From historical monuments, top museums and royal gardens to the world's biggest festival of the arts, modern galleries and buzzing festivals, there is lots to do and see in the UK.

Here is our guide to the major events and exhibitions being held in the UK over the coming months:

February

Exhibitions

• Small Stories: At Home in a Dolls' House: enjoy an exhibition of 12 doll's houses at the Victoria and Albert Museum of Childhood in London until 6 September 2015.
• Ancient Lives, New Discoveries: find out the secrets of eight mummies at the British Museum until 19 April 2015.
• Sherlock Holmes: The Man Who Never Lived and Will Never Die: find out more about the famous London detective and see costumes from Sherlock and more at the Museum of London until 12 April 2015.
• Churchill's Scientists: see how science helped in World War II with the invention of the radar and much more at the Science Museum in London until 1 March 2016.
• Breakthrough: Crossrail's Tunnelling Story: a new railway line is being built under London, linking 40 rail stations. Find out how it is being done at the London Transport Museum until 30 August 2015.

Events

• Pancake Day: is a very old celebration on 17 February. People make pancakes, usually to eat, but some people make pancakes to take part in special races. They run with a frying pan in one hand and have to turn the pancake in the air and catch it again.
• St Valentine's Day: if you are in the UK on 14 February you will see lots of hearts, flower and cards about love for sale. This is a day when people send cards to tell people they love them. Sometimes senders don't sign the cards to keep their love a secret.
• Chinese New Year: look out for celebrations on and after 19 February in London, Manchester and Newcastle. London's events take place in the Chinatown area with a small celebration on the evening of 21 February and a major parade on 22 February.

March

Exhibitions

• Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty: find out more about the famous fashion designer's work at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London from 14 March to 19 July 2015.
• Inventing Impressionism: a touring show about the man who made the impressionism (a 19 century style of art) popular, at the National Gallery in London from 4 March – 31 May 2015.
• Defining Beauty: the body in ancient Greek art: see fantastic ancient Greek art focusing on the body from 26 March to 5 July 2015 at the British Museum, London.
• What is luxury?: find out at the Victoria and Albert museum in London, with fantastic dresses, watches and more. From 26 March to 27 September.

• Small Stories: At Home in a Dolls' House
• Ancient Lives, New Discoveries
• Sherlock Holmes: The Man Who Never Lived and Will Never Die
• Churchill's Scientists
• Breakthrough: Crossrail's Tunnelling Story

Festivals

• Holi: this Hindu festival of spring is celebrated in London and other UK cities. You'll see people on the streets throwing coloured water and paint.
• Mother's Day: is a day to celebrate mothers. If you are in the UK you will see plenty of special cards, flowers and gifts on sale, and lots of mothers being taken out for lunch on Sunday 15 March.
• St David's Day: celebrates the patron saint of Wales on 1 March. It is mostly celebrated in Wales and London. In Wales, there are celebrations and a parade in Cardiff.
• Bangor Music Festival 2015: hear cutting edge new music at this event in Bangor, a university city in North Wales, 4 - 8 March 2015.
• St Patrick's Day: celebrates Ireland and its patron saint. Many pubs hold parties, but there is a major parade and festival in London on 15 March, including a showcase of Irish culture and particularly dance in Trafalgar square from 12:00 until 18:00

Events

• Crufts: find out how mad the British are about dogs at this annual four-day dog show. Crufts is held at the NEC Arena in Birmingham from 5 - 8 March, with the Best in Show final on the final evening.
• Comic Relief: a major UK fundraising event which encourages people to raise money for charity. It involves sports, comedy and TV stars as well. The main event with a big live TV show happens on 13 March.
• Sci-fi Weekender: movies, comic workshops, video gaming and more in sea-side town Pwllheli in North Wales from 19 March - 22 March.

Sport

• Six Nations Rugby: this annual rugby competition will be played between 6 February and 21 March at various venues and will be shown on UK television. Many people gather in pubs and bars to watch the games.
• Rally North Wales: an exciting car rally in Dolgellau on 28 March.

 
April

Exhibitions

• Indigenous Australia, enduring civilisation: one of the world's oldest cultures is on show at this exhibition about Aboriginal people and Torres Straits Islanders at the British Museum in London, 23 April - 2 August 2015.
• Defining Beauty: the body in ancient Greek art: see fantastic Greek art focusing on the body from 26 March to 5 July 2015.

• Small Stories: At Home in a Dolls' House
• Ancient Lives, New Discoveries
• Sherlock Holmes: The Man Who Never Lived and Will Never Die
• Churchill's Scientists
• Breakthrough: Crossrail's Tunnelling Story
• Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty
• What is luxury?

Events

• Easter: Friday 3 April (Good Friday) and Monday 6 April (Easter Monday) are public holidays in most of the UK. As well as being a Christian church festival, the weekend has an association with spring and chocolate, so expect lots of Easter egg hunts and other events. Find out what is happening in London, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
• Edinburgh International Science Festival: enjoy bangs, pops and a huge variety of science events in Edinburgh from 4 - 18 April.
• Royal Horticultural Society Show Cardiff: a two-day festival of plants and flowers close to the capital and largest city in Wales. The show takes place in the city's historic castle from 17 – 19 April.
• FOCUS Wales: see new Welsh music and comedy in Wrexham from 22 – 25 April.
• Harrogate Flower Show: often described as the best flower show in Europe, this Yorkshire event is famous for its daffodils and tulips as well as fantastic flower arranging. It takes place in the beautiful old city from 23 – 26 April.

Sports

• The Crabbie's Grand National: probably the UK's most famous horse race. Lots of people like to bet on the Grand National and watch it on television. It includes 30 of the most challenging fences in racing and amateur jockeys can take part. The race takes place over three days from 9 – 11 April.
• The Boat Race: this famous race on the Thames between teams from Oxford and Cambridge Universities is free to watch from the riverbank. This year, the men's and women's races are on the same afternoon. The course runs between Putney and Mortlake and begins at 18:00 on 11 April.
• The Virgin Money London Marathon: it is worth finding a space on the route of this annual event to see the mixture of professionals, amateurs and people running in strange costumes to raise money for charity on 26 April.
• UCI BMX Supercross World Cup: this year the races will be held on indoor tracks in Manchester at the National Cycling Centre's BMX Track on 18 and 19 April.

Coming up

• Shoes, pleasure and pain: an exhibition at the Victoria & Albert Museum from June