London Somerset House

Somerset House was London’s first intentional office block. Originally home to the Royal Academy, the Royal Society, and the Navy Board, the elegant courtyard long induced a shiver of distaste in Londoners as the headquarters of the Inland Revenue. In December and January, the central Fountain Courtyard is iced over to make an open-air rink and in the summer months frolicking toddlers splash through the cool fountain jets. Thursday evenings from mid-June to mid-July feature classical music concerts, and in August there are open-air movie screenings. The annual Somerset House Concert Series features indie and pop bands in outdoor shows.

THE COURTAULD INSTITUTE GALLERIES. The Courtauld’s outstanding collection ranges from 14th-century Italian religious works to 20th-century abstracts, but is most famous for its Impressionist and post-Impressionist pieces. The gang’s all here: Manet’s A Bar at the Follies Bergères, Van Gogh’s Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear, and an entire room devoted to Degas’s bronzes, as well as pivotal works by Cézanne, Dufy, Gauguin, Kandinsky, Modigliani, Monet, and Renoir. The Renaissance galleries feature Rubens, Botticelli, and other renowned European artists. (☎077 6427 3219; www.eastwing8.co.uk. Open last weekend of the month; Sa 10am-5pm, Su noon-5pm. Free.)

THE EAST WING COLLECTION. Founded by a Courtauld art student, this student-curated show displays contemporary art by both students and established artists, with a particular focus on abstraction. (☎020 7848 2526; www.courtauld.ac.uk. Lunchtime talks free; check website for details. Wheelchair-accessible. Open 10am-6pm, last entry 30min. before closing. Free.)

THE EMBANKMENT GALLERIES. Managed by the Courtauld Art Institute, these galleries showcase cutting edge exhibitions curated by the art students themselves. (☎020 7848 2526; www.courtauld.ac.uk. Wheelchair-accessible. Lunchtime talks free; check website for details. Open 10am-6pm, last entry 5:30pm. Free.)