link up.
Speakers from planning, design, and healthcare will share how better city design and local decision-making can help improve everyday health for Londoners.
Dr Manon Williams explains how naval staff were judged ‘unfit for service’, showing how doctors shaped decisions on pensions, care and support for retired seamen.
Hear Bridget share stories of the Foundling Hospital’s Court Room, its Rococo design and paintings by Hogarth and Gainsborough in a lively 20‑minute chat.
Wafa Ghnaim and Rachel Dedman chat about the story and meaning of Palestinian embroidery, linking family memories with dress history and its place today.
This talk looks at how Hecate grew from a local goddess into a powerful figure tied to magic, the moon, and even helping people connect with the divine.
The film follows residents of the Whittington Estate as they share life in Camden’s low‑rise terraces, built to bring families closer and foster a strong community.
Curators Dr Helen Langdon and Dr Xavier Bray talk about Caravaggio’s striking Victorious Cupid, its Roman roots and the lively art scene of 17th‑century Rome.
Richard shares striking stories showing how the past ownership of books can shape how we see them and expose the darker side of library work, touching on links to Nazi looting and colonial theft.
Rory Butcher explains how the Fencible Regiments, raised for home defence during the Wars of the French Revolution, shaped Britain’s military at a time of crisis.
Kuljeet Sibia guides people to map their feelings, memories and stories onto a model of London, showing how everyday experiences shape shared spaces and power.
You’ll hear stories about John Blanke, a Black musician at the Tudor court, and see how his talent shaped both how people saw him and his place in history.
Valérie Sadoun shares her journey in photographing iconic buildings and Wes Anderson’s film sets, highlighting the craft that shapes his striking worlds.
Visitors join curators to view rare Elizabethan and Jacobean building drawings by Thorpe, normally kept from public view, and hear the stories behind them.
A speaker looks at how Tchaikovsky wrote music for a fairy tale, why he chose the celesta for the Sugar Plum Fairy and how music drives ballet storytelling.
Dr Jake Gasson explains how British troops in the First World War faced the strain of fighting in a multinational army across Greece and North Macedonia.
