Rob Eagle’s video highlights some of the brilliant free things to do in London, from the British Museum to the Hunterian Museum.

The film won the Raindance Film Festival award in UCL’s London for Free competition.

The first official painting of the Duchess of Cambridge will go on show to the public at the National Portrait Gallery from this afternoon.

The Duchess was involved in selecting artist Paul Emsley, who won the BP Portrait Award in 2007, to paint the portrait, which took three and a half months to complete.

What do you think of the picture?

As well as being a fantastic year for sport, 2012 was a great year for art exhibitions in London. We’ve enjoyed blockbuster shows such as David Hockney at the Royal Academy of Arts, Damien Hirst at Tate Modern and Lucian Freud at the National Portrait Gallery.

Here are five exhibitions to look out – and book ahead – for in 2013.

Manet: Portraying Life, Royal Academy of Arts: The Royal Academy hosts the first-ever UK exhibition devoted to Edouard Manet’s portraiture. 26 Jan-14 Apr

Lichtenstein: A Retrospective, Tate Modern: See 125 of the best paintings and sculptures by Roy Lichtenstein, known for his bright, comic strip-style works. 21 Feb-27 May

Life and Death in Pompeii and Herculaneum, British Museum: Major display of objects excavated from two Roman cities buried by a catastrophic eruption in AD 79. 28 Mar-29 Sep

Lowry and the Painting of Modern Life, Tate Britain: This exhibition of Lowry landscapes is the first big London show devoted to the artist since his death in 1976. 26 Jun-20 Oct

Paul Klee, Tate Modern: Tate Modern charts Paul Klee’s complex, colourful drawings and paintings alongside the events that happened during his lifetime. 15 Oct-9 Mar

Which London art exhibitions are you looking forward to in 2013? Let us know in the comments below.

Among the events going on this weekend, London’s arts scene offers up two gems – a musical piece in a cemetery and a collection of classic Marilyn Monroe portraits.

Marilyn Monroe: A British Love Affair at National Portrait Gallery
Opening on Saturday, this free exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery explores the most iconic pin-up of the 20th century, Marilyn Monroe, seen through the lenses of British photographers. The photos on show include Monroe’s favourite image of herself holding a rose in bed, taken by Cecil Beaton in 1956 in his Ambassador Hotel suite in New York. Other pictures cover the actress’s four month visit to Britain to film The Prince and The Showgirl with Laurence Olivier, a shot of Monroe meeting the Queen and selection of rare British magazine covers taken by André de Dienes and Milton Greene.
Until 24 Mar

Big Draw, Big Make at the Victoria and Albert Museum
One man’s scribble is another man’s masterpiece, and Roald Dahl illustrator Quentin Blake will be at the V&A on Sunday to inspire us at the launch of The Big Draw, a worldwide festival dedicated to drawing. CBeebies TV character Mister Maker will also make an appearance along with pop-up studios, drawing games, portfolio advice for older drawers and a battle between seven top cartoonists. All events are free but some need to be booked in advance.
30 Sep (The Big Draw runs from 1-31 Oct)

Pearly Kings & Queens Harvest Festival Parade

You’re guaranteed to spot royalty in London on Sunday, as the pearly kings and queens of the capital don their signature pearl-button-covered outfits or “smother suits” to march through East London. Each borough has a king and queen, thanks to groups who continue a working-class tradition started in Queen Victoria’s reign. Their annual parade starts at Guildhall Yard on Gresham Street at 1pm, and will include donkeys and carts.  The day rounds off with a church service at 3pm at St Mary-le-Bow Church.
30 Sep

The London Requiem at Abney Park Cemetery
Abney Park Cemetery is the venue for the first performance of a new choral work by English composer Benjamin Till. It’s a fitting location as The London Requiem was written after Till spent time in London’s majestic cemeteries, and the story is inspired by Londoners who have passed away. Organisers plan to create an “avenue of remembrance” using white balloons which each visitor can dedicate to the memory of someone for a donation. Tickets are from £15 and guests are advised to bring a torch and note that reaching the cemetery involves a 200m walk down a woodland path.
29 Sep

What are you up to this weekend? Post any events we’ve missed below.

