Leicester New Walk Museum and Art Gallery
New Walk Museum and Art Gallery is located on New Walk near the city centre. It is the UK's first public museum, with collections in science, history and art.
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The New Walk Museum and Art Gallery, otherwise known as the Leicester Museum and Art gallery is located, as its name suggests, on New Walk, a few minutes from the main train station in the New Market part of town. A must-see for visitors of all ages, the museum and gallery house a number of different collections as well as a Costa coffee and a gift shop.
Make the most of your apart hotel stay and visit Leicester’s internationally renowned collection of German Expressionism. Captivate the kids with a stroll through the dinosaur exhibition or a quick tour to ancient Egypt to discover mummies and hieroglyphics. There’s even a den exhibition aimed at the under 5’s where they can explore the art of den building to their hearts’ content.
The museum was first established in 1849 by the town’s literary and philosophical society as a way to formally present their own work to the people of the city and as a means for easing political and religious divisions within the city. The building itself started life as a school in 1836 before being bought in 1848 by the Leicester Corporation. The museum is said to have inspired several local legends over the years, notably Sir David Attenborough, a national treasure, who loved visiting as a child.
A popular gallery showcases the work of former local architect and designer Ernest Gimson. He was known for making furnishings in a variety of materials and you can see examples of cabinets, metalwork, rush furniture and embroidery.
Curator’s talks and lunchtime concerts are regular events, so if you want to delve deeper into certain aspects of art or enjoy a leisurely musical break then take a look at the museum's ‘What’s on’ page and plan the best time to visit.
The museum also plays host to a variety of temporary collections. A wonderful opportunity to take in aspects of both the cultural and natural world.
