To mark distinguished physicist and cosmologist Professor Stephen Hawking’s 70th birthday, the Science Museum has opened a new display in his honour. Fittingly situated in the Exploring Space section of the Science Museum’s ground floor, the display looks to celebrate not only Hawking’s birthday, but also ‘his life and achievements’.

While The London Insider is normally focused on the more social aspects of London, sometimes it’s worth highlighting some of the more serious events that happen here. A talk earlier this week by the Governor of the Bank of Japan, Masaaki Shirakawa, at the London School of Economics was very relevant to one of the most important issues affecting the UK right now – the credit crunch.

After a unseasonably warm December and a so far pretty decent January, any dreams of a snowy or icy winter in London is quickly fading away. However, for two days, the magic of ice sculptures will be at Canary Wharf, at the 3rd annual Ice Sculpting Festival in London.

I finally stopped procrastinating and went for a Secret Cinema event. I know its taken me a while, but when I first heard about it all those months ago, it looked as though it might be one of those fads that stayed for a couple of months, and then moved on.

Situated in the depths of Soho, Frith Street, Ronnie Scotts Jazz Club has been a firm fixture of London’s Jazz scene for fifty years. Boasting jazz legends such as Miles Davis, Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone as part of its long list of past performers, this soft-lit, intimate venue is a must for jazz fans and a good night out for everyone else.

Having visited the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition for the past two years, I had high expectations for this year’s feature of the top wildlife photographs of the year – and it did not disappoint!

The O2 Arena is known for its big acts, like Green Day and Placido Domingo (and what would have been one of Michael Jackson’s mammoth residency). But in keeping with these austere times and the spirit of Christmas, they’re launching a month of free gigs and shows.

Its been some time since the Occupy London protesters have been at St Paul’s Cathedral, but what have they really achieved? And what about the damage they have wrought, directly and indirectly? Is it time for them to head home and concede this round?

Regent Street will be traffic-free for a display of over 300 iconic cars representing pioneering motoring achievements across the 19th, 20th and 21st Centuries.

Two bleeding heart liberals are put to the test in this titillating and penetrating play about what happens when members of society’s margins take camp in a middle class couple’s back yard. NIMBY, a production by Gravel Theatre and Make & Bake, is on at the Old Red Lion Theatre until 25 June.