Welcome to Worcester City Art Gallery and Museum
The Art Gallery and Museum is getting even better! Work is taking place from 2024 to 2027 to improve visitor facilities, introduce new displays and create brand-new galleries for the permanent collection.
Find out more about what’s in store and how this may affect your visit.
UPDATE Wednesday 19 March: the lift is now back in action, accessible from Taylor’s Lane.
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 2025
Saturday 11 January – Sunday 30 March 2025
Pop art pioneer, Eduardo Paolozzi (1924–2005), created General Dynamic F.U.N, a series of fifty screenprints and photolithographs, between 1965 and 1970.
Paolozzi’s canny alchemy is vividly apparent in General Dynamic F.U.N. Idols and household names of consumer advertising, high fashion and Hollywood appear in these kaleidoscopic images.
Born in Scotland, Paolozzi was a compulsive collector and a jumbler of icons. A self-described ‘wizard in Toytown’, he transformed the mundane, the derelict, and the mass-produced into images that zap with electric eclecticism and impress with their graphic complexity.
This exhibition is free to visit; no booking is needed. Find out more.
Eduardo Paolozzi, An Empire of Silly Statistics… A Fake War for Public Relations, from General Dynamic F.U.N., 1970 © The Paolozzi Foundation/DACS London, 2025. A Hayward Gallery Touring exhibition from Southbank Centre, London.
Saturday 5 April – Sunday 29 June 2025
A sumptuous selection of artworks by the power couple of British Impressionism, Elizabeth and Stanhope Forbes.
The exhibition includes intricate portraits and landscapes to lose yourself in, many on loan from Penlee House Gallery & Museum and visiting Worcester for the first time. Also featured is the local favourite by Stanhope Forbes; Chadding on Mounts Bay.
Elizabeth Forbes achieved international recognition but soon became overshadowed by her male contemporaries. This exhibition aims to put these two outstanding artists on an equal footing and show the importance of both to the development of British Impressionism.
Exhibition admission
Tickets are required to visit this exhibition and advance booking is available online. There are a variety of ticket options to choose from. The rest of the Art Gallery and Museum is free to visit as usual.
Find out more and book tickets.
Saturday 5 July – Sunday 7 September
Were you team Blur or Oasis? Do you remember THAT scene in Trainspotting?
Take a trip back in time with more than 200 iconic objects and artworks bringing the 90s to life. Revisit the days of Cool Britannia and discover cultural treasures from the Spice Girls to Lara Croft, and Power Rangers to Pokémon.
Encounter the toys, video games, fashion, food, film – and of course the music – that defined this awesome decade. Guaranteed to be a talking point for the whole family.
Exhibition admission
Tickets are required to visit this exhibition and advance booking is available online. There are a variety of ticket options to choose from. The rest of the Art Gallery and Museum is free to visit as usual.
Find out more and book tickets.
Saturday 13 September 2025 – Sunday 4 January 2026
This unique exhibition brings together a stunning selection of Paul Kidby’s paintings and drawings of Discworld characters. Paul started working with Terry Pratchett in 1993, becoming the ‘artist of choice’ for the Discworld books. He designed the Discworld book jackets from 2002 until the final volume appeared in 2015, shortly after Sir Terry’s untimely death.
The exhibition includes colourful paintings, exquisite pencil drawings, and a rogue’s gallery of favourite characters including Rincewind, Twoflower, the Librarian, Tiffany Aching, the Wee Free Men, Nanny Ogg, Conina, Baron Saturday and Errol.
This is a touring exhibition from St Barbe Museum and Art Gallery.
Tickets for this exhibition will be available to purchase online later in 2025.
Spotlight Exhibitions 2025
Saturday 11 January – Sunday 30 March
The Worcestershire Conquest Hoard is one of the largest early Roman coin hoards ever found in Britain. It contains 1368 gold and silver coins, produced from the time of the Roman Republic (circa 509–27 BC) up to the reign of the emperor Nero (AD 54–68).
This temporary display is an exciting first look at the Hoard which Museums Worcestershire needs your help to keep in the county. The exhibition explores the context and significance of the coins in relation to this tumultuous period of British history.
This exhibition is free to visit; no booking is needed. Find out more.
Saturday 4 January – Sunday 8 June
This exhibition will explore the three main loves of renowned artist Henry Harris Lines: architecture, archaeology and landscapes.
Originally from Birmingham, Lines moved to Worcester in the mid-1830s to teach art and went on to explore areas in and around Worcestershire through different mediums including oils and watercolours, finding inspiration from the varied landscapes.
This exhibition is free to visit; no booking is needed. Find out more.
Saturday 14 June – Sunday 2 November 2025 | Worcester City Art Gallery and Museum
Jilly Oxlade-Arnott started her professional artistic career in Worcester, studying its abundant heritage.
Now an established international artist, this welcome return unveils new work depicting the city’s historic architecture.
She will be showing original artwork, limited edition prints and greeting cards.
This is a selling exhibition. All sales support the artist and the Art Gallery and Museum.
This exhibition is free to visit; no booking is needed. Find out more.
Image: Worcester Cathedral Aspect III, Jilly Oxlade-Arnott, © the artist.
Saturday 8 November – January 2026 | Worcester City Art Gallery and Museum
The Art Gallery and Museum has hosted 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 artist and the Art Gallery and Museum.
This exhibition is free to visit; no booking is needed. Find out more.
Image: The Last of Us, Jane Devereux, 2024, © the artist.
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!
March 2025
H. H. Lines: Architecture, Archaeology and Art
Eduardo Paolozzi: General Dynamic F.U.N.
The Worcestershire Conquest Hoard – on display
Family | Pop Art Trail
Where to find the museum
Get in touch
Address: Worcester City Art Gallery and Museum, Foregate Street, Worcester, WR1 1DT
Phone: 01905 25371
Enjoyed your visit? Leave us a review on TripAdvisor!