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Museum Details
Shire Hall Gallery
Image: shire hall gallery stafford
Market Square
Stafford
ST16 2LD
Staffordshire
England
Collection details
Decorative and Applied Art
Design
Film and Media
Fine Art
Law and Order
Photography
Social History
Facilities
Shop: yes
Guided tours: yes
Baby changing facilities: yes
Wheelchair access: yes
Visual disability facilities: yes
Hearing disability facilities: yes
The Shire Hall Gallery also has a Multi-Sensory Room, designed to provide a relaxing environment for adults and children with special needs or learning difficulties and a stimulating environment to aid the sensory development of babies and toddlers. The Multi-Sensory Room is popular, so please call in advance to book.
Contact details
General information (Tel)
:
01785 278345
General information (Fax)
:
01785 278327
E-mail
:
shirehallgallery@staffordshire.gov.uk
Website
:
www.staffordshire.gov.uk/sams
Open
Mon - Sat: 09.30 - 17.00
Tues: 10.00 - 1700
Sun: 13.00 - 16.00
Closed
Closed on Bank holidays
During exhibition changes. Please ring before your visit
Admission charges
Gallery: Free
Court One: Free
Multi-Sensory Room: Free - Please call and book in advance
Description
The Shire Hall Gallery is the largest venue in Staffordshire dedicated to visual arts and crafts. Situated in a fascinating Grade II listed building (formerly used as the Crown Court) the Shire Hall Gallery offers visitors a mixture of old and new!
Stafford’s Shire building has had several forms - the present building in the Market Square was constructed in 1793.
As well as hosting balls, theatres, dinners and concerts, the Hall was also home to the crown court, where many sensational trials were held. Perhaps one of the best known today concerns the murder of Christina Collins, killed by boatmen in 1839 by the side of the Trent and Mersey canal and the inspiration for Colin Dexter’s Inspector Morse novel ‘The Wench is Dead’.
Court One was last used for legal proceedings in 1991 and is now open to the Shire Hall's visitors. A volunteer guide is on hand every Friday between 10.30am and 2pm.
Collections description
As well as a permanent crime and punishment display in Court One, the Gallery has a regularly changing programme of temporary exhibitions which focus on contemporary visual art and craft.
From Guy Martin’s ecologically friendly furniture to Raphel Daden’s light sculptures and Mabel Layng’s colourful oil paintings, the Shire Hall Gallery has it all!
Our Art Market is dedicated to promoting and selling the work of artists and craftspeople, ranging from watercolours and prints to cutting-edge contemporary jewellery whilst exhibitions in the Balcony Coffee Bar showcase work by the best local and regional artists.
Please check our website to see who and what is on!
Trails
Get Your Christmas Presents Here - At A Museum Or Gallery!
Events
Art Cart
Pets - Photographs by Sue Packer
Exhibition (temporary)
Cello Chill
Performance
Digital Photography
Tall Tales & Peculiar Pets
Storytelling session
Top Dog!
Love your Pet!
National Doodle Day
Midday Melodies
Performance
Thomas Peploe Wood (1817-1845)
Exhibition (temporary)
Thomas Peploe Wood
Lecture
Acrylics Masterclass
Easter Art Cart
Paper Garments
Available resources
Contemporary art and design resources
Digitised collection; Guided tour (Resource); Handling collection or artefacts; Online game or interactive; Resource or activity pack; Taught session (schools); Worksheets or templates; Workshop or activity session (Resource)
Court in Action
CD-ROM or DVD; Handling collection or artefacts; Resource or activity pack; Taught session (schools); Teachers' pack or notes; Virtual exhibition or images; Worksheets or templates
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Information published here was believed to be correct at the time it was prepared. Welsh language pages developed with CYMAL: Museums Archives and Libraries Wales, funded by the Welsh Assembly Government.