Holburne Museum

The museum underwent a major renovation between 2008 and 2011 and during this time a modern annexe, designed by Eric Parry, was added to the rear of the Grade I listed building.

The Holburne has been used as a film set and has appeared in Vanity Fair (2004), The Duchess (2008) and the Netflix series Bridgerton (2020–21), where it stood in as Lady Danbury’s townhouse.

What to see at the Holburne Museum

The Holburne Museum of Art was originally built to showcase Sir Thomas William Holburne’s personal collection of over 4,000 objects with a focus on fine and decorative arts. The collection has been expanded over the years to encompass around 10,000 objects.

The museum now features works by prominent artists such as Thomas Gainsborough, Francesco Guardi, Allan Ramsay, George Stubbs and Johan Zoffany.

Temporary exhibitions at The Holburne Museum

In addition to its permanent collections, The Holburne Museum hosts a programme of temporary exhibitions. Current and planned exhibitions include:

Nicolas Party: Copper & Dust
This installation features recent works by Swiss artist Nicolas Party, including oil paintings on copper displayed in cabinet galleries. The exhibition (until 31 August 2025) also includes a large mural in response to A Brawl between Peasants by Benjamin Gerritsz. Cuyp. Party visited the Holburne in 2023 and studied its collection. His practice is shaped by graffiti, graphic design, 3D animation and his interest in 18th-century pastels.

Impressions in Watercolour: Turner and his Contemporaries
This exhibition (until 14 September 2025) marks the 250th anniversary of Turner’s birth with a selection of watercolours from a private collection. It highlights Turner’s experimental approach and places his work alongside contemporaries like Thomas Girtin and John Sell Cotman. The display explores an era of significant innovation in watercolour painting.

Illustrating Austen
Marking 250 years since Jane Austen’s birth, Illustrating Austen (11 September 2025–11 January 2026) examines how her characters have been visually interpreted over time. The exhibition explores the artwork that brought Austen’s stories to life and how these depictions evolved with changing audiences and societal contexts.

Visiting the Holburne Museum

The Holburne Museum is at the northeastern end of Great Pulteney Street near the Sydney Gardens. The city centre is around a 10-minute walk from here.

At £11, admission to the Holburn Museum is fairly expensive for a museum in a small city, although admission to exhibitions is half price if you have a valid National Art Pass.

The museum is fully wheelchair accessible.

The museum’s Garden Cafe has a lovely setting facing the Sydney Gardens and the museum also has its own on-site gift shop.

Allow around two hours for your visit.

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