The New Art Gallery Walsall

The New Art Gallery Walsall stands in the West Midlands town of Walsall. Its five-storey building, clad in pale terracotta, replaced an older gallery and arts centre that had closed nearly ten years before. Designed by Caruso St John after an international competition, it opened in January 2000. Queen Elizabeth II performed the official opening that May. The gallery attracted more than 237,000 visitors in its first year and was shortlisted for the Stirling Prize.

Inside, heavy concrete and 75mm Douglas fir cladding shape the spaces. A public square by Richard Wentworth and Catherine Yass surrounds the building. The fourth floor gained a new gallery with 8m ceilings in 2006, followed by a sculpture terrace by Sarah Staton in 2012. The gallery hosts exhibitions by regional and international artists, including David Batchelor, Richard Billingham and Leo Fitzmaurice.

The Garman Ryan Collection forms the heart of the permanent displays. It includes works by Jacob Epstein, Vincent van Gogh, Monet, Turner and Constable, donated in 1973. The gallery also holds municipal art from 1892, alongside contemporary pieces by Catherine Yass, Robert Priseman and Fiona Banner. Temporary galleries on the third and fourth floors show solo and group shows, including displays by Damien Hirst, Anish Kapoor and Louise Bourgeois. A café and an art library offer further places to explore.