What’s on around the City of London this week

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The City calendar is always bursting with things to see, do and experience. And this week is no different. Visitors to the area can expect to check out a whole host of festivals, exhibitions, films and music performances as the City finally heats up. These are the top events in the City of London this week.

FAMILY DAY / Roman London Family Quest

There are parts of Roman London that you can still see in the City today. Can you hunt them down? Join an exciting family day and go back in time to experience the city in the year AD240 by visiting three unique Roman sites. Discover London’s Roman Amphitheatre, pay your respects at the Temple of Mithras, and relax back at Billingsgate Roman House and Baths by the river. Visit the three sites in any order you choose and follow the walking map provided to guide you between each location.
8 August, free
London’s Roman Amphitheatre EC2V 5AE, London Mithraeum Bloomberg SPACE EC4N 8AA & Billingsgate Roman House and Baths EC3R 6DL

EVENING EXHIBITS / Summer Lates at St Paul’s

There’s nothing quite like St Paul’s Cathedral at twilight. Explore the cathedral after hours and see new exhibition The Great Restoration of the 1920s. Climb up to the galleries and admire 360-degree views of the sun setting on London.
8, 15, 22 and 29 August, 7pm-9.30pm, tickets £15
St Paul’s Cathedral, St Paul’s Churchyard EC4M 8AD 

EXHIBITION / AI: More than Human

Explore your relationship with artificial intelligence at the Barbican’s highly interactive exhibition, which brings together artists and scientists to offer an unprecedented survey of AI. You’ll be able to play along with Sony’s robot puppy, dance with onscreen avatars, create poetry with an AI, and discover what the future has in store.
Until 26 August, tickets from £15
Barbican Centre Silk Street EC2Y

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‘What a Loving and Beautiful World’ by teamLab is displayed as part of the ‘AI: More than Human’ exhibition. Photo by Tristan Fewings

FAMILY ACTIVITIES / Second Saturday Family Activities

On the second Saturday of every month, join Guildhall Art Gallery for a revolving programme of family activities linked to the Architecture of London exhibition, the permanent collection and the remains of London’s Roman Amphitheatre.
10 August & 14 September, 11am-4pm, free
Guildhall Art Gallery, Guildhall Yard EC2V 5AE 

NATURE / Open Gardens

Make the most of this special opportunity to explore the peaceful gardens at The Charterhouse, a 14th-century Carthusian monastery. Stroll around seven acres of delightful gardens. You can spend a tranquil evening walking or sitting among the flora and enjoy an informal BBQ and bar.
15 August & 12 September, tickets £10
The Charterhouse Charterhouse Square EC1M 6AN

EXHIBITION / Beasts of London

Meet the Beasts of London in this fully immersive experience, created in partnership with the Guildhall School of Music & Drama. Take a journey through time and discover the animals – from the majestic lion to the humble pigeon – that once called this city their home, narrated by the beasts themselves. Kate Moss, Brian Blessed and Stephen Mangan are among the celebrities who have voiced some of the animals.
Ongoing, 10am-6pm
Museum of London, 150 London Wall EC2Y 5HN

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Get up and close with these digital London animals at Beasts of London

TOUR / Walk and Draw Spitalfields with Piero D’Angelo

Whether you’re a complete beginner or professional artist, take this opportunity to explore and draw Spitalfields with art teacher Piero D’Angelo. Take inspiration from places where the Huguenots lived and worked, such as the houses in Fournier, Princelet and Wilkes Streets. Materials provided.
17 August, 11am-1pm, tickets £20
Meet at Christ Church E1 6LY 

MUSIC / Savage Sundays

Rooftop season isn’t just about drinking Campari Spritzs and Pimm’s in the sun all day long – although it certainly is a big part of it. It’s about taking full advantage of the warm weather. And few spots do it as well as  the Savage Garden rooftop above the Double Tree by Hilton. Each Sunday they have live music nights, showing off some of the best up-and-coming artists around London from 4pm-7pm. It’s the perfect laid-back summer party, which will help ease you into the week ahead, without leaving you exhausted on Monday.
Until 25 August
Double Tree by Hilton, 7 Pepys Street EC3N 4AF

FILM / Fantastic Feats of Cinema

Stretching the limits of architecture, engineering, science and invention, grab a deckchair and enjoy sci-fi and romcom classics, as well as blockbusters old and new. Follow mankind into space, the past and the future, and return to dinosaur-inhabited Isla Nublar. Find out if architect Tom Hansen and robots WALL-E and EVE find love and if maths can save a young man’s future. Food and drink will be available.
19-24 August, tickets £15 (including deckchair)
Guildhall Yard EC2V 5AE

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Guildhall Yard is hosting its own open-air film screenings during the warm nights

EXHIBITION / Architecture of London

London’s cityscape has inspired visiting and resident artists for over four centuries. From vast panoramas to everyday views, this major new exhibition depicts the Capital from a range of vantage points, reflecting the rich diversity of its buildings. The exhibition includes over 80 works from the City Corporation’s extensive collection, as well as loans from major public and private collections.
Until 1 December, Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 12noon-4pm. £10 adult, £7 concession
Guildhall Art Gallery EC2V 5AE 

PUBLIC PERFORMANCES/ Lunchtime Streets

Escape the office and enjoy these three-day lunchtime takeovers. The streets will be transformed by music, performances, games and food.
13-15 August at St Mary’s Axe EC3A 8AA
3-6 September at Chancery Lane WC2A 1JA

THEATRE / Thank You For Having Us

Explore the impact of plastic pollution with street theatre titans Générik Vapeur and flying trapeze experts Gorilla Circus in this outdoor spectacular. This adrenaline-fuelled performance featuring daring aerial acrobatics and high-wire stunts will transform the City’s streets into a plastic-filled artificial island formed by the currents of the North Pacific Ocean.
7 September, free
Cheapside area EC2V 6DT

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Get around some free public theatre in the City of London

MUSIC / Nile Rodgers’ Meltdown

Three-time Grammy Award-winning American composer, producer and guitarist Nile Rodgers will take over Southbank Centre with his hand-picked line-up of music, art and free events. The music legend will employ his unique creative vision to curate festivities across the Southbank Centre’s 17-acre cultural quarter on the banks of the Thames. Meltdown has previously been curated by the likes of David Bowie, Morrissey, Patti Smith, Massive Attack and, last year, The Cure frontman Robert Smith.
Until 11 August
Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road SE1 8XX

FESTIVAL / Shoreditch Live

Shoreditch Town Hall are hosting a free one-day festival for 13 to 19-year old’s as a part of Discover Young Hackney 2019 – the youth arts and cultural festival running over the summer holidays. The afternoon will include a live music stage with acts specially selected by Hackney Music Network’s Youth Music Forum, live urban graffiti and interactive visual and comic arts workshops led by Snooze Fabric.
17 August 2pm-6pm, free
Shoreditch Town hall, 380 Old Street EC1V 9LT

FILM / Heat of the Moment

The boiling heat of summer is a catalyst for personal, political and social change in this selection of films, screening every Thursday in August. The programme includes: Spike Lee’s Do The Right Thing, Stonewall, Le Bonheur, I Knew Her Well and La Ciénaga. It is running as a part of the Cinema Summer Special at the Barbican Centre.
Until 29 August
Barbican Centre, Silk Street EC2Y 8DS