There are lots of new exhibitions opening this weekend, giving you the chance to learn about everything from how your favourite film characters got their look to why the humble trainer plays such a big part in popular culture. Alternatively, the excellent Bloomsbury Festival is the perfect chance to explore the area’s many cultural venues and expand your mind at special events.

Bloomsbury Festival, Various Venues
This two day festival is a wonderful chance to experience the thriving culture of historic Bloomsbury, which was made famous by prominent literary figures of the early 20th century. There are special activities at many of the great venues in the area, ranging from drawing sessions at the British Museum to bug-themed games at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. If you can’t decide, head to Russell Square for a varied programme of entertainment that includes poetry, dance and even maths buskers. 19-21 Oct

Hollywood costume at the V&A
Costumes are an essential part of a film character’s personality, and you can discover the complex process behind their creation at this intriguing exhibition. Using a variety of media, including exclusive interview footage, the exhibition takes visitors through every aspect of the costume designer’s job, before treating them to a stunning display of famous movie outfits. Adult tickets are £15.50. Until 27 Jan

Sneaking into Fashion, Covent Garden Piazza
Get a whiff of sporting fashion at this entertaining free exhibition, which traces the adoption of trainers into popular culture. Visitors can admire a range of celebrities’ trainers, including those made famous by Mo Farah, Kanye West and Vivienne Westwood. The exhibition is open from 9am-7pm every day in the Covent Garden Piazza. Until 28 Oct

Veolia Environnement Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2012 at the National History Museum
The best 100 wildlife images, selected from more than 48,000 international entries, are displayed in this renowned annual exhibition. Visitors will see thought-provoking works that cover the entire spectrum of the natural world, including the competition-winning photograph, which is due to be unveiled today. Adult tickets are £10. Until 3 Mar

Michael Clark Company: New Work at the Barbican Theatre
See the hotly-anticipated new production by legendary British dancer and choreographer Michael Clark at the Barbican Theatre. This double bill of dance combines classical ballet with modern choreography and is set to music by Scritti Politti and Relaxed Muscle. The latter will be playing live during the second part of the performance. Tickets start from £16. Until 27 Oct

Ever fancied relaxing on the floor of the V&A and contemplating the artworks? That’s exactly what visitors will be encouraged to do during this year’s London Design Festival.

French design duo the Bouroullec Brothers will cover the museum’s Raphael Gallery with a coloured foam and textile installation.

“It’s a really huge installation,” said Erwan Bouroullec. “I was born in the countryside so it’s a textile field. It’s quite soft so people will walk and lie on it.”

Other highlights of the festival include:

• A dramatic new installation at the entrance to the V&A
• Power of Making, a V&A and Crafts Council exhibition aiming to bring visitors closer to the process of making things
• Reddress, an enormous dress made from 550m of fabric, which will be worn by a performer and fit an audience of 238 people inside its folds
• A workshop where you’ll be able to create your own prints designed by Israeli illustrator Noma Bar using a giant hole punch
• A Swarovski crystal installation by John Pawson in a tower of St Paul’s Cathedral that’s is normally closed to the public

In total, there are expected to be around 250 events across London. “Every year we try to be different and better and more inspiring,” said festival director Ben Evans.

London Design Festival runs from 17 to 25 September. For more details visit www.londondesignfestival.com

Congratulations to three London museums: the British Museum, Leighton House and the Victoria and Albert Museum, who are all on the list hoping to win the UK’s largest arts prize – the Art Fund Prize 2011.

The Art Fund Prize rewards excellence and innovation in museums and galleries in the UK for a particular project completed or undertaken in 2010. Following a short list of four museums (announced on 19 May), the £100,000 cash prize will be awarded to the “Museum of the Year” at a ceremony on 15 June.

The 10 UK museums have been long listed for the following projects:

• British Museum, London, A History of the World
• Hertford Museum, Hertfordshire, Hertford Museum’s Development Project
• Leighton House, London, Closer To Home: The Restoration and Reopening of Leighton House Museum
• Mostyn, Llandudno, Wales, Refurbishment and extension of Mostyn gallery
• People’s History Museum, Manchester, The new People’s History Museum 2010
• Polar Museum, University of Cambridge, Promoting Britain’s Polar Heritage
• The new Robert Burns Birthplace Museum, Alloway, Scotland
• Roman Baths Museum, Bath, Roman Baths Development
• V&A, London, Ceramics Study Galleries
• Yorkshire Museum, York, Letting in the Light – Revitalising the Yorkshire Museum for the 21st century

While the final decision will be made by an expert panel of judges, you’re invited to get involved in the debate as to who should win too. Visit www.artfundprize.org.uk and tell the judges which is your favourite museum. You can also keep up-to-date with the debate on twitter @artfundprize.

