Turner House Gallery facts for kids
Turner House Gallery is a special art gallery and a place for cultural events in the town of Penarth, near Cardiff, Wales. It's famous for its connection to the artist J. M. W. Turner.
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History of the Gallery
The story of Turner House began over 130 years ago. It has changed hands several times, each owner adding a new chapter to its history.
Who Built Turner House?
The gallery was built between 1887 and 1888. It was designed by an architect named Edwin Seward. He used a style called Queen Anne style, which was popular at the time.
The building was created for a wealthy local businessman, James Pyke Thompson. He made his money selling flour. Thompson wanted a place to show his personal art collection to everyone, for free. His collection included drawings, pottery, and prints by famous artists like Rembrandt. Most importantly, he owned paintings by J. M. W. Turner, which is how the gallery got its name.
Becoming a National Treasure
In 1921, the National Museum of Wales took over the gallery. They used it to display more of their public art collection.
Because of its historical and architectural importance, the building was made a Grade II listed building in 1993. This means it is legally protected and must be preserved for future generations.
A Focus on Photography
In 2003, a charity called Ffotogallery began managing Turner House. They turned it into a gallery that focused on photography exhibitions.
During 2014 and 2015, the gallery was part of a big international art show called Artes Mundi. It featured works by artists from around the world, including Ragnar Kjartansson from Iceland and Sanja Iveković from Croatia.
A New Chapter for the Gallery
Ffotogallery moved to a new location in Cardiff in 2019. This gave the town of Penarth a chance to decide what to do with the historic building.
Penarth Town Council asked local people for their ideas. In 2021, the gallery reopened. Now, the town council works with the National Museum of Wales to run it as a place for many different kinds of art and community events. The gallery also hosts touring shows from the famous Hayward Gallery in London.
Past Exhibitions
Here are some of the exhibitions that have been held at Turner House Gallery:
- Sue Hunt (1996)
- Paul Seawright (2003)
- Eduardo Paolozzi: General Dynamic F.U.N. (2022)
- Self Help Show: Penarth illustrator Chris Glynn and poet Luca Paci (2023)
- Claude Cahun: Beneath this Mask (2023)
