Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery
Plymouth City Museum & Art Gallery
Drake Circus
Plymouth
Devon
PL4 8AJ
England
Website
Main Website
The Cottonian Collection
www.cottoniancollection.org.uk
Telephone
01752 304774
Fax
01752 304775
Calling all culture vultures, heritage hunters, curious kids, cash-strapped carers, searching students, restless retirees and anybody with even a passing interest in who we are and what we do.
Venue Type:
Museum
The Cottonian collection at Plymouth City Museum & Art Gallery is a Designated Collection of national importance.
The Designated Cottonian Collection was bequeathed to the city of Plymouth by William Cotton (1794 -1863) from whom it takes its name, but the collection was largely assembled during the 18th century by Charles Rogers (1711 - 1784). His connoisseurship, combined with an extensive network of contacts in the art world, resulted in a collection of some 20,000 prints, drawings and paintings, regarded by his contemporaries as one of the finest in England. A 30-day sale in 1799 reduced the collection by two thirds but, nevertheless, the collection inherited by Plymouth is of outstanding quality and provides rare insights into the history of printmaking.
The Cottonian Collection gallery features paintings by Reynolds, Kaufmann, Ruysdael, Laroon etc; works on paper by Altdorfer, Watteau, Guercino etc; furniture, figurines and prints.
Permanent galleries showcase items from World Cultures, Ancient Egypt, archaeology, maritime and local history, Natural History and Fine and Decorative Art collections.
Collection details
World Cultures, Social History, Photography, Personalities, Natural Sciences, Maritime, Land Transport, Fine Art, Decorative and Applied Art, Coins and Medals, Archaeology
Key artists and exhibits
- Joshua Reynolds - various
- A Kaufmann - Beauty Yielded Unto Love...
- E Burne-Jones - Venus Concordia
- Stanhope Forbes - The Fish Sale
- Patrick Heron - Rectilinear Reds & Blues
- Prunella Clough - Waiting
- Beryl Cook - Lockyer St Tavern
- J W Waterhouse - The Hamadryad
- J M W Turner - Kilchurn Castle
- J M W Turner - Plymouth from Mount Edgcumbe
- A Landini - Indecision
- H S Tuke - Taking a Spell
- J Olsson - The Sound...
- Newlyn Paintings
- Camden Town
- Maritime Paintings
- Exhibits may not always be out on permanent display. Please contact the Museum to check before paying us a visit if there is something you specifically wish to see.
- Designated Collection
The Making of a Modern City
Celebrate the 70th anniversary of Professor Sir Patrick Abercrombie and James Paton-Watson's 'Plan for Plymouth' - an ambitious scheme designed to raise the city out of the rubble of the Blitz. Plymouth's city centre and a number of its suburbs were virtually destroyed by incendiary bombs during World War II. Abercrombie and Paton-Watson's designs set the tone for a modern city, with clearly defined communities filled with churches, schools, community centres and houses, alongside well-preserved historic areas such as the Barbican. This exhibition delves into the archives to reveal documents, plans and images that record the people, politics and places that shaped the Plymouth we know today. Regardless of whether you're from Plymouth or not, 'The Making of a Modern City' will give you a sense of pride in the resilience of a place that had the ambition to completely rebuild itself, and expand far beyond its pre-war boundaries, in a remarkably short period of time.
Admission
Free
The Making of a Modern City
Delving into the archive collections for this exhibition to reveal previously unseen documents, plans and images that record the people, politics and places that shaped the city we know today
Suitable for
- Family friendly
Stories from the Stores
See a real store recreated in our gallery as we carry out the largest review of our social history collection we&rsquo
ve ever done. The collection includes a wide variety of items relating to peoples daily lives and features over 5,000 objects, ranging from fragments of buildings, televisions, radios, gas cookers to marbles and make up. On certain days youll be able to see our curators and conservators at work in the exhibition space. There will also be a number of opportunities for you to get involved. Come in and look at the objects we care for, write your own labels for them and give us your opinions on what you think we should be collecting. The 'Stories from the Stores' exhibition is part of a much larger project supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund, Arts Council England and Plymouth City Council. The project includes an audit and review of our social history collection, improved documentation and storage and the creation of new resources for education and community outreach work.
Admission
Free
Stories from the Stores
See a real store in the gallery as it undertakes the largest review of its social history collections ever carried out
Suitable for
- Any age
Women in Art
See an impressive selection of works from our permanent art collections that either portray or were created by women. This exhibition spans Renaissance times to the modern day. It features muses, models, portraits and 20th century ceramics. Artists on display include John Waterhouse, Beryl Cook, Prunella Clough and Rose Hilton. Ceramics by Clarice Clift, Dorothy Doughty and Lucie Rie plus a newly conserved panel painting, believed to be a portrait of Elizabeth I, are also on show. A recent revamp of this exhibition has also seen new works by Elizabeth Forbes, Anya Gallacio and Kate Nicholson and Age of Innocence after Sir Joshua Reynolds go on display. The exhibition is dedicated to the memory of one of our favourite women in art the Museum's late Keeper of Art, Maureen Attrill who sadly passed away in February 2011 and who is much missed.
