The Mercer Art Gallery is Harrogate’s principal public art space, housing an extensive collection of paintings, prints and sculpture from the 19th century to the present day.
Located near the Valley Gardens and the Royal Pump Room Museum, it is housed in a former spa building that reflects the town’s long history as a centre for culture and leisure. The gallery hosts a changing programme of exhibitions alongside works from the Harrogate Art Collection.
The building was originally designed as the Promenade Rooms in 1806, and was built to serve Harrogate’s growing population of visitors who came to take the spa waters. In the early 19th century, the Promenade Rooms provided a venue for concerts, assemblies and social gatherings, forming part of the town’s developing cultural infrastructure. As Harrogate grew in reputation as a fashionable resort, the building became an important site for entertainment and public life.
By the late 19th century, the role of the Promenade Rooms shifted, and the building was converted into Harrogate’s Town Hall. It remained in civic use for almost a century before falling into disrepair in the 1980s. In 1991, following restoration and conversion work, the building reopened as the Mercer Art Gallery, named after Harrogate-based entrepreneur and philanthropist Major Edward Mercer, whose bequest helped establish the gallery.
The gallery’s collection draws on the town’s historic links with art and design. During the 19th century, Harrogate’s status as a spa resort attracted artists who painted its parks, architecture and surrounding countryside. Over time, the local authority built up a public collection through acquisitions, donations and commissions. The Mercer Gallery now holds more than 2,000 artworks, including paintings, drawings, prints and sculpture from the 1800s onwards.
The gallery plays a key role in the region’s cultural landscape, offering access to historic and contemporary art in a setting connected to Harrogate’s social heritage. It also forms part of a wider network of museums and galleries across North Yorkshire, contributing to the area’s reputation for arts and heritage tourism.
What to see at the Mercer Art Gallery
The Mercer Art Gallery presents a mix of permanent displays and temporary exhibitions that change throughout the year. The collection spans several centuries, with particular strength in 19th- and 20th-century British art. Highlights include works by prominent artists such as William Powell Frith, Atkinson Grimshaw and Walter Sickert, alongside examples of Yorkshire landscape painting that reflect the region’s scenery and light.
One of the gallery’s most notable features is the Harrogate District Fine Art Collection, which includes Victorian and Edwardian paintings of society, landscape and portraiture. Many of these works depict the people and places associated with Harrogate’s development as a spa town. The gallery also collects work by modern and contemporary artists with connections to Yorkshire, showcasing how the area has continued to inspire artistic production.
Visitors can also see a selection of decorative art and sculpture from the town’s collection. The displays are arranged to encourage exploration of different artistic movements, materials and techniques rather than following a strict chronological order. Interpretation panels throughout the galleries provide background information on the works, the artists and their relationship to Harrogate.
The building itself is part of the experience. Many original architectural features remain, including high ceilings, sash windows and skylights that provide natural light. The layout is open and accessible, with interconnected rooms that allow visitors to move easily between exhibitions.
Temporary exhibitions at the Mercer Art Gallery
In addition to its permanent collection, the Mercer Art Gallery hosts a programme of temporary exhibitions. Current and planned exhibitions include:
Vision and Labour: Making Comics – The Art of Avery Hill Publishing
This exhibition (18 October 2025–26 April 2026) explores a decade of work from the independent London publisher. The exhibition features original art, finished books and interviews with 16 contemporary comic artists, including Tillie Walden, Zoe Thorogood and Kristyna Bacynski, highlighting the creative processes shaping modern British comics.
The Stories Pictures Tell
The Stories Pictures Tell (18 October 2025–26 April 2026) presents works from Harrogate’s art collection chosen by artists Kristyna Bacynski and Katriona Chapman. Their selection explores storytelling in art, from Victorian scenes by WP Frith and Frank Holl to contemporary works by Caroline Walker, highlighting how visual narratives invite interpretation and imagination.
Visiting the Mercer Art Gallery
The gallery is on Swan Road, not far from Harrogate’s town centre. It sits opposite the Valley Gardens and within a short walk of the Royal Pump Room Museum and Bettys Café Tea Rooms.
The gallery is open throughout the year and is closed on Mondays. Entry is free of charge, though donations are welcome.
Visitor amenities include a small shop selling art books, prints and locally produced crafts.
Allow up to an hour for your visit.
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