If you’ve been planning to visit this summer’s must-see exhibitions such as Damien Hirst at Tate Modern or Yoko Ono at the Serpentine Gallery, be quick! It’s changeover time at London museums and galleries and the following shows are all set to close this month:

Closing this weekend

• Damien Hirst at Tate Modern
• Yoko Ono at Serpentine Gallery
• Royal River at National Maritime Museum
• London 2012 Medals at the British Museum

Closing later in September

• Stadia at Sir John Soane’s Museum
• BP Portrait Award at National Portrait Gallery
• Metamorphosis: Titian 2012 at the National Gallery
• Road to 2012: Aiming High at the National Portrait Gallery
• London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games Posters at Tate Britain
• Heatherwick Studio at the V&A

But don’t worry there are plenty of exciting new exhibitions coming up this autumn, including Pre-Raphaelites at Tate Britain and Hollywood Costume at the V&A. Keep an eye on our Arts page for all the latest information.

Victoria’s Secret New Bond Street Store Launch: 29 Aug

Sample Sale: 30 Aug-2 Sep
Starting on Thursday, there’s a four-day sample sale of men’s designer shoes, clothes and accessories at the Old Truman Brewery on Hanbury Street, E1. For just £1 admission, you could pick up bargains like Ralph Lauren polo shirts from £60; Ted Baker shirts from £35 and True Religion T-shirts for £29 (RRP £79.) Head along from 1-8pm on Thursday, 1-7pm on Friday, 12-7pm on Saturday and 12-5pm on Sunday to get your hands on some great new clothes for autumn. Visit www.secretsamplesale.co.uk for more information.

Book Signings: 6 Sep
I’ve got two exciting book signings for your diaries, happening next week.

On Thursday 6 September, actress and author Emma Thompson will be in Selfridges signing copies of her new book, The Further Tale of Peter Rabbit. Emma’s book is the 24th tale in the existing collection of Peter Rabbit stories. It is the first time that Frederick Warne has published an additional title to the series which Beatrix Potter wrote between 1902 and 1930. In The Further Tale of Peter Rabbit, Peter’s adventures take him beyond the boundaries of Mr McGregor’s garden all the way to Scotland, where he meets the gentle giant Finlay McBurney, a distant Scottish relative. Emma will be signing copies of the book between 5 and 6pm on 6 September.

On the same day over at Waterstones Piccadilly, you can meet the Fifty Shades of Grey author E L James. From 6.30pm, the writer will be signing copies of the bestselling novels Fifty Shades of Grey, Fifty Shades Darker and Fifty Shades Freed.

In both cases, make sure you arrive early to avoid disappointment. Details about the Selfridges signing are all clearly laid out here. You’ve been warned!

My Perfect West End Day
If you’re feeling lucky, why not enter one of West End London’s fantastic new competitions?

Between today and 3 September, you can with the Perfect Iconic West End Day, as part of West End London’s new Perfect West End Day campaign. This prize includes a VIP shopping day for two at Liberty, dinner for two at the National Portrait Gallery, tickets to see One Man Two Guvnors at the Theatre Royal Haymarket, and a night’s stay at The Langham Hotel. There’ll be more competitions coming in the next few weeks – I particularly like the sound of the Perfect Family West End Day, which includes a VIP experience at M&Ms World, dinner at the Rainforest Café, a private shopping spree at the Disney Store and four tickets to see Stomp and meet the cast. Check out www.westendlondon.com to find out more.

The Olympic Games aren’t just about victory at the finish line – creativity and design have played a part in making the ultimate sporting event in the world happen. Make sure you celebrate the artists and engineers involved as well as the athletes by visiting one of these top Olympic exhibitions this summer. They’re all free.

