Armani Privé exhibition in Milan. Photo courtesy of Armani/ Silos – copyright Piero Biasion
According to a recent study by King’s College, London, going to a gallery is good for your health. Looking at art has a calming effect and, we could all do with more tranquility in our lives, right now. There are so many brilliant exhibitions to see this autumn it has taken longer than expected to compile the That’s Not My Age culture guide. What started with a flurry of (relaxing) September museum visits has turned into a larger round-up, just in time for Guy Fawkes. Ne’er mind. I’m sure you’ve been busy watching Riot Women and Slow Horses; so now is the time for some beneficial gallery-going.
From fashion to film, photography to garden design, here are some of this season’s best exhibitions.
WHAT’S ON IN LONDON:
Marie Antoinette Style
Marie Antoinette Exhibition photographs courtesy of the V&A
Marie Antoinette Style at the V&A, until 22 March 2026.
The V&A has acquired loans on objects never before seen outside France for this fabulous exhibition about the life and style of Marie Antoinette. One of the highlights is a ‘hall of mirrors’ containing 18th-century gowns with unbelievably small waist measurements, there are some exquisite reproductions, and portraits which paint a picture of the 14-year-old’s life at court. And, the final room (shown in the first V&A photo), is an extravaganza of modern Marie Antoinette-style by contemporary designers, including: Dior, Alexander McQueen and Manolo Blahnik. What I found most fascinating was the history-repeating scenario. Still a child when she married, Marie Antoinette was horribly vilified – on the basis of being a young woman, as much as anything else – sadly, attitudes towards women in the public eye haven’t really changed much over the last few centuries…
Lee Miller, Model with lightbulb, Vogue Studio, London c.1943 © Lee Miller Archives
Lee Miller at Tate Britain, until 15 February 2026.
If you feel like you’ve already seen a lot of Lee Miller’s photography – there’s even more on display in this major retrospective at Tate Britain. Starting out in front of the camera, as a model in the 1920s, Miller soon moved behind the lens. This comprehensive display of approx 250 prints follows the New York-born photographer through her travels across Egypt to meeting Man Ray and embracing Surrealism – for me, the work she did during the Second World War and shortly afterwards is the standout.
Photo: Jennie Baptiste
Jennie Baptiste: Rhythm & Roots at Somerset House, until 4 January 2026.
As a teenager, Jennie Baptiste was really into music, ‘ I used to go to HMV with a friend of mine, we didn’t have much money so we’d buy a record between us. It was there I started taking pictures of the artists,’ she said at the recent press preview. Spanning over three decades, from her early student projects of the 1990s (Baptiste studied photography at University of the Arts, London) documenting dance hall and street style, to her portraits of hip-hop superstars, including Jay Z and Ms Dynamite, this pay-what-you-can exhibition at Somerset House celebrates the sound, style, and spirit of Black youth culture.
INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITIONS: EUROPE
Armani at the Pinoteca di Brera
Not one, but two Giorgio Armani exhibitions in Milan
Curated by the late designer, Giorgio Armani Privé 2005- 2025, Twenty Years of Haure Couture at Armani/ Silos ( the official museum space at Armani HQ) marks the first time that the Armani Privé collection has been displayed in Milan. (The Haute Couture collection is shown in Paris). With over 150 gowns on display, expect to see some of the most elegant eveningwear in town. Until 28 December 2025.
Armani lived and worked in this Milan district and a short walk away at the beautiful Pinoteca di Brera is a celebration of 50 years of the legendary designer, Giorgio Armani. Milano, per Amore . The institution’s permanent galleries provide a stunning backdrop for a selection of Armani outfits, again, curated by the late designer. There is a reduced admission fee if you show your Armani/Silos ticket at the Pinoteca di Brera ( more details HERE). Until 11 January 2026.
Tilda Swinton at the Eye Filmmuseum
Tilda Swinton – Ongoing, at the Eye Filmmuseum in Amsterdam, until 8 February 2026.
This exhibition is not a retrospective of Tilda Swinton’s successful career, which is obviously still Ongoing, but it does include never-before-seen archive material. The Eye Filmmuseum, Amsterdam shows audio-visual works made with some of the top directors Tilda has worked with, including: Derek Jarman, Jim Jarmusch, Joanna Hogg and more. Plus, some of the costumes the otherworldly actor has worn and a series of Tim Walker’s photographs.
