Welcome to Worcester City Art Gallery and Museum
Please note that Little Al’s at the Balcony café is closed on Tuesday 6 and Wednesday 7 January for its annual maintenance, reopening on Thursday 8 January.
The Art Gallery and Museum’s shop is closed for refurbishment from Tuesday 6 to Thursday 8 January, reopening on Friday 9 January.
Permanent exhibition Your Worcester is open and free to visit while we prepare for the opening of the spring exhibition John Singer Sargent: an American in Worcestershire on Saturday 17 January.
Housed in an elegant Victorian building in the heart of Worcester, the Art Gallery and Museum is a warm and friendly place with exhibitions, events and activities for all the family to enjoy throughout the year.
Entry to the museum is free.
Opening times are Tuesday to Saturday, 10am – 4pm. Sundays, 10am – 3pm. Closed Mondays and bank holidays.
Plan your visit or keep scrolling to see what’s on.
Worcester’s fine art collection is especially rich in works by British Impressionist artists including Stanhope and Elizabeth Forbes and Dame Laura Knight. Where possible the works are included within temporary exhibitions. There are ambitions to have this outstanding collection on permanent display in a dedicated gallery in the future.
Meanwhile gorgeous landscapes by Worcester’s own Benjamin Williams Leader are on permanent display, vibrant prints from the collection can be seen on the balcony and other works can be found in the museum gallery.
Exhibition Highlights
Art Gallery Exhibitions 2026
Saturday 17 January – Sunday 14 June 2026
Showcasing the work of John Singer Sargent, one of the most celebrated portrait painters of his time, this exhibition explores his role within the Broadway colony of artists in Worcestershire. His summers spent in the county saw the American artist break free from the conventions of Salon-style studio painting to experiment with Impressionism and work ‘en plein air’, producing famed works such as Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose, painted in a Broadway garden.
The exhibition includes works not seen before in Worcester, with loans from Tate, British Museum, Ashmolean Museum and Houghton Hall.
The exhibition reflects the importance of the Broadway colony of artists on Worcestershire’s artistic heritage; the circle of avant-garde creatives included Frank Millet, William Morris, Lawrence and Laura Alma-Tadema and Edward Elgar.
John Singer Sargent was influenced both by traditional realism and by the growing spirit of Impressionism. He became most renowned as a portraitist, with a remarkable ability to capture the individual likeness and character of his sitters, many of whom were wealthy patrons on both sides of the Atlantic.
Over the course of his career, Sargent focused on society portraiture, impressionist landscapes of his travels, and, as an Official War Artist from 1918, the devastating effects of modern chemical warfare.
Open Tuesday – Saturday 10am – 4pm (last entry 3pm) and Sunday 10am – 3pm (last entry 2pm).
Exhibition admission
Tickets are required to visit this exhibition and you can book here. There are a variety of ticket options to choose from. You are welcome to pay in the shop when you arrive or call the Ticketsource box office to book your tickets: 0333 666 3366. The rest of the Art Gallery and Museum is free to visit as usual.
Find out more about the exhibition and admission.
Singer Sargent. Simplon – Mrs Barnard and her Daughter Dorothy. Photo by Birmingham Museums Trust.
Saturday 4 July – Sunday 6 September
Thunderbirds and friends are coming to Worcester!
Nostalgia for the 1960s has never been stronger than in this incredible display of original puppets, models, art and memorabilia from the much-loved 1960s TV shows of Gerry and Sylvia Anderson. Relive childhood favourites Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet, Joe 90, Stingray and more, with this unprecedented opportunity to see original puppets from the shows.
The exhibition is open Tuesday to Saturday, 10am–4pm, and Sunday, 10am–3pm. Last entry is one hour before closing.
Free entry. Plan your visit to Worcester City Art Gallery and Museum.
Saturday 12 September 2026 – Sunday 3 January 2027
An invitation to immerse yourself in the fluid beauty and immense power of water. Featuring works from Worcester City’s own collection as well as high profile loans from the National Gallery and works by contemporary artists, Reflections inspires the imagination and reminds us of our responsibility to protect the seas, rivers, streams and waterways that are vital for our future.
The exhibition is open Tuesday to Saturday, 10am – 4pm, and Sunday, 10am – 3pm. Last entry is one hour before closing.
Tickets are required for this exhibition and will be on sale in spring 2026. Plan your visit to Worcester City Art Gallery and Museum.
Blackbirds Singing to Me Across the Severn, 2004, Kurt Jackson © the artist.
