Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery

Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery allows you and the family to experience over 650 million years of Shropshire's rich history. The museum houses Stop.

Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery is owned and operated by Shropshire Council. Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery is located in the 19th century Music Hall and 13th century Vaughan's Mansion, a Grade II* listed medieval merchant's house in the heart of the town. There are five permanent galleries of Shrewsbury and Shropshire history: Roman, Medieval, Tudor, Stuart and Shropshire Gallery and two galleri

es for temporary exhibitions. Cafe, a Visitor Information Centre and a Museum Shop where tickets for our popular Guided Tours and Events can be purchased from. The shop also offers a wide variety of gifts from the Shropshire county. The Museum is accessible throughout the building.

One of the things that our curators love doing is sharing the stories that make our collections special. This week they...
16/06/2026

One of the things that our curators love doing is sharing the stories that make our collections special.

This week they have been busy talking to a whole range of people.

On Monday we were visited by a couple of Caughley enthusiasts and collectors from the USA who were visiting Shropshire.

A special behind the scenes tour allowed them to see the whole collection and find out more about Thomas Caughley and his Salopian China Manufactory. For them this was a once in a lifetime opportunity to see some rare and unique pieces.

On Wednesday the metal detectorist who found Shropshire Sun Pendant, visited the Collections Centre and found out about what we have learnt from studying his finds and how they relate to other discoveries made over recent years.

On Thursday two history students from Shrewsbury College came to produce a short film about the Norman Conquest and its impact on the County. We looked at Saxon, Viking and Norman objects and discussed what they tell us about that period.

And finally after a much-needed quick cup of tea, it was on to talking about the Romans with BBC Radio Shropshire.

Looking for something a little different to do as a family this summer? đŸŒ±Explore the fascinating link between people, pl...
16/06/2026

Looking for something a little different to do as a family this summer? đŸŒ±

Explore the fascinating link between people, plants and the past in this gentle, hands-on workshop led by archaeologist Natasha Harlow.

From early hunter-gatherers to modern plant-based medicine, you’ll uncover stories hidden in nature — and even learn to make your own plant-fibre string!

📅 Saturday 18 July | 1.30–3.30pm
🎟 £15 | Ages 11+
đŸŽ« Tickets must be booked in advance.

A brilliant way to learn, create, and spend time together.

For details and to book check out https://orlo.uk/YNe62

#

This is the last week of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Exhibition, on loan from the Natural History Museum, Lond...
15/06/2026

This is the last week of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Exhibition, on loan from the Natural History Museum, London.

Make sure you visit before it closes on Saturday 20th June. Tickets can be purchased on arrival.

In this image Ralph Pace (USA) finds himself in the middle of a mass or ‘smack’ of Pacific sea nettles.

To try to protect himself from stings while taking this photograph, Ralph smeared petroleum jelly on any skin not covered by his wetsuit.

The trailing tentacles can deliver a painful sting. Ralph says this feels more like that of a bee than a nettle.

Jellyfish are appearing in larger numbers because they’re highly adaptable to warming seas.

Some biologists think that more frequent smacks are a sign of rising ocean temperatures. Overfishing is another factor because it removes predators and competitors.

Thanks to the Wildlife Photographer of the Year for all their support.

.

As the summer weather warms up our air-conditioned stores at the Museum's Collections Centre in Ludlow are the ideal pl...
14/06/2026

As the summer weather warms up our air-conditioned stores at the Museum's Collections Centre in Ludlow are the ideal place to work.

The curators have been very tempted to fire up our ‘blizzard’ ice cream maker whilst there.

Dating from the early twentieth century, this hand-cranked ice cream maker was used as a teaching aid at the Shropshire Technical School for Girls.

Later known as Radbrook College, the school provided training in domestic and farming duties to prepare girls for a career is service.

Many went on to work at local country estates and stately homes.

Being able to prepare an elaborate dinner party menu from scratch was just one of many skills the college’s curriculum covered.

This is your last chance to see the exhibition at Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery that celebrates the remarkable civic b...
14/06/2026

This is your last chance to see the exhibition at Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery that celebrates the remarkable civic buildings that have shaped local government in Shropshire for centuries.

On display until 17 June, the exhibition traces the evolution of civic architecture from Shrewsbury’s Norman castle, through medieval guildhalls and subsequent Georgian, 19th century and modern civic buildings.