Admission
Free
Ancient Egypt
Learn about Life and Death in a civilisation that lasted for more than 3,000 years
Suitable for
- Any age
Bringing the World to Plymouth
View a fascinating range of objects from living cultures in Asia, Africa and Oceania
Suitable for
- Any age
Explore Nature
Packed full of specimens from the natural history collections
Suitable for
- Any age
Plymouth: Port and Place
Discover how the sea, military and centuries of conflict have shaped Plymouth
Suitable for
- Any age
The China Connection
Discover the story of porcelain from its origins in China to the groundbreaking work of Plymouth man, William Cookworthy in the UK and see examples from the Far East, Europe and UK
Suitable for
- Any age
Uncovered
Look at how archaeology can open a window on the past in order to help us understand our present
Suitable for
- Any age
Atrium Gallery
A range of items from the large and significant decorative art collection, which includes examples of Plymouth and Bristol Porcelain
Suitable for
- Any age
Adventures in Music: Indian Inspiration with Arun Ghosh
Enjoy an interactive concert led by British-Asian clarinettist Arun Ghosh, joined by Nilesh Gulhane on tabla, a type of Indian drum. This one-off performance makes connections between West Country folk music, Indian music and jazz, and will even feature a new piece of music composed especially for the event.
Expect meditative peaceful songs through to exciting rushing free-wheeling improvisations, plus well known sing-along classics and some unexpected covers. As with all events in the series, there will be audience participation including singing, clapping, and even the chance to join in with a group improvisation. The event will be a great introduction to Indian Raags (melodies) and Taals (rhythms). Bring along your own small toy instruments or use those provided to join in with the group improvisation.
Tickets are £4.50 per adult, and £3 for each child. Tickets are available online from the We Got Tickets website. They are also available to purchase from the Museum Welcome Desk by cash or a cheque made payable to ‘Plymouth City Council’. Our workshops often get booked up very quickly so please don’t delay if you want to make sure you’ve got a place! We regret that we’re unable to accept cheques for less than £10 or any card payments. All children must be accompanied by a responsible, paying adult. Please note that tickets are non-refundable
This event is part of the Adventures in Music series, which is supported by PRS for Music Foundation’s New Music Plus…UK.
Arun Ghosh is a British-Asian clarinettist, composer and music educator. Conceived in Calcutta, bred in Bolton, matured in Manchester and living in London, Ghosh's music reflects his rich geographical heritage. Inspired by Indian folk music, jazz, hip-hop and rock n roll, Ghosh's passionate musical performances and compositions have led him to be viewed as a leading light of the British jazz scene.
Suitable for
- 5-6
- 0-4
When
11-11:45am
Admission
£4.50 per adult / £3 per child
Website
Wild About Plymouth: Bug Hunt
Join us as we hunt for beetles, spiders and other little creatures in the undergrowth with experts on hand to help identify any mini-beasts you find. 10:00am to 12:00pm, This is an annual event with a twist! We will be recording all the bug finds we make for the Cemetery to discover the diversity of insects there. Please wear appropriate clothing for the weather, and remember sunscreen if it's sunny! On-street parking is available around the Cemetery. Meet us in front of the Old Chapel at the Cemetery.
Suitable for
- Especially for children
- 7-10
- 0-4
- 11-13
- 5-6
When
10am-12pm
Wild About Plymouth: Seashore Safari Special
Sunday 7 July 2013, 12pm to 3pm, Explore the local coastline for marine creatures with us and the Blue Sound Project. For confident swimmers and over 8s who want to, there's also an opportunity to get a rare glimpse beneath the waves with a snorkel session led by trained professionals (booking and payment essential). Please bring a swimming suit, towel and warm clothes with you if you are snorkelling., There is a public pay and display car park just a short walk from the beach (PL10 1PA). It's a £4 charge for 4 hours. Alternatively, you could catch the 2.30pm ferry to Cawsand from the Barbican (01752 253153). Meet us on Cawsand Beach., Admission to the main event is free. The charge for the snorkelling is just £4 per adult and £3 per child (over 8s only). There is no need to book in advance for the main event. Advance booking is essential if you wish to take part in the snorkelling session. Please complete and return a booking form with your payment by 1 July 2013. A booking form is contained in the downloadable leaflet on the Wild About Plymouth page. You can also pick up a leaflet from Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery.,
Suitable for
- Family friendly
When
12-3pm
Admission
No
Wild About Plymouth: Batten Beach Art
Your team of beach art artists can create your own, unique 'sculpture' that will be photographed and displayed on the Museum's Flickr photo stream. On-street parking and a series of small car parks are available all around the Mount Batten area. Meet us at the bottom of the beach steps.
Suitable for
- Family friendly
- Any age
When
10am-12pm
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