Bristol Museum and Art Gallery
Bristol Museum and Art Gallery
Queen's Road
Bristol
City of Bristol
BS8 1RL
England
Website
General enquiries
Telephone
0117 922 3571
Fax
0117 922 2047
Bristol’s premier museum and art gallery houses important collections of minerals and fossils, natural history, eastern art, world wildlife, Egyptology, archaeology and fine and applied art.
Venue Type:
Museum, Gallery
Additional info
For a reminder of your visit, the Museum shop contains award-winning merchandise, including reproduction prints from the Art Gallery's collections, greetings cards, a wide range of books for all ages and interests, unusual gifts and Bristol-branded gifts to name just a few. To view the stock and for more information, visit the Museum Shop web page.
The Geology, Applied Art and Eastern Art collections at Bristol's City Museum & Art Gallery are Designated Collections of national importance.
Among the Designated applied art collections with a strong Bristol connection are important collections of delftware and glass. Also designated are Bristol's geology collections and fine and applied arts from the Far East, including the celebrated Schiller Collection.
Part of Bristol Museums’ Designated Collections related to Bristol’s role as a manufacturing city and major seaport is on display here. Other parts of these collections can be seen at Georgian House, Red Lodge, and Blaise Castle House Museum. Please contact Bristol Museums for more information if you wish to see a specific item.
At Bristol's City Museum & Art Gallery there is a choice of galleries situated upstairs full of artworks: Old Masters, French School, British Collection, Modern Art and the Bristol School.
Alongside in the adjoining galleries, the decorative arts collections can be found: Eastern Art, Ceramics, Silverware and Glassware. On the lower floors - a fine collection of glittering minerals, ancient fossils and a large archaeology gallery showing the South West's geographic formation. Close by is the World Wildlife Gallery containing many examples of endangered or extinct animals, including the much-loved Alfred the Gorilla.
The popular Egyptology gallery contains real mummies besides other items and situated next door is the hugely impressive wall decoration made over 3,000 years ago - the Assyrian Reliefs. A natural history gallery contains examples of aquatic habitats in the south west of England and an interactive map of local wildlife sites and a freshwater aquarium containing fish typical of the region. Throughout the Museum and Art Gallery material from other countries can be seen, including pottery and clothing.
Collection details
Science and Technology, Religion, Photography, Natural Sciences, Fine Art, Decorative and Applied Art, Costume and Textiles, Coins and Medals, Aviation, Archaeology
Key artists and exhibits
- Old Masters, French School, British Collection, Modern Art and the Bristol School
- Eastern Art, Ceramics, Silverware and Glassware
- Archaelogy / fossils
- Egyptology / mummies
- Assyrian Reliefs
- Pottery and clothing
- Natural history
- Endangered or extinct animals, including the much-loved Alfred the Gorilla
- Designated Collection
Return from the Underworld: The Orpheus Mosaic from Newton St Loe
- 3 August 2013 — 21 April 2014 *on now
Discover the Orpheus Mosaic from Newton St Loe, one of the museum's largest Roman objects. This is only the second time it has been on public show in more than 150 years.
The Orpheus mosaic was discovered in a Roman Villa at Newton St. Loe during the construction of the Bristol to Bath section of Brunel’s Great Western Railway in 1837. Several mosaic floors were found including this one, which illustrates the story of Orpheus, a mythical poet and musician, charming a circle of wild animals.
Roman mosaic floor designs which show Orpheus within a circle of animals are only found in Britain. The floor from Newton St. Loe is one of only nine ever to have been identified and may be the earliest, dating to between the late AD 200s and early AD 300s. The sense of movement achieved in the animals and the elaborate colouring of the figure of Orpheus is unparalleled.
The mosaic will be located in the Balcony Gallery on the first floor.
Suitable for
- Family friendly
Website
http://www.bristol.gov.uk/page/leisure-and-culture/return-underworld-orpheus-mosaic-newton-st-loe
Jeremy Deller - English Magic
- 12 April — 21 September 2014
English Magic reflects Deller’s interest in the diverse nature of British society and its broad cultural, socio-political and economic history.
