The Wilson

The Wilson stands in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, inside part of a Regency building on Clarence Street. The original section was designed by William Hill Knight as the town’s public library. Cheltenham Library still occupies much of the building today. A later extension by Berman Guedes Stretton opened in 2012 after a national competition run by RIBA. The gallery was renamed in 2013 to honour Edward Wilson, a local polar explorer. It is worth the journey for its Arts and Crafts collection, recognised as internationally important. The museum holds four centuries of paintings, oriental pottery and costume, and Cotswolds archaeological finds. Baron de Ferrieres donated 43 paintings from Belgium and the Netherlands in the early 20th century. A major extension by Hugh Casson opened in 1989 with the Princess Royal present. The Edward Wilson gallery tells the story of the explorer who died with Captain Scott. Visitors find a mix of historic rooms and modern galleries. The main entrance is in the 1989 extension by Hugh Casson. The Arts and Crafts collection fills display cases with furniture, textiles, ceramics and silver. Paintings from four centuries cover the walls, while oriental artefacts sit in glass cases. The Edward Wilson gallery includes personal items and photographs of the Antarctic expedition. Cheltenham’s own history appears alongside these wider collections.