William Morris Gallery facts for kids
Front view of Water House
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| Established | 1950 |
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| Location | Walthamstow, London, E17 |
| Type | Museum and exhibitions |
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Listed Building – Grade II*
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| Designated | 19 October 1951 |
| Reference no. | 1065620 |
| Public transit access | |
The William Morris Gallery is a museum in Walthamstow, London. It is all about the life and amazing work of William Morris. He was a famous English designer, artist, and early socialist. The museum is located in a beautiful old house called Water House. This house is a very special Grade II* listed Georgian home. The large gardens around the building are a public park. This park is known as Lloyd Park.
Contents
Exploring the Collections and Exhibits
The William Morris Gallery has the biggest collection of items related to William Morris. You can see his work as a designer, a writer, and someone who wanted to make society better.
The museum's main exhibit has 9 rooms to explore:
- 1. Getting to Know William Morris: Learn about Morris's early life and where he grew up.
- 2. How William Morris Started: See his first artworks and who inspired him. This includes Pre-Raphaelite artists and art critic John Ruskin.
- 3. Morris & Co: His Design Company: Discover how Morris started his design company and what ideas he believed in.
- 4. Making Things: Morris's Design Secrets: Find out about the special ways Morris designed and made his products.
- 5. Shopping in Victorian Times: This is an interactive room. It shows what it was like to buy Morris's creations in London long ago.
- 6. Books and Printing: Morris's Passion: See Morris's work in printing and book design. There is even an original copy of his book, Earthly Paradise.
- 7. Fighting for Fairness: Morris's Beliefs: Learn about Morris's social activism and his ideas for a fairer society.
- 8. The Arts and Crafts Movement: Explore the art movement that William Morris helped to start.
- 9. Frank Brangwyn: A Student's Work: See artworks by Frank Brangwyn, who was a student of William Morris.
The museum also hosts special learning events. It shows educational exhibitions from artists like Eamon Everall. He is part of the Stuckist art movement.
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Original design of "Trellis Wallpaper"
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The Morris & Co Room
History of Water House
Water House was built in 1762. It was William Morris's family home when he was a teenager, from 1848 to 1856. In 1856, the house and its grounds were sold to a newspaper owner named Edward Lloyd. His son later gave the house and grounds to Walthamstow in 1900. The grounds then became Lloyd Park.
The building did not open as a museum until 1950. The Prime Minister at the time, Clement Attlee, opened it.
Around 2007, there were worries about the museum's future. Its opening hours were cut to save money. This caused concern among many people. They feared the museum might close.
Making the Museum Better
In March 2009, the Heritage Lottery Fund gave the gallery £80,000. This money helped them plan for big improvements. In autumn 2010, they received more funding. The Heritage Lottery Fund gave £1.523 million. The London Borough of Waltham Forest also added £1.5 million. With this money, a major renovation project began.
The museum closed for these improvements in 2011. It reopened in August 2012, looking brand new.
The architects, Pringle Richards Sharratt, designed the changes to Water House. They added a new section that fits the old style of the building. This new part includes a 60 square meter gallery for special temporary exhibitions. There is also a tearoom with windows that have a cool Morris 'Thistle' pattern. A balcony from the tearoom looks out over the beautiful gardens.
When the museum reopened, a very long tapestry by Grayson Perry was shown. It was called the Walthamstow Tapestry and was fifteen meters long.
Awards and Recognition
In 2013, the William Morris Gallery won two big national awards. It was named Museum of the Year. It also won the Museum and Heritage Shows's award for Best Permanent Exhibition.
Lloyd Park: The Museum's Gardens
| Lloyd Park | |
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| Visitors | 1 million per year |
| Open | From 7.30am, daily. |
| Awards | Green Flag Award |
The gardens of Water House are now known as Lloyd Park. This is a public park that everyone can enjoy. The Waltham Forest Borough Council takes care of it. The park has a special area surrounded by a moat. This moat is even older than the Georgian house itself.
The park has many fun things to do. There is a café and public toilets. You can find artist studios, a play area, and a bowls pavilion. There are also tennis courts, a skate park, and basketball practice areas. The park often hosts a food market called Lloyd Park Market.
The Waltham Forest Theatre
A building was put up in 1937 on an island in the moat. In 1972, it became the Waltham Forest Theatre. This theatre was very popular through the 1990s. A local actor named Jack Watling performed many plays there. However, it eventually stopped being used. It was taken down in 2011 as part of the bigger park improvements.
See also
In Spanish: Galería William Morris para niños
- List of single-artist museums