Suitable for
- Any age
Admission
Suggested Donation £2
Website
http://www.bristol.gov.uk/page/leisure-and-culture/exhibitions-bristols-museums
Family explorer kits
- 20 December 2013 — 12 April 2014 *on now
Discover the museums afresh with our photo trail using binoculars, magnifying glasses and more…
Suitable for
- Especially for children
- Family friendly
Admission
Family explorer kits available to hire from museum shops £2 plus £8 refundable deposit
Museum Parties!
- 20 December 2013 — 12 April 2014 *on now
Have a party with a difference at Bristol Museum & Art Gallery or M Shed.
A range of party themes on offer, from Dinosaurs to Ships and Sailors!
Suitable for 6 –12 years.
Suitable for
- Family friendly
- Especially for children
Website
http://mshed.org/whats-on/museum-birthday-parties/
An Introduction To Archaeological Illustration And Photography
- 17 March 2014 10:30am-4:30pm
Discover how archaeologists photograph and illustrate the finds uncovered during fieldwork. Learn the basic principles in artefact photography and how to illustrate an object following archaeological conventions before using your new skills to record objects from the museum collections.
Admission
£35.00
Places are limited to 16. Book early to ensure your place. To book your place please call Bristol Museum on 0117 9223650 (any day, between 10-4). Payment over the phone requires a debit or credit card (not American Express).
Website
Henri Matisse. Speaker: Linda Bolton
- 24 March 2014 7-9pm
Linda Bolton from the National Gallery explores the work of Henri Matisse a leading figure of modern art and one of the most significant colourists of all time. Lecture organised by the Friends of Bristol Art Gallery.
Places must be booked in advance on 0117 922 3571 or email general.museum@bristol.gov.uk. Lectures cost £3 per person, payable on the night.
Admission
Lectures cost £3 per person, payable on the night.
Places must be booked in advance on 0117 922 3571 or email general.museum@bristol.gov.uk.
Fingertip Explorers
- 14 March — 14 April 2014
- 10 April 2014 10am-1pm
Touch but don’t look! Can you detect the mystery object without peeping? An intriguing game of touch bringing history to life.
Suitable for
- Family friendly
Admission
Suggested Donation £2
Spring to Life!
- 7 April 2014 10am-1pm
Our curators will be on hand to help you identify all things buzzing this spring. Join us for a mini bug hunt too, weather permitting!
Suitable for
- Family friendly
- Any age
Admission
Suggested donation £2.00.
Discover Papua New Guinea
- 8 April 2014 10am-1pm
Make your own feather finery and explore the museum’s collections of objects from Papua New Guinea, including a visit to our stores.
Suitable for
- Family friendly
Admission
Suggested Donation.
Museum magic
- 15 April 2014 10am-4pm
Enter the museum of trickery and illusion. Discover magical collections from around the world, storytelling and craft activities. Meet Stuart Nolan, Watershed’s Magician in Residence and IdeoBird, a magical, mindreading creature.
Suitable for
- Family friendly
- Especially for children
Admission
Suggested donation £2
Website
http://www.bristol.gov.uk/page/leisure-and-culture/jeremy-deller-english-magic-exhibition
Let’s Tesselate!
- 16 April 2014 10am-2pm
Help create a giant mosaic picture based on our Roman Orpheus Mosaic from Newton St Loe and then make a mini mosaic to take home.
Suitable for
- Family friendly
Admission
Suggested Donation £2
Museums at Night Dance-a-thon
- 17 May 2014 3-8pm
Museums at Night gets musical with a family-friendly dance-a-thon. Join the disco with a difference with retro tunes, lights and musical games, inspired by Jeremy Deller's love of music. Organised with Mayfest and Qu Junktions . The event accompanies the museum's latest exhibition, Jeremy Deller: English Magic.
Suitable for
- Family friendly
- Any age
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