Welcome2023-05-15T13:34:33+01:00

Bristol gallery of craft and design

The Stradling Collection is a remarkable collection of C20th and C21st design and applied arts. It contains almost 2000 pieces of ceramics, glass, furniture and decorative objects.

The gallery features changing displays from the Collection, or artworks created through our learning programme; sometimes our exhibitions feature both.

Entry is free but as a charity donations are very welcome. View opening hours and visitor information.

To see the full collection, we offer curator-led tours which are chargeable and need to be booked in advance as space is limited and tours book up quickly.

Next exhibition

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These brilliant and slightly sinister puppets are by the Castle School students. There is a whole wall of them at our new exhibition ‘The Art of Play’ which will open tomorrow Saturday at 11.

We hope you all come to see it.

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A small fragment from gorgeous little film by @renwolfe.studio which will be on display at our new exhibition ‘The Art of Play’ from 11am this coming Saturday. Come to see it and other work from students.
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David Beech, the Educational trustee of the Ken Stradling Collection, is giving a preview of the next exhibition ‘The Art of Play’ to a lovely group from The Art Society after a collection tour.

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#toysexhibition
#toydesign
We are very excited to announce our next exhibition ‘The Art of Play’!

‘Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we have grown up’. Pablo Picasso.

This exhibition is by students of Th Castle School (Thornbury), South Gloucester and Stroud College and Cardiff School pf Art and Design.

It opens on 27 June on Wednesdays 13.30-16.00 and Saturdays 11.00-16.00.
Ken Stradling MBE - our darling founder (1922 - 2022).

We love this photo as it was taken in the Guild gallery at the top of the building with large Georgian windows looking at the busy Park Street. A lot of young artists and makers were given a space and opportunity to show their art - to shine.

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The fierce and noble Hariko No Tora, the Nodding head Tiger - generously lent to us for Toys and Tales exhibition by famous Bristol collector Tony Eastman @tonyeastman.artist.

We are open today and on Saturday, hurry if you have not seen it yet.

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#papiermâché 
#tiger
This is a fragment of a tale about going to see a doctor. This is just one of the characters in a queue who seems so nervous that they decided to wear a box on their head as a protection.

Look at that beautiful scared eye and a pair of nervous hands.

This is work by Eleanor Glover @eleanor.glover at our Toys and Takes exhibition which is open LAST WEEK!!

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#woodensculpture
We are very sad for our good friends at the Underfall Yard @underfallyard who loaned pieces to our recent show Shipshape.

Julie, Win, we are thinking of you and hope you can restore everything that has been lost.

The rudder we had from Win was a star…

#yachtbuilding 
#bristolshipyard 
#boatyard 
#bristolhistory #underfallyard
Only royal characters today!

King Block with his Queen and Prince Charming in The Sleeping Beauty at the Toys and Tales exhibition.

If you are tired watching the King on TV, come this afternoon to see what is King Block up to.

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Have we been watched?

The bird from the work ‘Lull’ by Eleanor Glover @eleanor.glover, 1973, mixed media. This work is a tale about memories and feelings, about being alone or with other people.

Do come to see it, the Toys and Tales exhibition is open this Saturday from 11 to 4. 

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#bristolgallery
#industrialdesign
#bristol247 
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#bristolmuseum 
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#collection
#toysandtsles
#automata
#toysexhibition
#toydesign
From glamorous to grotesque by Sam Smith: three cubes with 4 different heads, torsos and legs make endless variations of human figures. 
1970s.

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#automata
#toysexhibition
#toydesign
Away from the excitement of the exhibition floor all is beautiful and tranquil upstairs in our permanent collection display. And you can see if if you want! Book a curator’s tour on stradlingcollection.org

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This extraordinary collection grew out of retail buying for a design shop – the Bristol Guild of Applied Art. The link is the home and the things we use and enjoy in it, from furniture to contemporary glass and ceramics. Explore our selection of sample pieces.

Curator’s tours of the Collection

Photo: four pieces of glass from the Stradling Collection

Beautiful objects, fascinating stories

One of the features of the Stradling Collection is the stories about the objects, the makers, the building and Bristol’s place in craft and design history, all vividly brought to life by our curator, Tanya Martin.

Education

We welcome visits by groups and individuals to study the collection. We provide workshops and curator-led tours. We also have study rooms available for teachers to hire.

In partnership with universities, colleges and secondary schools, we offer hands-on activities for students as well as work experience opportunities.

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