The exhibition has been created in collaboration with Shrewsbury Civic Society and uses images, film, and museum objects to reveal more about Shrewsbury's civic architecture.

The exhibition is open Tuesday - Saturday, (closed Sunday and Monday) 10am- 4 pm.

Admission is free and donations welcome to support our work.

With just over a week to go before the Willife Photographer of the Year Exhibition, on loan from the Natural History Mus...
12/06/2026

With just over a week to go before the Willife Photographer of the Year Exhibition, on loan from the Natural History Museum, London closes, make sure you head to Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery to check it out.

You can see this arresting image by Marina Cano that shows the brutal nature of how the world’s fastest land predator learns its survival skills.

Three young cheetah cubs had been practising how to hunt in Samburu National Reserve, Kenya, when one of them caught an unfortunate dik-dik antelope. Not long after Marina took this image, the little animal was quickly dispatched by the siblings.

Thanks to the Wildlife Photographer of the Year for all their help with the exhibition

The museum is open Tuesday - Saturday 10a,-4pm. Tickets can be purchased on arrival.

This exhibition explores the history of Shrewsbury's civic building and features artistic responses to the former Shireh...
12/06/2026

This exhibition explores the history of Shrewsbury's civic building and features artistic responses to the former Shirehall at Abbey Foregate.

In collaboration with Shrewsbury Civic Society, artists have captured the building in watercolour, acrylic, photography, and pen and ink – offering fresh, personal perspectives on a familiar civic space.

Discover it now at Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery.

🕙 Open Tuesday–Saturday, 10am–4pm (closed Sunday & Monday)
đŸŽŸïž Free admission – donations welcome to support our work

For more details check out https://orlo.uk/s13Vj

From morning coffee, brunch or an afternoon treat, the Museum Café is a lovely place to meet family and friends.With it...
11/06/2026

From morning coffee, brunch or an afternoon treat, the Museum Café is a lovely place to meet family and friends.

With its welcoming, safe‑space feel, room for families, and seating indoors and out, it’s ideal for enjoying brunch dishes, freshly brewed coffee and homemade cakes — right in the heart of the museum.

See you soon.

It's difficult to say whether the language of the fan stands up to academic research or is more romantic myth popularise...
10/06/2026

It's difficult to say whether the language of the fan stands up to academic research or is more romantic myth popularised by costume dramas.

Its been suggested that in 18th- and 19th-century fans were far more than elegant accessories, as they became tools of subtle, non-verbal communication.

At formal gatherings, where direct conversation—especially about romance—was often restricted, gestures with a fan could hint at feelings or intentions.

A fan drawn lightly across the cheek might signal affection, while a particular flick or placement could suggest interest, refusal, or even a request to meet again.

However, historians tend to approach this “language of the fan” with a degree of caution.

While some movements and gestures were likely understood in context, the idea of a fully standardised, widely used code is probably more myth than reality.

Whatever the truth the fan remains a fascinating glimpse into how people—especially women—found creative ways to express themselves within the boundaries of their time.

Here are some fine examples from our collection that include some lovely examples including a Japanese woodblock printed fans , Chinese Ivory fans, and a whole array of fancy fans- including one with a mirror on the frame.

Looking for something inspiring to see this week?The Wildlife Photographer of the Year is on display until 20th June at ...
09/06/2026

Looking for something inspiring to see this week?

The Wildlife Photographer of the Year is on display until 20th June at Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery,

This stunning exhibition, on loan from the Natural History Museum, London is filled with remarkable wildlife photography from around the world, and tickets can be purchased on the day from the Museum Shop.

In this image Kesshav Vikram (India) expresses the character of the remote wilderness of the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia’s Far East.

Kesshav waited days for this image to come together.

A brown bear strolled along the shore of Kurile Lake as the Iliinsky volcano emerged from the clouds.

A slaty-backed gull flew past, aligned with the volcano’s summit.

Bears are generally solitary, but this one was heading to feast with others on the sockeye salmon migrating upriver to their origin lake to spawn.

Kurile is a caldera lake, formed in the crater made by a volcanic eruption. It’s the largest sockeye salmon spawning ground in Eurasia.

Thanks to Wildlife Photographer of the Year for all their help with the exhibition

Address

The Square
Shrewsbury
SY11LH

Telephone

+441743258885

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Museum

Send a message to Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery:

Shortcuts

Share

Category