At a glance...
What is the Serpentine?
The Serpentine Galleries are an art gallery located in Hyde Park, the largest park in Central London. They consist of two separate buildings, one on each side of the Serpentine lake in the middle of the park (hence the name).
The Serpentine: practical information
Website: https://www.serpentinegalleries.org/
Address:
Serpentine South: Kensington Gardens, London W2 3XA
Serpentine North: West Carriage Drive, London W2 2AR
How to get there: the nearest tube stations are Lancaster Gate (Central Line), Knightsbridge or South Kensington (Piccadilly line). Both galleries are within a few minutes walk from each other, but, at a pinch, Lancaster Gate is closer to Serpentine North, and Knightsbridge and South Kensington are closer to Serpentine South.
Full directions are available on the Serpentine website.
Cost: free, although there’s a suggested donation of £5. You can book a timed ticket online, but that’s not necessary.
Opening hours: Tuesday-Sunday 10am-6pm, closed Mondays
Toilets: yes
Cloakroom: no
First one Serpentine, then another one
The first Serpentine Gallery was established in 1970 in a former tea pavilion built in 1934. Over the years, it became a pioneering force in contemporary art. So much so that, in 2013, a second Serpentine gallery was opened on the other side of the lake, in a former gunpowder store from the late 19th century. The project was masterminded by Zaha Hadid Architects, who also extended the original building with the addition of a graceful, curvaceous structure, called the Magazine.
The original Serpentine Gallery is now called Serpentine South, while the new one is Serpentine North – and together they are the Serpentine Galleries. Serpentine South has a well-stocked bookshop; Serpentine North has a café/ restaurant and a tiny minimalist bookshop. There’s an online shop, too.
(The picture above was taken during the exhibition by Barbara Chase-Riboud, “Infinite Folds”. The exhibition is on until the end of January 2023 and is well worth visiting.)
Serpentine North, as a space, is especially beautiful… There’s something immensely satisfying about the interplay of the original exposed brick walls and curved brick ceiling of the central exhibition space, and the serenity of the surrounding white walls wrapped around it. Together they form a perfect foil for the art exhibits. And the contrast between the serpentine (ha!) shape of The Magazine and the solidity of its neighbouring structure is a feast for the eyes.
The Serpentine Pavilion
Every year, the Serpentine also commissions the Serpentine Pavilion, a temporary structure from a leading architect who has not built anything in England at the time of the invitation. The Serpentine Pavilion stays up over the summer, from June to September, before being torn down to make way for the next one. The first pavilion was Zaha Hadid’s in 2000, and you can browse the archive of past pavilions on the Serpentine site.
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