A major new art exhibition is opening later this month at The Wilson in Cheltenham, offering residents and visitors an opportunity to explore centuries of artistic history.
Titled The Art of Looking: from Dutch Masters to Modern Britain, the exhibition will be on display from 29 May 2026 until 3 January 2027. The showcase highlights the museum’s deep historical roots, drawing on a collection gifted to the town in 1898 by former Mayor and Liberal MP Baron de Ferrieres.
His donation of 43 paintings from Belgium and the Netherlands formed the foundation of the museum’s fine art collection, including works by renowned painters such as Jan Steen, Gerrit Dou, and Gabriel Metsu. The upcoming exhibition aims to connect these historic Dutch works with more recent British art.
Located on Clarence Street, the museum is managed by The Cheltenham Trust, a charity established in 2014 by Cheltenham Borough Council to look after the town’s cultural venues. The museum building itself was renamed in 2013 to honour Edward Wilson, the Cheltenham-born Antarctic explorer who died during a polar expedition in 1912.
In addition to its painting collections, the museum holds an internationally recognised Arts and Crafts collection, which features silver, ceramics, textiles, and furniture by designers inspired by William Morris. Admission to the museum remains free for all visitors.
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