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Art History Festival 2026
Monday 5- Sunday 11 October 2026
The Art History Festival 2026 celebrates the full spectrum of art history in all its richness, across the histories of art, architecture and design.
From hands‑on workshops to behind‑the‑scenes demonstrations, curator‑led tours and creative experiences, the Festival is packed with events of all kinds, for audiences of all ages, backgrounds and lived experiences.
Take part in the 2026 festival, and learn how art history helps us to better understand the world around us. Get curious, relax, have fun or learn something new at a free event online or at a venue near you.
Upcoming Events
Life and Liberty: American Painters and the ‘Revolution’ in Art, 1770-90
Tate Britain
This is a free, one-room display in room 7 at Tate Britain. 250 years after…Mon 5th Oct – Sun 11th Oct
10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Everything Must Go
Birmingham Museums Trust
This is the first major solo art exhibition by comedian Joe Lycett. Over the last…Mon 5th Oct – Sun 11th Oct
10:00 am – 5:00 pm
National Museums Liverpool at 40
National Museums Liverpool, World Museum
Forty years since the Merseyside Museums and Galleries Order was presented to Queen Elizabeth II…Mon 5th Oct – Sun 11th Oct
10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Artemisia Gentileschi’s ‘Susanna and the Elders’ at the Queen’s House
Royal Museums Greenwich – Queen's House
In 2023, Royal Collection Trust announced the rediscovery of a painting of ‘Susanna and the…Mon 5th Oct
1:00 pm – 1:45 pm
Portrait of a Poet: Henry Raeburn’s Lost Painting
National Trust for Scotland
Discover the story of Henry Raeburn’s lost portrait of Robert Burns. Commissioned in 1803 by…Mon 5th Oct – Sun 11th Oct
9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Drawing Together exhibition: curators talk and tour
The Young Gallery, Salisbury
Join curators from The Young Gallery, Chippenham Museum and Bath Spa University Collections for an…Mon 5th Oct
5:15 pm – 6:30 pm
Image credit: Photograph credit: Marysa Dowling for National Portrait Gallery, London