Design Stories and After the Party at RIBA
The Royal Institute of British Architects is putting on two Olympic exhibitions to toast the architecture behind the Games. Design Stories: The Architecture Behind 2012 explores the ideas and complex engineering behind the brand new Olympic venues like the Aquatics Centre. It compiles drawings, images, videos and detailed models. The second exhibition, After the Party: The Legacy of Celebration, compares the UK’s Olympic buildings to efforts for previous Olympic Games and celebrations and asks what happens to monuments celebrating events after all the hoopla has passed. 
Design Stories: 25 Jun-21 Sep
After The Party: 25 Jun-5 Oct

Road to 2012 at the National Portrait Gallery
None of the glory on the track and court would be possible without all the work behind the scenes of the Olympic Games. This free series of photographs at the National Portrait Gallery features not only the athletes but people who have put the event together, such as apprentices from the Olympic Park and the team that led the bid for London to hold the Games. It’s the final part of  the BT Road to 2012 project which has commissioned leading photographers to document the build up to the event. Katherine Green’s images of sports communities in London’s East End sit alongside the display. 
19 Jul-23 Sep

The Olympic Journey at the Royal Opera House
For two weeks only, an impressive collection of Olympic artefacts will set up camp at the Royal Opera House for The Olympic Journey: The Story of the Games. The exhibition traces the evolution of the Olympic Games from the ancient Greek games 3,000 years ago. The highlight has to be seeing every single summer Olympic medal since 1896 and every summer Olympic torch since 1936. 
28 Jul-12 Aug

London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games Posters at Tate Britain
The posters for the Olympic Games have always reflected the art – and the mood – of the city that hosts them. Artists like Tracey Emin and Chris Ofili are among the 12 to put their mark on the official posters for London 2012. Screen prints and lithographs of their creations will be among those on show at Tate Britain as part of the London 2012 Festival.
21 Jun-23 Sep

Olympics Through the Ages at Westfield Stratford City
Award-winning photography will showcase iconic sporting moments at this exhibition in the Getty Images Gallery. Taking place within walking distance from the Olympic Park, it looks at the Olympic Games through a camera lens – from the first modern event in Athens in 1896 through to Beijing in 2008. 
27 Jun-30 Sep

What will be the most iconic image from the London 2012 Olympic Games? Comment below and let us know.

Portraits from legendary artists including Cecil Beaton, Andy Warhol, Lord Snowdon and Lucian Freud show the changing image and public perception of the Queen over the years, with a mixture of formal and candid shots. 

A highlight is the majestic 1954-55 painting of Her Majesty by Annigoni, which is rarely displayed and is reunited with another of his portraits from 1969. These paintings immediately caught my eye and reminded me of the powerful image the Queen conveys.

I especially enjoyed the reminder of the Queen’s early years and the powerful image she displayed even then.

• The Queen: Art and Image is at the National Portrait Gallery until 21 October.

Madelene Yeshin
All my theatre highlights took place at The National, from Danny Boyle’s mind-blowing production of Frankenstein, to the hilarious One Man, Two Guvnors and finally to the beautiful, romantic and funny play by Daniel Kitson -It’s Alright Now, until Later. On the food front, I had an incredible dining experience at Heston’s Dinner in Knightsbridge, and dicovered a new favourite Oxford Street eatery at Riding House Café - perfect for escaping the shopping crowds. Finally, my most bizarre experience of the year was rowing across the roof of Selfridges on an emerald lake courtesy of Bombas and Parr.

Lettice Kemp
My 2011 highlights included following the craft trail at the Thames Festival, seeing Milton Jones’ stand-up show, being utterly terrified by Daleks at the Doctor Who Experience, visiting the Tower Bridge Exhibition, watching Arthur “Rory” Darvill in Doctor Faustus at Shakespeare’s Globe and attending Knit Nation for the first time. Tapping into the trend for shocking Christmas jumpers, I took a one-day knitting class at Loop and mastered Fair Isle knitting. I also took a silver clay class at the London Jewellery School and a lampshade making class at The Make Lounge, both of which I heartily recommend. Best of all was South Pacific at the Barbican: just beautiful and dreamy.

Aly Garvey
There were some gorgeous exhibitions in London this year including the Glamour of the Gods at the National Portrait Gallery which I loved. Degas and the Ballet at the Royal Academy of Arts was fantastic too. I enjoyed dinner at two of London’s most well-known restaurants, the OXO Tower and the Rib Room which have both had refurbishments this year and reopened looking better than ever with food and drinks to match.

Hannah Collingbourne
After seeing Shrek The Musical, my friend declared, “That’s the best thing that’s happened to me all week!”. I have to agree; in fact it was one of my top events for the whole year. Audience members of all ages left the theatre with a smile on their face. If you need cheering up in the dark winter months after Christmas, I’d recommend a visit to Shrek.

