All Articles
History - Jun 2023
Archives insight: Refugee Week 2023 - Meet the Huguenots
For this year's 'Refugee Week' we're looking at the story of the Huguenots - French Protestants who took refuge in some of our towns and cities, including Plymouth, in the late 1600s. They brought a range of valuable skills with them and introduced the word ‘refugee’ into the English language.
History - Jun 2023
Archives insight: A dream of a new life overseas
Have you been watching the BBC's latest historical drama 'Ten Pound Poms'? This image from our archives shows a family about to embark on the scheme that saw over a million people try and make their homes in Australia.
Press Release - Jun 2023
The Box joins national 20/20 project aimed at investing in diverse artists
The Box has joined a national commissioning and network programme that is directly investing in the careers of a new generation of ethnically minoritised and diverse artists.
Press Release - Jun 2023
A summer season of light and colour
As part of a season exploring the themes of light and colour, The Box will be marking the 300th anniversary of Sir Joshua Reynolds' birth and collaborating with artist Rana Begum RA this summer.
Event - May 2023
Musical Passage: supporting jazz education and performance in the South-West
The Box is delighted to host jazz educators Tomorrow’s Warriors and Radical Ecology for two days of jazz workshops and performances in June. Musical Passage is a collaboration between partners in Devon and Cornwall that aims to support the long-term development of infrastructure for anti-racist jazz education across the area.
Press Release - May 2023
'Dig for Victory' dress
The dress was gifted to our collections in 1996 and dates from 1939-1945. It’s an example of mid-20th century fashion as well as a piece of propaganda, and you can see it in a huge case featuring hundreds of objects from our decorative art collection in our ‘People and Place’ exhibition.
Art - May 2023
‘Card Table’ by Wilhelmina Barns-Graham
Wilhelmina Barns-Graham (1912-2004) was one of the most significant British female artists of the twentieth century. She was born in St Andrews, Scotland but after relocating to St Ives she became one of the central figures there. This work is an oil on hardboard dating from the late 1960s and was gifted to our collections in 1976 by the Contemporary Art Society.
Community - May 2023
International Museum Day 2023: Museums, Sustainability and Wellbeing
Museums are drivers for change, and this year International Museums Day is focusing on Global Health and Wellbeing, Climate Action and Life on Land. Find out what we are doing to make change in these areas.
Art - May 2023
Reynolds 300: Portrait of Samuel Reynolds
The Reverend Samuel Reynolds (1681-1745), was the School Master of Plympton St Maurice Grammar School. Most importantly, he's a father who played a pivotal role in his child’s life and future career.
Art - May 2023
Reynolds 300: Portrait of Lady Ann Bonfoy
This gorgeous portrait dating from the 1750s and depicting a woman in a green and pink dress is part of our ‘Port Eliot Collection’. The woman is Lady Ann Bonfoy (nee Eliot) - the eldest daughter of Richard Eliot (1694-1748) and his wife Harriot (sometimes written as Harriet) (1713-1769).
Art - May 2023
Reynolds 300: Portrait of Elizabeth Limeburner
Like the enigmatic smile on this young woman’s face, there is more to this portrait by Sir Joshua Reynolds than meets the eye.
Art - May 2023
Reynolds 300: Italian Sketchbook
In 2014, Plymouth secured £326,300 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and a range of other funding partners to acquire two important items connected to artist, Sir Joshua Reynolds. One was an early self-portrait from the mid-1740s. The other was a fantastic sketchbook compiled on his ‘Grand Tour’ to Italy from 1750 to 1752.
