Special exhibitions

We display a number of special exhibitions and displays each year.

Current exhibition

Sir Joshua Reynolds: The Acquisition of Genius is the most significant exhibition held here for some 15 years and highlights the local, regional, national and international importance of this celebrated portrait artist, who was born in Plympton and went on to become the first ever president of the Royal Academy. The exhibition will run until the end of 20 February 2010. Why not visit our flickr site to see images of the installation, launch and more?

Commissions and craft

Come in and see 'Labelled' - our current contemporary art commission by leading artist, Dail Behennah. Visit our Labelled page to find out more about this exciting new piece of work. From 21 November 2009 to 24 April 2010 we also have a crafts showcase by south west potter, Douglas Fitch on display in one of our foyer cases.

Future exhibitions

Once our major Reynolds exhibition is over we have a number of other exciting exhibitions coming up! Here's a summary of what lies ahead.

Sir John St. Aubyn - The Secret Life of a Collector
13 March to 8 May 2010
An exhibition looking at the mineral and pressed plant collections and life of colourful 18th century natural history enthusiast, Sir John St. Aubyn.

River: Kurt Jackson
27 March to 10 July 2010
A selection of paintings, sketchbooks and film footage from projects inspired by rivers that Cornwall-based artist, Kurt Jackson has completed over the last ten years - from the Liffey in Ireland to the Tamar here in the south west.

A Discipline of the Mind: The Drawings of Wilhelmina Barns-Graham
22 May to 10 July 2010
A selection of 20th century drawings inspired by the landscapes of Cornwall, Scotland, Italy, Switzerland and Lanzarote by Wilhelmina Barns-Graham - a member of the Newlyn Society of Artists and the St Ives Society of Artists during the 1940s.

Japanese Sashiko Textiles
31 July to 25 September 2010
A touring show investigating two major aspects of the ancient Japanese art of sashiko - the previously unrecorded lives of the women who made and wore it and the talismanic qualities associated with the garments throughout history. This show is supported by the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation, Arts Council Yorkshire and Renaissance Yorkshire. It is currently on display at York Art Gallery. Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery is the only south west venue on the national tour.

Century
23 October 2010 to 29 January 2011
An exhibition celebrating 100 years of Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery, which opened on 25 October 1910! The show will feature well-known and lesser-known objects from our collections including many that have been specially selected by groups and individuals connected with the Museum.

Taking Time: Craft and the Slow Revolution
12 February to 9 April 2011
A touring show from Craftspace, curated with Helen Carnac. This exhibition features work by 19 international artists, designers and makers. It considers how contemporary craft making practices embrace similar values and philosophies to those supported by the Slow Movement - a cultural revolution against the notion that faster is always better, where quality is better than quantity and minutes and hours are savoured rather than counted. The exhibition aims to show that contemporary craft practice and its methods can generate a modern and timely response to current social debates. The show is currently on display at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery and there are a number of online channels currently available for you to connect and get involved with. Visit the blog, twitter, tweave and flickr sites now. Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery is the only south west venue on the national tour for this exhibition, which will also travel to Scotland and Northern Ireland.

If you are making a special trip to visit an exhibition or display we strongly advise that you telephone in advance to double check arrangements.

Why not sign up for our e-bulletin to receive information and reminders about our future exhibition programme?