Blog / Collections

Posted on by Lauren MacCarthy.

The story of a stinky city: How improved sanitation transformed Bristol

by Lee Hutchinson, curator of history When it came to the removal of human waste, for centuries Bristolians relied on the natural ebb and flow of tidal rivers. During medieval times, underground water channels were built to drain sewage and rainwater f…

Posted on by Lauren MacCarthy.

10 netsuke from Bristol’s collection

by Amy Raphael, volunteer Did you know that Bristol Museum & Art Gallery has 300 Japanese carvings known as netsuke and okimono? Netsuke were Japan’s solution to a lack of pockets in men’s kimono and other clothing. During the Edo Period (1…

Posted on by Lauren MacCarthy.

Caring for our collections during lockdown

by Fran Coles, Conservation and Documentation Manager Although we’re currently closed, our museum collections still need looking after. Maintenance of our buildings is essential work and a skeleton crew of staff are carrying out a variety of essent…

Posted on by Lauren MacCarthy.

How can 200 year old paintings get us talking about climate change?

by Jenny Gaschke, curator of Fine Art The coronavirus pandemic has triggered an unexpected improvement in UK air quality as daily carbon emissions have fallen. We can feel the difference in Bristol too. A month before the UK lockdown began, climate …

Posted on by Lauren MacCarthy.

Dying Matters: A grief trail

by Lisa Graves, curator of world cultures This week is Dying Matters awareness week – a national campaign to encourage people to talk about death, dying or grief. Everything has changed. Our daily lives are transformed, possibly forever. We are al…

Posted on by Lauren MacCarthy.

My climate emergency dress – and why I donated it to M Shed

by Melanie Ruth, dress creator Why a climate emergency dress? I’ve used my dress as both an expression of my creativity and love of design – as ‘Wearable Art’. More deeply, it reflects my concerns about the climate emergency we face an…

Posted on by Lauren MacCarthy.

Digging for Delft: Bristol Museum & Art Gallery awarded funding

by Kate Newnham, senior curator of Visual Arts We’re thrilled to announce that Bristol Museum & Art Gallery has received a grant of nearly £90,000 from the Arts Council England Designation Development Fund to research and present Bristol…

Posted on by Lauren MacCarthy.

Donating objects or collections to Bristol Museums

by Katie Lee, development lead The Cultural Gifts Scheme enables UK taxpayers to donate, during their lifetime, important works of art and other heritage objects to be held for the benefit of the public or the nation. In return, donors receive a tax red…

Posted on by Lauren MacCarthy.

A Cultural Gift of Islamic Ceramics

If you’re a regular visitor to Bristol Museum & Art Gallery you may well be familiar with the collection of Persian ceramics currently housed on the staircase between the World Wildlife Gallery and Ceramics. Thirteen of these pieces belong to the A…

Posted on by Lauren MacCarthy.

Bristol Museum & Art Gallery acquires work by Akomfrah and Shonibare

by Julia Carver, curator of Modern and Contemporary Art We are excited to announce that Bristol Museum & Art Gallery has been awarded two major works by John Akomfrah CBE and Yinka Shonibare CBE. 14-18 NOW delivered a wide range of art projects and …