Nothing gets you in the mood for visiting exhibitions like May – what better way to spend a Bank Holiday, after all?
This week’s highlights include a unique new showcase of Edvard Munch’s works for a chocolate factory in Norway, while the Natural History Museum is launching one its biggest ever displays dedicated to prehistoric sea monsters.
If you haven’t yet caught up on the Venice Biennale, take a look at the must-sees here.
For movie lovers, there’s indie crime caper Tuner starring Leo Woodall and Dustin Hoffman, while found-footage horror Backrooms offers liminal chills (stay tuned for our review on Friday).
And that’s not all, but you’ll have to scroll to find out more…
Exhibitions
Edvard Munch and the Chocolate Factory
When: Until 11 October 2026
Where: MUNCH (Oslo, Norway)
Although Edvard Munch is best known for his depictions of human anguish, he was also passionate about using his art to enliven public spaces. In fact, he was the first painter to be commissioned for a factory, creating vibrant oil portraits for Norway’s most popular chocolate brand, Freia, in 1923. Many of these paintings depict women, who made up the majority of Freia’s employees, and provide a glimpse into an era of burgeoning social change. MUNCH expands on this through documentary and archival materials that reveal the vast contexts held within Munch’s breathtaking canvases. Find out more here.
Jurassic Oceans: Monsters of the Deep
When: Until 3 January 2027
Where: Natural History Museum (London, UK)
If you think some of the stuff in the sea is scary now, wait until you see this exhibition. A gargantuan display of jurassic monsters that came from the oceans, there’s everything here: from the razor-toothed pliosaur, to the dolphin-like ichthyosaur, to the mosasaur – AKA the T. rex of the sea. You’ll also have the opportunity to get up close and personal with shark skin and marine crocodiles, experiencing what it’s like to stand face-to-face with some of Earth’s most fearsome marine creatures. Be snappy though – tickets are likely to sell out fast for this one.Find out more here.
Bonus highlight: The astonishing sculptures of British artist Antony Gormley are on display in ‘Geestgrond’, a new exhibition at the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp (KMSKA) in Belgium from 23 May until 20 September 2026.
Movies
Tuner
Where: Cinemas
When: 29 May
A young piano tuner with a masterful hearing ability finds himself using his talents for cracking safes after accidentally intercepting a robbery. Starring Leo Woodall (The White Lotus) and Dustin Hoffman (Rain Man), it’s a taut and creative crime thriller with a rhythmic quality and narrative arc reminiscent of Sexy Beast and Baby Driver combined. And whether reviews end up being in major or minor keys, an original indie film on the big screen is always music to our ears!
Bonus highlight: Backrooms, an adaptation of a popular online found-footage horror series, will be released at select cinemas on 29 May. It follows a therapist who becomes lost in a liminal office-like space while searching for a patient – think Severance x creepypasta.
TV series
Star City
Where: Apple TV+
When: 29 May
A spin-off of the sci-fi epic series For All Mankind, Star City is set in the 1970s and centred around the Soviet Union’s side of the space race. Through dazzling effects and exquisite storytelling, it follows the stories of cosmonauts, engineers and intelligence officers that paved the way for human space travel while navigating the murky politics, paranoias and potential dangers of a Cold War era.
Spider-Noir
Where: Prime Video
When: 27 May
[Don’t] forget it, readers. It’s Spidey town.
Indeed, Spider-Noir gives Spider-Man the hardboiled treatment in this alternate re-telling of the superhero’s origins. Set in the gloaming grit of 1930s New York, Ben Reily (Nicolas Cage) is an ageing private detective whose life is shattered by a personal tragedy, forcing him to confront his past – and the city’s own web of lies. Pulpy, moody, and a lot of fun – it’s Nicholas Cage, how could it not be?
Bonus highlight: Ponies, which premiered in America earlier this year to great critical success, stars Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones) and Haley Lu Richardson (The White Lotus) as secretaries at the American Embassy who become embroilled in covert CIA operations. It’s now available to stream on Sky and NOW.
Music
Paul McCartney: The Boys of Dungeon Lane
When: 29 May
Legendary Beatle Paul McCartney is back with his 18th solo album, an introspective mix of pop and rock that explores his childhood memories and relationships – in particular, those with former bandmates George Harrison and John Lennon. Ahead of Sam Mendes’ Beatles biopic coming out in 2028, it’s a raw and intimate insight into the true, and lesser-known experiences of McCartney and the band before they skyrocketed to fame.
Bonus highlight: Popular American indie artist Greg Mendez is releasing his 13th album (yes, 13th!) on 29 May, titled ‘Beauty Land’.