The Brutalist Southbank Centre caused outrage when it was unveiled. And while Royal Festival Hall and its 2,700-capacity auditorium may be the heart of the building, the Hayward is one of the city’s most important temporary exhibition spaces (there’s no permanent collection). In 2007 Antony Gormley positioned 31 life-sized figures on rooftops along the river and in 2015 Carsten Höller installed slides on the gallery’s exterior. The art is forward-thinking and fun – often designed to be touched or stepped in.

A sturdy monument to British culture, this Brutalist spectacle was designed by Denys Lasdun as a space for Londoners. The doors are always open for people to come inside to read, or work, or drink Negronis at Peckham implant Forza Wine. The programme of debut playwrights is second to none but there’s endless Shakespeare and Chekhov too. Visitors aged 16 to 25 should book the brilliantly inclusive £10 tickets.

The four-screen British Film Institute was created for cinephiles. Its October film festival is the UK’s biggest, but year-round it shows classic re-releases as well as early previews and curated seasons of filmmakers from Greta Gerwig to Korea’s Bong Joon-Ho. There are also vintage children’s screenings, which mean parents can swap franchise films for the nostalgia of ET or The Wizardof Oz. Film critic Mark Kermode often hangs out in the light-filled café. 

Heading to the National Theatre is one of our most beloved London activities, but we often struggle to think of a good spot for a pre-theatre drink. If we're not heading to Toklas, we like to pop into this chill bar for a cocktail and a little nibble.