Who do you think should win? Let us know in the comments below!

If you’ve been meaning to see Gauguin at Tate Modern or Diaghilev at the V&A, now’s your last chance. Many high-profile London exhibitions are closing over the next fortnight to make way for exciting new shows.

These exhibitions are all in their final days - catch them while you can!

Closing 9 January 2011:

• Diaghilev and the Golden Age of the Ballets Russes at the V&A
• Dior Illustrated: René Gruau and the Line of Beauty at Somerset House
• Move: Choreographing You at the Hayward Gallery

Closing 16 January 2011:

• Gauguin: Maker of Myth at Tate Modern
• Eadweard Muybridge at Tate Britain
• Venice: Canaletto and His Rivals at the National Gallery
• Damián Ortega: The Independent at the Barbican
• Rachel Whiteread: Drawings at Tate Britain

Zoe:
Two West End shows that really stood out for me this year were Jerusalem and All My Sons, both at the Apollo Theatre. There were moments of pure theatrical magic in both that’ll stay with me for a long time. I feel privileged to have seen such talented actors as Mark Rylance, Zoe Wanamaker and David Suchet live on the London stage. I feel similarly lucky to have seen both Henry IVs at the Globe, back-to-back. Yes, I had a sore bum, but for me, it was another unmissable production. For musicals, Legally Blonde was the best of 2010. But the highlight of my year was the day I went on stage in the West End as an extra in An Inspector Calls. I certainly won’t forget that in a long time!

Aly:
The fabulous Grace Kelly exhibition at the V&A was a real treat and a definite highlight for me in 2010 as it celebrated the life and style of an actress, princess and icon through her film costumes and royal outfits.  I also enjoyed the gorgeous Sex & The City Afternoon Tea at the Hyatt Regency London – The Churchill as the stiletto shaped chocolates and flirtinis were delicious and so cute.  Finally, learning yoga at triyoga in Soho has been a wonderful challenge and extremely rewarding this year.

Hannah:
Circus-themed events have been big this year. I think my favourite was Psy by The 7 Fingers at Peacock Theatre. It combined amazing acrobatics with energetic music and choreography to create a modern, exciting feel. It made me want to run away and join the circus!

Milly:
London seems to get more exciting and adventurous every year. I will remember the wonderfully diverse musical experiences I was lucky enough to have: Carmen at The Royal Opera House, remembering Michael Jackson at Thriller Live and the talented Jetson at The 100 Club – an epic music venue that sadly may be closing. I look forward to what 2011 has to offer!

Jenny:
I had fabulous fancy dress nights out at White Mischief, The Chap Olympiad and SS Atlantica.  I was also a big fan of the colourful Elephant Parade over the summer. My most recent highlight was ice-skating at Hampton Court Palace – magical!

Lettice:
2010 has been an excellent year for stylish textile exhibitions. The Very Sanderson and the Horrockses Fashions exhibitions at the Fashion and Textile Museum were both highlights. The winner was, of course, the magnificent Quilts 1700 – 2010 exhibition at the V&A which contained so many tiny scraps of fabric, all crafted into beautiful quilts. I spotted top quilter and textile designer Kaffe Fasset looking round the exhibition during my visit, which added to the fun!

Madelene:
Being lucky enough to watch the World Cup from the top of BT Tower, although I have to say although it was good game the views were more inspiring.  Watching a dance performance as part of Electric Hotel in the middle of Kings Cross and touring top London restaurants as part of the Gourmet Odyssey at the London Restaurant Festival.

Claire:
I thoroughly enjoyed Design for Living at the Old Vic – it was my first time at the theatre and seeing a Noel Coward play and I will seek out both again. My favourite gig was Alice Cooper at the Roundhouse – what a showman! I saw the The 39 Steps twice, which speaks for itself, and I attended three different outdoor cinemas in London – I’m hoping this trend continues in 2011. Finally, my favourite history lesson and a bit of a hidden gem is the Brunel Museum & Thames Tunnel Tour in Rotherhithe.

What are your 2010 highlights?

How do you fancy winning a year’s membership to London’s Victoria & Albert Museum?

