We are looking forward to seeing you soon! Our permanent collection, exhibitions and displays can be enjoyed from Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 5pm – but do check the website before your visit in case of any last-minute changes. The safety of staff and visitors is very important to us. Research commissioned by the Association … Read more
Long before Grumpy Cat, Dolly the Sheep or Red Rum, there was Miss Clara, a female Indian rhinoceros who achieved an unprecedented level of fame during the 18th century. Weighing in at around 5,000 lbs or 2268 kgs, Miss Clara disembarked in Rotterdam in 1741 after being transported from Bengal by an enterprising Dutch sea-captain, … Read more
Cats and dogs bring out the positive and playful sides of their human companions and the artists who depict them. This display, which explores companion animals within domestic and rural settings, considers what borders are crossed to allow some animals into human lives, activities and domestic spaces – and what meanings are then bestowed upon … Read more
Caricature, thought to have originated in Italy in the late 16th century, developed out of artists exaggerating their subjects’ physical features for expressive or comical effect. It arrived in England in the 1700s, and by the end of the century, had transformed in its use from mere lampoonery into satire and the comic cartoon. This … Read more
Politics, Propaganda and the Collapse of the Roman Republic If you thought fake news, personal propaganda – and political strongmen shifting democracies toward dictatorship – were modern phenomena, then this exhibition invites you to think again. The First Dictators explores how coins were used for propaganda purposes during the dying days of the Roman Republic … Read more
This striking painting by one of the 18th century’s leading portraitists, Allan Ramsay, is a new face greeting visitors to the Barber this autumn. Ramsay’s portrait of Rosamund Sargent, painted in 1749, is on loan from Bath’s Holburne Museum, and is exchange partner for the Barber’s iconic The Blue Bower by Dante Gabriel Rossetti. The Ramsay … Read more
Find unique gifts, art prints and books inspired by our collection in our online shop… Whether it’s a unique masterpiece for the wall or a mug for a morning coffee, browse the Barber’s shop on Art UK for the best gifts inspired by the incredible collection right here on campus. Visit our Art UK shop … Read more
Sights of Wonder Pyramids, temples, sphinxes and shrines: breathtaking images of these ancient and often iconic landmarks, captured by pioneering photographer Francis Bedford, provided new insights for Victorians into the historic and biblical sites of the eastern Mediterranean. Generously lent by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, these remarkable photographs from the Royal Collection feature in … Read more