Born in Birkenhead, Philip Wilson Steer was a pioneer of impressionism in Britain during the late nineteenth century. Studying in Paris in the 1880s, he was exposed to this radical way of painting after seeing works by the likes of Degas and Manet. With his...
March 2025 marked 80 years since the passing of Albert Richards, the youngest official war artist to be killed in action during WWII. The Williamson holds over two hundred of his works, spanning from his days at the Wallasey School of Art to the frontlines...
Digging into the land and lineage of historical sites for the past five years, collaborative artist duo, Angela Stringer and Nicky Perrin present their formative works in an exhibition which reveals the alchemical process of turning raw earth into vibrant expressions of story and place....
Subterranean Elevator has been conceived by artist Di Mainstone, and developed with a team of inter-disciplinary specialists. The installation invites intrepid visitors to explore the inner worlds of soil and the subconscious mind. On entering a dark, elevator-shaped environment, they will feel a soft earth-like...
NOW CLOSING 18TH OCTOBER 2025 Discover the life of local legend Elizabeth Smolen, a Polish refugee who settled in Birkenhead and became a champion scooter racer and successful businesswoman. A keen motorcyclist and engineer, Smolen made a name for herself by repairing, dealing and racing...
Williamson Art Gallery is proud to be a participating venue in DaDaFest 2025. Zoe Partington has created light sculptures featuring slogans which have relevance to disability activism and issues disabled people experience. The work conveys stories, messages and insights into disabled people’s struggles in a...
This exhibition showcases specially selected garments and accessories from The Betty Smithers Design Collection, University of Staffordshire, to commemorate the centenary anniversary of the Callister Trust, which resulted in the creation of the Callister Garden. The Betty Smithers Design Collection (BSDC) is a teaching and...
Join our Collections Manager Josh for a tour of the two exhibitions curated from our collection, exploring the works of Albert Richards and Philip Wilson Steer. These talks will offer the opportunity for you to find out more about the narrative of each exhibition, the...
Senior Lecturer and Fashion Researcher, Angela Devoti, University of Staffordshire shall be delivering guided live tours and lectures about the Betty Smithers Exhibition on Wednesday 2nd April at the Williamson Art Gallery. The guided tour and lecture will also include further specially selected handling objects...
Throughout 2025, Steve des Landes is Artist in Residence at the Williamson. With a studio in our Art Room, his intention starting the residency was to work on larger-scale paintings. He will be hosting Open Studio sessions every Friday evening, 6 - 8:30pm. Between these...
Northwestern is a clear statement of intent from two fine musicians and songwriters, who we are delighted to welcome back to the Williamson after their last fantastic performance. Chris Howarth is a singer songwriter based in Cheshire. After an early history in local bands Chris came back to music...
Join holistic wellbeing practitioner Siân Griffin for a guided session combining yoga, meditation, and a deeply restorative sound bath. Each class begins with pranayama—gentle breathwork to centre the mind and ground the body—followed by a movement practice tailored to the needs of the group. Whether...
Sign up to our newsletter to get some benefits listed here and we will never share your email address.