Tim Walker’s photos of Tilda
1925- 2025. One Hundred Years of Art Deco at the Musée des Arts Decoratifs, Paris, until 26 April 2026
Les Arts Decoratif in Paris is always worth a visit. The latest exhibition celebrates a century of Art Deco through elegant furniture, jewellery and textiles; capturing the movement’s influence on everything from a restored Orient Express carriage to beautiful dresses by Jeanne Lanvin. It’s on until April 2026 and on my must-see list.
Ruth Asawa photo courtesy of SF MOMA
WHAT’S ON IN NORTH AMERICA
I have to be honest… in spite of all these fabulous shows and a couple of invitations, a trip to the States is not very appealing right now. And I was in two minds about using CAPS for the subtitle. Anyhow, that’s another issue. And we’ll always have Canada. Let’s stick to the exhibitions:
Ruth Asawa: A Retrospective, SF MOMA until 7 February 2026
Dress, Dreams & Desire: Fashion & Psychoanalysis, Museum at FIT until 4 January 2026
The New York Sari at The New York HISTORICAL, until 26 April 2026
The Studio Museum, Harlem reopens on 15 November 2015
Man Ray at the Met, until 1 February 2026
Monet and Venice, Brooklyn Museum until 1 February 2026.
Wildlife Photographer of the Year at the Royal Ontario Museum from 8 November 2025 – 29 March 2026
Jeff Wall Photographs 1984 – 2023 at MOCA, Toronto from 19 October 2025 – 22 March 2026
Jim Lambie: Zobop ( Colour-Chrome) at Vancouver Art Gallery from 22 October 2025 – 12 October 2026
Vivienne Westwood Buffalo outfit, Barbican
More UK exhibitions to add to your must-see list:
Punk: The Art of Rebellion at Manchester Central Library until 31 December 2025
(Fellow Riot Women, this photography exhibition might be for you…)
Dirty Looks: Desire and Decay in Fashion, at The Barbican Centre, until 25 January 2026
(The Barbican’s first fashion exhibition for eight years explores designers’ fascination with dirt, decay and nature; switching to the fashion industry’s dirty habits, sustainability and upcycling in the final section)
Blitz: the club that shaped the 80s, at The Design Museum until 29 March 2026.
(One for 80s club kids!)
Kerry James Marshall: The Histories, at the Royal Academy, until 18 January 2026.
(Documenting Black history and culture across Kerry James Marshall’s impressive, 50-year career, is his largest retrospective in the UK to date. And, my top pick for autumn 2025 in London)
Curly Blows, Cuts and Curlers at the Museum of Liverpool until 8 March 2026
(The power of hair – and possibly the best title for an exhibition, ever)
William Kentridge: The Pull of Gravity at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park until 19 April 2026
(Having seen William Kentridge’s excellent exhibition at the Royal Academy in 2022 and I would love to head up to the YSP)
Design and Disability, at the V&A, until 15 February 2026
(Showcasing the contributions of disabled, deaf, and neurodivergent people to contemporary design and culture from 1940s to present day)
Gardening Futures: Designing With Nature at the V&A Dundee until 25 January 2026
(Gardening is trending – and this is one of The Times best exhibitions for 2025. That’s all you need to know)
Gianni Versace retrospective, at The Arches, London Bridge, until 1 March 2026
(I haven’t seen this yet, but with 450 original Versace pieces on show, it sounds well worth a visit )
Cecil Beaton’s Fashionable World, at The National Portrait Gallery, until 11 January 2026
(Some beautiful images from the ‘ world’s most photographed photographer’ but reading about the repugnant, anti-semitic comment Beaton added to one of his Vogue pictures leaves a nasty taste…)
Costume Couture: Sixty Years of Cosprop, at The Fashion and Textile Museum, until 8 March 2026
(A fascinating look into the wardrobe at Cosprop, one of the world’s leading costumiers for film, TV and theatre. Items on show include: Helena Bonham Carter’s dress from A Room With a View and (calm yourselves…) Colin Firth’s shirt from Pride and Prejudice)
David Bowie Centre at the V&A Storehouse, ongoing.
(Another winner from the V&A: the curated edit of Bowie’s own archive collection, including letters, drawings, costumes and instruments. Pre-bookable free tickets to this have completely gone now, but they keep spots open every day for walk-ins. Good luck!)
Daytripping by Alan Dimmick at Platform, Glasgow until 17 January 2026
(The joy of a short trip recorded by the Glasgow-based photographer)
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This post was published on
thatsnotmyage.com
on November 4, 2025 and written by Alyson Walsh.