Herbert Art Gallery and Museum

Herbert Art Gallery & Museum stands on Jordan Well in Coventry city centre. The building opened in 1960 after Sir Alfred Herbert donated £100,000 in 1938 and a further £100,000 in 1954. Construction began in 1939 but was halted by the Second World War, leaving only the basement completed. The museum was refurbished in 2008 at a cost of £14 million, adding a glass-covered court and new facilities. It is run by Culture Coventry, a registered charity that also manages three other heritage sites nearby. The gallery is one of the most visited attractions in the West Midlands, receiving more than 300,000 visitors in 2010. It houses permanent collections in sculpture, Old Masters paintings, and social and industrial history. The museum also holds a costume collection dating from 1800, with a focus on nineteenth-century women’s wear. Another notable collection represents Coventry’s ribbon-making industry, including over 250 sample books and woven Stevengraphs. The Coventry Archives, now housed within the museum, contains the city’s largest collection of local records. Visitors find a mix of galleries, learning spaces, and a café in the modern extension. A 500 square metre glass court links old and new parts of the building. Temporary exhibitions feature loans from national institutions such as the British Museum and V&A. The museum also creates its own shows, exploring local themes and social history. A costume gallery displays historic garments alongside modern acquisitions from Coventry’s diverse communities.