Lisa Williams
Walking along the Southbank with all the beach huts, beach and drinking Pimms on the roof top garden bar during the Southbank Centre’s Festival of Britain was fantastic. I was also lucky enough to go to The O2 to watch the ATP Tennis semi-final matches, which was truly inspiring. Next would be my preview trip of the Harry Potter tour which is opening in March – I just couldn’t believe how much detail had gone into making the sets! Finally, my trip on the Orient Express: being treated like royalty, drinking champagne and eating divine food while pottering around in a beautiful train… what a year!

Jenny Owen
From the swashbuckling Pirates exhibition, to the beautiful and delicate paintings of Degas, it’s been a great year for soaking up some culture in London. I spent hours at the Mirá½¹ exhibiton at Tate Modern, and now we have the Dickens exhibition, which I think really deserves all the hype. Other stand-out moments included visiting The Ritz (every bit as decadent as I’d imagined); touring the Tower of London by night and visiting beautiful Lancaster House during a rare public opening.

Lianne Kolirin
Matilda was unquestionably the highlight of my year in London. The kids loved it too, but you don’t need a little one in tow to appreciate this musical adaptation of Roald Dahl’s classic. I also enjoyed visiting World Travel Market over the autumn. Practically every country around the world occupies a tiny corner of the enormous ExCel exhibition centre. It’s so huge; you could spend a whole week taking in the atmosphere. Earlier in the year, I saw John Bishop compere a comedy benefit in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust at the Royal Albert Hall. So many great acts, so many laughs. Best of the bunch was Seann Walsh, who is definitely a face to look out for in 2012.

Tom Butler
2011 has been a great year for discovering new spaces in London, from inside the former Commonwealth Institute as part of Open House London, to the Eden Project-designed Queen Elizabeth Hall Roof Garden & Bar for the 60th anniversary of the Festival of Britain. I’m glad this beautiful, grassy rooftop will be back in 2012. Other highlights included a Q&A with author Kazuo Ishiguro at a screening of Never Let Me Go in February (the venue, the Ritzy in Brixton, had an incredible year of events celebrating its 100th birthday), and Hackney Wicked in July. Finally, the best single moments were the decision to award the 2017 World Athletics Championships to London, and the discovery of (possibly) London’s best burritos at Picante Mexican Grillin Victoria – both are a fantastic result for the city.

Zoe Craig
There have been some great shows in London this year. Highlights for me included the brilliantly acted plays Clybourne Park, Frankenstein and The Westbridge; and classy musicals Crazy For You, Matilda and Betty Blue Eyes. Best of the lot was One Man, Two Guvnors – a wonderful script, a fantastic cast, and whole lot of fun. I also loved seeing the new Penguin Beach at London Zoo earlier in the summer.

What were your highlights of 2011? Let us know in the comments below…

This year we enjoyed blockbuster exhibitions including Miró at Tate Modern, Leonardo da Vinci at the National Gallery and Degas at the Royal Academy.

So which will be the most talked-about shows in 2012? Here are five to look out for:

• Lucian Freud Portraits, National Portrait Gallery: More than 100 works by the artist who died in July 2011, including his portrait of Benefits Supervisor Sue Tilley. 9 Feb-27 May
• Damien Hirst, Tate Modern: The first substantial survey of Hirst’s work in the UK, featuring his famous Pharmacy installation and shark in formaldehyde. 5 Apr-9 Sep
• Picasso and Modern British Art, Tate Britain: Major exhibition bringing together Picasso’s work and that of admirers such as Henry Moore and David Hockney. 15 Feb-15 Jul
• David Hockney RA: A Bigger Picture, Royal Academy of Arts: Exhibition spanning 50 years and showcasing brand new landscapes, iPad drawings and films. 21 Jan-9 Apr
• Queen Elizabeth II by Cecil Beaton: A Diamond Jubilee Celebration, Victoria and Albert Museum. One of several major exhibitions celebrating the Diamond Jubilee. 8 Feb-22 Apr

Which exhibitions are you looking forward to in 2012? Let us know in the comments below.