Spotlight Exhibitions 2026
Saturday 24 January – Sunday 31 May 2026
This exhibition celebrates the work of David Birtwhistle, one of Worcester’s most respected artists. His paintings explore historic buildings and the landscapes around them. Each piece reflects his personal response to architecture and captures the character, beauty and gradual change of familiar places.
The exhibition is open Tuesday to Saturday, 10am – 4pm, and Sunday, 10am – 3pm. Last entry is one hour before closing.
Free entry. Plan your visit to Worcester City Art Gallery and Museum.
This is a selling exhibition. All sales support both the artist and the Art Gallery & Museum.
Severn Boats, David Birtwhistle © the artist.
Saturday 6 June – Sunday 1 November 2026
Celebrating Worcester’s collection of watercolours by David Cox, one of the West Midlands’ greatest painters. Cox is widely considered as one of Britain’s best watercolourists and has been named as a precursor to the impressionist movement.
The exhibition is open Tuesday to Saturday, 10am – 4pm, and Sunday, 10am – 3pm. Last entry is one hour before closing.
Free entry. Plan your visit to Worcester City Art Gallery and Museum.
Kenilworth Castle, 1867, David Cox © Worcester City Collection.
Saturday 7 November 2026 – Sunday 3 January 2027
The Art Gallery and Museum has hosted the Worcester Society of Artists annual exhibition ever since the Society was founded in 1947. Members come from a wide range of backgrounds with different levels of skills, experience and styles; some are lifelong artists while others have only recently come into art. The exhibition celebrates their shared passion for art, creativity and their support for fellow artists.
This is a selling exhibition, all sales support the artists and the Art Gallery and Museum.
The exhibition is open Tuesday to Saturday, 10am – 4pm, and Sunday, 10am – 3pm. Last entry is one hour before closing.
Free entry. Plan your visit to Worcester City Art Gallery and Museum.
Van with a View, Corfe Castle, Lisa Bridge © the artist.
Permanent Exhibitions and Displays
Permanently on display
Your Worcester features favourites from the museum collection together with new objects added to the collection by the community, all with a link to Worcester’s long and rich heritage.
Covering everything from the teeth of King John to Lea & Perrins, Worcester City Football Club, and the clothes of Windrush arrivals to the city, the exhibition is designed by the community, for the community.
Your Worcester is a Museums Worcestershire project funded by Arts Council England, with support from The Esmee Fairbairn Collections Fund.
This exhibition is free to visit; no booking is needed.
First Friday of the month, 11am – 3pm.
Step inside the fantastic Steward’s Chemist Shop at Worcester City Art Gallery and Museum and discover its history…
The display was set up after the closure of Steward’s Chemist Shop at 27 High Street, when the entire shop along with the fixtures and fittings were purchased in 1974 and transported to the museum to be redisplayed.
Over the years the display has been a particular favourite for many visitors to the museum, including many who remember visiting the shop at 27 High Street in its heyday.
You can also see the historic shop lamp donated by Malcolm Steward, who in 2018 approached the BBC TV programme The Repair Shop to reinstate the lamp’s former glory.
On the first Friday of every month, the chemist shop is open to visitors from 11am to 3pm (free to visit).
Take the High Dosage tour, 11am and 2pm on the first Friday of every month.
What secrets does the Victorian Chemist’s Shop hold? Come and find out! Talks are £4.50; book here.
You can also enjoy…
Events and activities
Have fun with family trails and exciting activities for children; enjoy Bite-size Talks to learn more about the collection and exhibitions; or pop in after work for themed cocktails and music at Museum After Hours events.
Find upcoming events in the calendar or drop by to chat to the team.
Little Al’s at the Balcony Café
Little Al’s at the Balcony is the lovely independent coffee shop situated within the splendid Victorian architecture of the building.
Enjoy homemade, ethically responsible and locally sourced food in the heart of Worcester.
Open Tuesday to Saturday from 10am – 3.30pm, and Sundays from 10am – 2.30pm.
The Gallery and Museum Shop
The gift shop is the perfect place to find unique and eco-friendly greeting cards, souvenirs inspired by exhibitions, and special gifts to treasure.
You can pick up art supplies too!
January 2026
Worcester Society of Artists | Annual Exhibition 2025
John Singer Sargent: an American in Worcestershire
Museum Detectives family trail
John Singer Sargent: an American in Worcestershire
Where to find the museum
Get in touch
Address: Worcester City Art Gallery and Museum, Foregate Street, Worcester, WR1 1DT
Phone: 01905 25371
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