Collection Articles
History - May 2025
VE Day 80: Make Do and Remember Through Wartime Wardrobes
As we mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day on 8 May, we’re taking a look at some of the items in the collections held at The Box that reflect the everyday resilience of civilians on the home front.
Collections - Mar 2025
Inspired by Smeaton's Tower
As we get ready to re-open Smeaton's Tower for summer 2025, we're taking a look at some of the items on display in our Port gallery that have either been inspired by or connected to key moments in the story of this iconic lighthouse.
Art - Mar 2025
'March Sky, Cape Cornwall' by Karl Weschke
This abstract, atmospheric painting is called ‘March Sky, Cape Cornwall’. It was acquired for Plymouth's permanent art collection in 1964 and painted two years before this. German-born artist Karl Weschke led an extraordinary life, many years of which were spent living in Cornwall.
Collections - Mar 2025
Carnivalesque in the Far South West
The display cases in our Active Archives gallery are currently full of information and objects that explore the theme of carnival and its related traditions in the South West. They've been created in response to our 'John Lyons: Carnivalesque' exhibition and include some brilliant loans from local organisations and individuals as well as items from The Box. Here are five objects from the collections to look out for next time you visit!
Collections - Mar 2025
Carnival Queen costume
The Carnival Queen is usually the star of any carnival procession and this 1930s costume once worn by 'Miss Plymouth' can be seen on display in our 'Carnivalesque in the Far South West' display until 23 March. Discover more about it and the woman who wore it.
News - Feb 2025
Celebrating the Chinese New Year
The new moon on 29 January marked the beginning of the Chinese New Year. Traditions differ and evolve over time but, in an increasingly fragmented world, the main message behind the celebrations that take place is for people to come together and wish each other peace and prosperity for the year ahead. To mark the start of the Year of the Snake, here are some related items from The Box’s collections.
Art - Oct 2024
Art in 'Planet Ocean' - Part Two
In the second of two posts highlighting the works of art from our permanent collection that are on display in our 'Planet Ocean' exhibition, we're looking at a distinctive piece of studio pottery by Robert Wallace Martin and paintings by Lionel Ellis, Harold C Harvey and Wyn George.
Art - Oct 2024
Art in 'Planet Ocean' - Part One
There are some wonderful works of art from Plymouth's permanent collection in the 'Planet Ocean' exhibition (until 27 April 2025). In the first of two blog posts, we take a look at paintings by Bryan Wynter, Stanhope Forbes and Herbert Francis Williams-Lyouns and a piece of decorative art by Morel Doucet.
News - Sep 2024
Portraits to make you think
If you're looking around our 'Children and Young People's Portrait Competition' display you're bound to notice these two wonderful portraits from our art collection. They're on show with a selection of other materials to complement the 160+ competition entries we received and shed more light on portraiture in its many different forms. Find out more about them here - and catch them before the display comes to an end on 29 September.
News - Aug 2024
Take a look around
Are you a regular visitor to The Box? Are you planning to visit for the first time? There are lots of interesting things dotted around our building that complement our changing exhibitions and permanent galleries. Here are a few things to look out for. If you follow them in this order it makes a nice trail!
News - Aug 2024
Global Plymouth - a new journey
If you head into our '100 Journeys' gallery you'll notice a brand new case display. It introduces our 'Global Plymouth' project which is enabling us to work with audiences, artists and communities to make changes to the space over the next year or two.
Collections - Jul 2024
Did local tin kickstart the European Bronze Age?
Devon and Cornwall are sometimes portrayed as a bit of a back water. In prehistory, when great changes occur, Britain is usually seen as being on the periphery. Things arrive from elsewhere and we’re on the outer ripples of innovation. But could there be more to the far South West than meets the eye?