William Morris Gallery

The gallery is located at Water House, a Grade II* listed Georgian building in Walthamstow that was Morris’s family home from 1848 to 1856.

What to see at the William Morris Gallery

The gallery has permanent exhibition space devoted to William Morris’s life and work. Exhibits include carpet, rugs, furniture, stained glass and embroidered and woven fabric designed by Morris and the other craftspeople who worked alongside him in his firm, Morris, Marshall, Faulker & Company.

Highlights of the gallery include:

• Morris’s medieval-style helmet and sword, which was made as a prop for the Oxford Union;
• the original design for the Trellis wallpaper, one of Morris’s early wallpaper designs;
• the Woodpecker tapestry, woven at Morris’s Merton Abbey workshop;
• The Works of Geoffrey Chaucer, printed at Morris’s Kelmscott Press;
• wallpaper designed for Queen Victoria; and
• the Sussex chair, which is one of Morris’s more popular mass-produced products.

The gallery also has works by other artists in the Arts and Crafts movement who were inspired by William Morris. These works include decorative arts (mostly furniture, ceramics, glass and textiles) designed by Sidney Barnsley, Frank Brangwyn, Ernest Gimson, Arthur Heygate Mackmurdo and the Century Guild as well as Morris’s daughter May Morris.

The gallery also has displays on Morris’s life including the letter he wrote to his mother explaining his motives for devoting his life to art as well as displays on his political views as an early proponent of socialism.

The museum went through an extensive redevelopment project, reopening in August 2012. Displays are complemented by audio and video as well as hands-on interactive exhibits making it accessible to both William Morris enthusiasts and to people new to Morris’s work.

Temporary exhibitions at the William Morris Gallery

The gallery has a programme of temporary exhibitions, some of which have an entry charge. Current and upcoming temporary exhibitions include:

William Morris & Art from the Islamic World
This exhibition (until 9 March 2025) explores the influence of Islamic art on William Morris, a key figure in the 19th century Arts and Crafts Movement. Alongside Morris’s famous designs, it features Islamic textiles, ceramics and manuscripts from his personal collection. The exhibition delves into how Islamic art informed some of Morris’s well-known patterns, offering a deeper understanding of his work and its connections to global artistic traditions.

Visiting the William Morris Gallery

The William Morris Gallery is located in Walthamstow in northeast London. It is on the grounds of Lloyd Park, around a 15-minute walk north of Walthamstow Central tube and railway station.

Walthamstow Central station is at the northeastern terminus of the Victoria line and it is also served by Overground trains from London Liverpool Street station in the City. From Walthamstow Central station, simply walk north on Hoe Street until you get to Gaywood Road and follow Gaywood Road for three minutes until you get to the gallery.

The gallery is open Tuesday to Sunday and admission to the permanent collection is free of charge but there is often a charge to visit temporary exhibitions.

All areas of the gallery are fully wheelchair-accessible.

The gallery has a gift shop selling a variety of items printed with William Morris’s designs and an orangery-style tea room with views of Lloyd Park. The tea room serves breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea.

There is quite a lot to see here and you can spend 2–3 hours exploring the museum.

If you enjoyed the William Morris Gallery you may also want to visit Emery Walker’s House in Hammersmith and the Victoria and Albert (V&A) Museum in South Kensington, which has a strong emphasis on decorative art including many works by William Morris. At the V&A it is possible to have afternoon tea in the William Morris-designed Morris Room.