LONDON, Sept. 24 (People's Daily Online)-- London's most well-known cultural institutions are undertaking the capital's exceptional autumn season, as forecasts show over two million tourists are expected to visit a collection of blockbuster exhibitions and events taking place throughout London.

Culture remains the leading driver for tourists, with eight out of ten citing it as the main reason they visit the capital. The blockbuster autumn season includes the largest exhibition of British First World War art for almost 100 years at the Imperial War Museum; a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to explore the passion and innovation of Rembrandt's influential late works at the National Gallery; and a major exhibition offering a new interpretation of one of Britain’s best-loved artists, John Constable, at the Victoria and Albert Museum.

The stellar line-up of shows and exhibitions taking place in the autumn includes Turner at Tate Britain, Anselm Kiefer at the Royal Academy and Ming: 50 years that changed China, a major exhibition covering the Ming Dynasty reign at the British Museum featuring some of the most beautiful objects and paintings ever made in China. In “The man who never lived and who will never die”, the Museum of London will invite visitors to delve into the mind of Sherlock Holmes, the world’s most famous fictional detective, and the museum will recreate the atmosphere of Sherlock’s London through film, photographs and original artefacts.

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: “This autumn's outstanding programme of exhibitions, plays and shows is another great reason to put London at the top of your list of places to visit. Throughout the year, the capital offers an unbeatable variety of arts and culture, attracting people in their millions from around the world. It is a fabulous success story, which we want to build on, and we are developing a plan aimed at maximising the potential of the full range of cultural activity to be found throughout our city.”

Dr Nicholas Penny, Director of the National Gallery, said: “London’s cultural offering this autumn is world class and I expect to see even more than usual visitors as a result. The National Gallery receives 6 million visitors each year. This autumn, the National Gallery presents a once-in-a-lifetime exhibition, Rembrandt: The Late Works – this is the first ever in-depth exploration of Rembrandt’s final years of painting – and it is sure to be a huge draw for visitors from across the globe.”

London & Partners CEO Gordon Innes said: “Overseas visitors to our cultural institutions generate an estimated £4 billion annually to London’s economy. As the most visited city on earth, London’s phenomenal global success continues to see record tourism figures.”