That’s the Christmas prize we’ve got up for grabs for one lucky winner today. Membership entitles you to all kinds of benefits, including:

• Members’ previews
• an amazing programme of special events
• the V&A Magazine delivered direct to your door
• special offers, discounts and more

And to whet your appetite, here’s a list of some of the fantastic shows taking place at the V&A next year:

• Imperial Chinese Robes
• Postmodernism: Style and Subversion 1970-90
• The Cult of Beauty: The Aesthetic Movement 1860-1900
• British Design 1948 – 2012

In addition, you can also get a copy of Grace Kelly Style: Fashion for a Hollywood Princess, the beautiful book that accompanied the V&A’s sell-out Grace Kelly exhibition earlier this year.

Enter today’s competition to win a year’s V&A membership plus a copy of Grace Kelly Style here

Last night Visit London celebrated the best of the capital in a circus-themed ceremony at The Bloomsbury Big Top.

Some of London’s favourite attractions picked up awards including ZSL London Zoo, The V&A, Hyde Park Winter Wonderland and Museum of London.

It was a great night for the Natural History Museum which picked up two of the coveted People’s Choice Awards, voted for by the public. See the full list of winners on the Awards website.

There were also special awards for Alesha Dixon as the Sound of London and 60s legend Twiggy received the Outstanding Contribution Award for her services to fashion and culture.

Magic 105.4′s Neil Fox hosted the evening and guests enjoyed performances by Mica Paris, The London Community Gospel Choir, cast members from Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Circus Space and award-winner Alesha Dixon.

Congratulations to all the winners. We had a brilliant night and hope everyone else enjoyed it as much as we did.

If you went to the Visit London Awards, we’d love to see your pictures, so please add them to Visit London’s Flickr pool tagged “vlawards2010″.

Serge Diaghilev caused a storm in the early 20th century with his Ballet Russes – a collective of dancers, artists and designers who shocked audiences and revolutionised the art world. Picasso, Matisse, Chanel, Jean Cocteau, Nijinsky and Stravinsky were among his collaborators.

A new exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum follows the career of Diaghilev and the Ballet Russes, featuring costumes, backdrops, photos, paintings, posters and programmes from the era.

I had a sneak preview this morning and my favourite exhibits were the spectacular costumes, many designed by famous names such as Picasso and Matisse. Some are based on traditional Russian dress, while others are weird and wacky, even by today’s standards, and must have constrained the dancers’ movements considerably.

Another highlight was the enormous back cloth for The Firebird, which is the largest object in the V&A. There’s also a massive front cloth based on the Picasso painting Two Women Running on the Beach.

The Ballet Russes show is a must for art and dance fans. One word of warning: allow a few hours to explore the exhibition as there’s loads to see.

Diaghilev and the Golden Age of the Ballet Russes 1909-1929 is at the Victoria and Albert Museum from 25 September to 9 January

At Visit London, we always thought Luxembourg might be among the more difficult World in London countries to cover. Luckily, London’s incredibly eclectic art collections came to the rescue.

As well as work by Luxembourgers Pierre-Joseph Redouté and Edward Steichen among the collection at the V&A, we found award-winning photographer Marianne Majerus – whose work is in the online collection at the National Portrait Gallery – also comes from Luxembourg.

Majerus is a portrait and garden photographer who regularly contributes to a number of UK national newspapers and magazines. Her portfolio of work includes more than 180,000 images, and she was awarded this year’s International Garden Photographer of the Year for her stunning image Layered Landscape: A Moment Captured (above).

I caught up with Marianne – who has lived in London for 25 years – and asked her about her life in the capital.

Majerus lives in Islington and has an obvious love for the area: “Islington is a vibrant area with cafes, restaurants, theatres and cinemas,” she said. “And it is close to some great museums.”

The 54 year-old moved to London “for the professional opportunities,” but she admits she does miss the beautiful countryside of her homeland.

While Luxembourgish home comforts are limited in London, (Majerus cites the Luxembourg Embassy as the part of London that most resembles her country), she has taken the city to her heart.

As well as recommending Sir John Soane’s Museum, she notes the view from Island Gardens across the River Thames to Greenwich as a “breathtaking but rarely seen” hidden gem.

Majerus’ work can be found in the online collection of the National Portrait Gallery. Most of London’s major museums and galleries have an online collection on their websites so why not have a look; you may uncover some seldom seen masterpieces yourself!

For more information on Marianne Majerus’ work, visit her website www.mariannemajerus.com

Do you know of any Luxembourgish events, places or famous Luxembourgers in London?

London Design Festival descends on the Victoria and Albert Museum this week, with a host of specially commissioned artworks throughout the museum.

There’s a stripey staircase made from picture frames, a greenhouse full of plants, a swinging pendulum light, an installation in the garden, poetry, special events and more.

Visit www.londondesignfestival.com for more information.