Art Galleries, Collecting & Curating
Art History Courses Online & In London
Study works of art in a gallery or museum setting and explore how the meaning of art is impacted by exhibition and curation. Our courses in galleries, on collecting and curating will get you to think about how collecting and display structure your experience of art. Join us online, in the classroom, in the gallery or out and about in London.
Classroom-based and gallery-based art history courses
We offer our classes in-person at our Central London location and at many galleries and museums in and around London. Use the Location filters on this page to choose your preferred delivery method.
Learn from expert tutors
At City Lit we are proud of the expertise of our tutors who are all professional art historians working actively in museums, galleries, research and writing, universities and auction houses. As experts in the field, they are able to provide you with the support and guidance you need to develop your art historical knowledge. As teachers they provide student-focused education, helping students achieve their art historical goals, both the personal and the professional.
- Constable and the British landscape tradition
Course start date: Tue 2 Jun 2026Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Marilyn GreeneDiscover the development of the British Landscape tradition from the 18th and 19th centuries. The Victoria and Albert Museum has the largest collection of John Constable sketches in the world, and we will discuss the works on display in detail and compare with works by J.W.M Turner and other artists on display.Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £15.00 Concession £12.00 - Introduction to Tate Britain Course start date: Thu 11 Jun 2026
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Chantal CondronEach week, we'll explore a different aspect of the permanent collection at Tate Britain, looking at artworks from the 16th to the 21st centuries. This course is gallery based.Full fee £169.00 Senior fee £135.00 Concession £110.00 - A day at the Tate Britain Course start date: Tue 16 Jun 2026
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Chantal CondronSpend a day at Tate Britain to discover (or re-discover) a selection of works from the permanent collection. We’ll explore a range of historical to contemporary artworks to discuss how the story of art in Britain is reflected in the gallery. This course is gallery based.
Full fee £69.00 Senior fee £55.00 Concession £45.00 - Contemporary art in London Course start date: Fri 18 Sep 2026
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Chantal CondronExplore and discuss contemporary art on show in London. Each week we’ll visit 1-2 commercial galleries or a public gallery and examine specific exhibitions of contemporary art across a range of media including painting, works on paper, photography, new media and sculpture.Full fee £159.00 Senior fee £127.00 Concession £103.00 - The art and culture of 17th century London Course start date: Fri 25 Sep 2026
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Julie BarlowDiscover the 17th century: a time of upheaval in Europe, intercontinental trade, religious schisms and a wide range of artistic styles. See its art, architecture and design in London’s galleries and museums.Full fee £289.00 Senior fee £231.00 Concession £188.00 - Introduction to the V&A Course start date: Mon 28 Sep 2026
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Julia MusgraveExplore the Victoria and Albert (V&A) Museum. We visit different galleries each week looking at the decorative arts, paintings and the transfer of design ideas across the centuries.Full fee £289.00 Senior fee £231.00 Concession £188.00 - A history of art in 100 objects Course start date: Tue 29 Sep 2026
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Sarah JaffrayWhat is art history? How can better a better understanding of the subject help us to better connect with art made by fellow humans? Explore these big questions of historical significance, socio-cultural impact and artistic process by studying a history of art in some of London’s greatest museums.Full fee £749.00 Senior fee £599.00 Concession £487.00 - A day at the Tate Modern Course start date: Fri 2 Oct 2026
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Sarah JaffrayGet an overview of Tate Modern with this straightforward and lively insight into the gallery’s current displays and the role of the gallery in the contemporary art world.Full fee £49.00 Senior fee £39.00 Concession £32.00 - Italian Renaissance art in London museums Course start date: Thu 8 Oct 2026
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Elisa StafferiniExplore the richness of Italian Renaissance art (1400-1600) in this six-session course, with visits to London’s collections, including the National Gallery, the V&A, the Wallace Collection, and the Courtauld Gallery. Alongside masterpieces by Botticelli, Leonardo, Michelangelo, and Titian, participants will encounter lesser-known works that illuminate everyday life, devotional practices, and the social and political world of the period. Direct engagement with these objects encourages reflection on their creation, meaning, and original context.
Full fee £229.00 Senior fee £183.00 Concession £149.00 - National Gallery Course start date: Fri 9 Oct 2026 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Leslie PrimoDiscuss a differently themed group of paintings each week in front of the pictures. An opportunity to understand our national collection in greater depth.Full fee £289.00 Senior fee £231.00 Concession £188.00 - Landscape architecture in the contemporary world (1990-now) Course start date: Sat 24 Oct 2026
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Xinrui ZhangOur cities and green spaces are being reimagined to tackle climate change and bring communities together. This course explores how international landscape architects and artists are transforming urban areas, creating parks, restoring wetlands and building greener neighbourhoods that work for both people and nature. From designing urban parks that absorb rainwater and prevent flooding, to restoring wetlands that shelter wildlife and cool city streets, smart design can make a real difference in building resilient futures.
Full fee £49.00 Senior fee £49.00 Concession £49.00 - Islamic art at the British Museum Course start date: Sun 15 Nov 2026
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Anita ChowdryTake a Sunday morning to explore the British Museum’s recently refurbished Islamic galleries and learn the stories behind one of the world’s great collections of Islamic art.
Full fee £39.00 Senior fee £31.00 Concession £25.00 - Textiles at the V&A Course start date: Tue 1 Dec 2026
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Elizabeth EyresThis session takes place in the V&A’s remarkable collection. It can be taken as a stand-alone visit (no previous knowledge required, all welcome) or a final lesson for the VB699 Textiles: An International History. You will see a wide range of woven, printed and embroidered cloth from around the globe and explore the roles these have played in the world’s material culture.
Full fee £49.00 Senior fee £39.00 Concession £32.00 - The Courtauld: an introduction Course start date: Tue 2 Jun 2026
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Julie BarlowThe Courtauld collection includes paintings, drawings, prints, sculpture and decorative arts, ranging from the medieval period to the present day. This two-part course is an opportunity to explore an outstanding collection which includes one of the richest holdings of early Italian art in Britain alongside Impressionist and Post-Impressionist gems such as Van Gogh’s Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear.Full fee £79.00 Senior fee £63.00 Concession £51.00 - London's smaller galleries: Apsley House Course start date: Wed 10 Jun 2026
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Julie BarlowExplore the home and art collection of Arthur Wellesley, the Duke of Wellington.Full fee £29.00 Senior fee £23.00 Concession £19.00
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