The exhibitions you must see this September

The moment has arrived: One of the most famous pieces of Medieval history is in London. Did you manage to get a ticket? While the first release sold out incredibly quickly, you still have a chance to see this masterpiece. Keep your eyes peeled for the second release on 21 October, covering bookings between 1 January and 31 March 2027. Don't miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and definitely don't forget: National Art Pass holders get 50% off.

Dive into the artistic legacy of York-born neoclassical sculptor and designer John Flaxman. To mark 200 years since his death, this major exhibition celebrates how he influenced his contemporaries (including JMW Turner and William Blake) and created iconic designs that adorned Wedgwood pottery. Marvel at over 70 works of art, including key loans from from the National Gallery, the Royal Academy of Arts, Tate and the V&A.

Spotlighting the stories that are often underrepresented in museum collections, witness powerful works by three socially engaged photographers, made in collaboration with local refugee and displaced Ukrainian communities. The exhibition unveils personal stories of migration and displacement while examining themes of journeys, identity and home. This is part of Going Places, Art Fund's major exhibition-touring programme.

From intimate portraits of friends to a series documenting New York's queer community after the 1969 Stonewall riots, artist and activist Sunil Gupta's photographs have been spotlighting the personal and the political for over five decades. In this major survey, trace Gupta's life and career as he travelled across the world, from New Delhi to London via Montreal and New York, while raising awareness for queer rights.

Journey into the night and travel to moon-lit worlds imagined by contemporary artist Raqib Shaw. Through a collection of paintings and tapestries inspired by nighttime, Shaw combines personal memories of growing up in Kashmir with historical cultural references, from 16th-century Kashimiri poetry to a 19th-century Bavarian king. Expect memsmering displays that will force you to slow down and rethink your own relationship with the nocturnal.

Discover the four leading British artists selected for the 2026 Turner Prize: Simeon Barclay, Kira Freije, Marguerite Humeau, and Tanoa Sasraku. The winner of the esteemed contemporary art prize will be announced on 10 December at a special ceremony at MIMA. The jury comprises Sarah Allen, Head of Programme at South London Gallery; Joe Hill, Director & Chief Executive at Yorkshire Sculpture Park; Sook-Kyung Lee, Director at The Whitworth and Professor of Curatorial Practices at The University of Manchester; and Alona Pardo, Director at Arts Council Collection, UK.

Spanning painting, photography, film, sculpture and installation – experience works by over 40 contemporary artists that reveal the interdependence between land and sea. From ecosystems undetectable to the human eye to extensive coastal landscapes, this exhibition co-curated with The Land Gardeneres examines the integral relationships between marine and land life, between human and 'more-than-human' worlds.