Art in London Galleries (daytime)

Detail of Landscape painting by Turner

Curated visits to some of London’s most interesting art galleries and museums

At a Glance

  • Daytime In-Person Class
  • 1 hour a week
  • Fridays 11:00 - 12:00
  • 10 weeks: October to December
  • Tutor: Michael Paraskos
  • £65
  • Imperial College attendance certificate (T&Cs apply)
  • This course is now full

This course is now full

This daytime course is designed for those who want to join a friendly community of art lovers on trips to see some of London’s most interesting (and sometimes challenging!) art exhibitions. The class is very informal and on our weekly trips to various art galleries and museums across London we will be encouraged to view the works of art on display in a considered and active way, and share our opinions with others in the group.

In each session we will visit a different art gallery or temporary exhibition space in the company of our tutor, and we will be introduced to the theme of the exhibition, aspects of its historical context, or different ways in which the works on display can be viewed. Those joining the class should be aware, we will not be given guided tours of exhibitions, which is not permitted in most galleries. Instead, the tutor will give a short introduction to the exhibition visited at the start of each session, and be on hand to talk to us informally, either individually or as part of a small group, as we view the exhibition itself.

The whole of this course will be delivered at different museum and gallery venues around London each week. You will be responsible for your own entrance fees (where charged), travel arrangements and costs when visiting the exhibitions as these are not included in the course fee. Depending on what exhibitions are available outside London, a small number trips to galleries outside the capital might also be included.

The course is suitable for complete beginners, and no previous experience or knowledge of art is necessary. However, the course is restricted to people aged over 50 and has a strong social aspect geared towards this age group.

Attendance certificate

Those who attend at least 80% of the course sessions will receive an attendance certificate from Imperial College London upon completion of the course.

Course Information

Course Programme

Please book your tickets as soon as possible after your place on the course is confirmed.

  • Friday 26 November - NO SESSION 

Additional Reading

There is no requirement to undertake specific reading for this course.

Your Tutor

Photograph of Michael ParaskosDr Michael Paraskos is a very experienced adult education tutor, having taught for over twenty-five years. He holds a Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy, is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, and also teaches art history to undergraduate students at the City and Guilds of London Art School.

He is a writer of both fiction and non-fiction and has published very widely on art of this period, as well as reviewing exhibitions and novels for BBC Radio 4’s Front Row and The Spectator magazine. His first novel In Search of Sixpence was published in 2016 and his second, called Rabbitman, was published in 2017.

Course Fees and Rate Categories

HoursWeeksStandard RateInternal RateAssociate Rate
10  10  £110   (≡£11.00 per hour)
 £65   (≡£6.50 per hour)
 £85   (≡£8.50 per hour)
All fee rates quoted and due are for the whole course. Part-payments are not possible. Equivalent to hourly rate is for comparison guidance only.


Rate Categories and Discounts

Standard Rate

  • Applicable to all except those who fall under the Internal Rate or Associate Rate category, respectively.

Internal Rate

  • Current Imperial College students and staff (incl. Imperial NHS Trust, Imperial Innovations, ancillary & service staff employed on long-term contracts at Imperial College by third-party contractors)
  • Individuals enrolling under our Friends & Family scheme
  • Staff of the English Chamber Orchestra
  • Current Centre for Languages, Culture and Communication (CLCC) staff, current CLCC PhD students, Science Communication (Sci Comm) postgraduate students, and students enrolled on an Imperial College 'Language for Science' degree programme should contact eveningclass@imperial.ac.uk before completing the online enrolment form

Associate Rate

  • Alumni of Imperial College and predecessor colleges and institutes
  • Austrian Cultural Forum staff
  • City & Guilds College Association members
  • Francis Crick Institute staff, researchers and students
  • Friends and Patrons of the English Chamber Orchestra
  • Harrods staff
  • Historic Royal Palaces staff
  • Lycee Charles de Gaulle staff
  • Members of the Friends of Imperial College
  • Members of the Kennel Club
  • Members of the London Zoological Society
  • Members of the South London Botanical Institute (SLBI)
  • Members of the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP)
  • Natural History Museum staff
  • National Health Service (NHS) employees
  • Residents of postcodes SW3, SW5, SW7, SW10 and W8
  • Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Council staff
  • Royal College of Art and Royal College of Music tutors and other staff
  • Royal Geographical Society staff
  • Science Museum staff
  • Staff of Exhibition Road Cultural Group (Discover South Kensington) organisations
  • Students (non-Imperial College)
  • Teachers and other staff of UK schools
  • Tutors and other staff of institution members of the Association of Colleges
  • Tutors and other staff of other universities and higher education institutions
  • Victoria and Albert Museum staff

Late enrolment

It is possible to enrol on many CLCC Evening Class and Lunchtime Learning programmes after the course has started. For non-language courses this is subject entirely to agreement by the tutor. For language courses it is subject to agreement by the language Coordinator conducting level assessment. If you want to join a course late do bear in mind there might be work you will need to catch up on, particularly in language courses.

Applicable terms & conditions

Please read the Terms and Conditions [pdf] before enrolling on any course.

Term Dates

HoursWeeksAutumn termSpring termSummer termSummer School
 10  10 1 Oct - 10 Dec 2021 (10 weeks)* n/a n/a n/a
* This is a one-term course

Enrolment Process

Web enrolment starts 2nd August 2021

Enrolment and payment run through the Imperial College eStore. Please click on the blue booking link on the relevant course page noting below instructions:

  • Our rate categories are explained on the course page and your applicable rate category must be selected on the eStore
  • First-time eStore users please create an account by entering an email address and password. These credentials should also be used for future bookings. Imperial College users please note the eStore is not a single-signon College system
  • The booking process involves entering payment details after your course choice and applicant details are collected via an in-built questionnnaire
  • The following email notifications are sent:
What is sentWhen is it sentWhat does it contain
1. Payment confirmation Is sent instantaneously following submission of your online application
  • This is a receipt for your payment and includes payment date, order number and course title
  • Confirmation of your place on your chosen course will follow later
2. Enrolment confirmation Is sent within 10 working days. Please treat your payment confirmation as confirmation that your applicant details and payment have been received
  • Re-confirms your course choice
  • Shows your course's term dates
  • Confirms the day and time of your course
3. Programme information Is usually sent on Friday late afternoon the week before term starts
  • Contains joining instructions for your course, incl. tutor contact details
If you need further help with the above information please ring 020 7594 8756

Any Questions?

Questions regarding the content and teaching of this course should be sent to the tutor for this class, Dr Michael Paraskos, m.paraskos@imperial.ac.uk