Welcome to York Art Gallery – explore a range of paintings spanning more than 600 years, from 14^th century Italian panels and 17^th century Dutch masterpieces to Victorian narrative paintings and 20^th century works by LS Lowry and David Hockney.

The building which houses the gallery opened its doors to the public in 1879 for the second Yorkshire Fine Art and Industrial Exhibition, inspired by the Great Exhibition of London in 1851. In 1892 it became the City Art Gallery. After undergoing a major redevelopment project in 2015 the Art Gallery reopened with more display space, new gardens and a Centre of Ceramic Art (CoCA).

What you can see on your visit

Drawing attention: emerging artists in dialogue

Discover some of the most compelling up-and-coming names in the field of contemporary drawing, displayed alongside works by celebrated artists within the British Museum collection of prints and drawings. 

Treasures from the Stores 

Treasures from the Stores showcases artworks that haven’t been on display before, or for a long time, including Andy Warhol’s ‘Marilyn Monroe’, alongside some of the most loved jewels of the collection.  

Queering the Burton

Art works from York Art Galleries collections will be ‘coming out’ from the stores as well as looking again at some of the art already on display from an LGBTQIA perspective

Wall of Women

The ‘Wall of Women’, a new display opened on International Women’s Day (8 March) in the Centre of Ceramic Art, it celebrates and reveals the innovation and creativity of women working with clay from the early 20th century to the present day.

Yorkshire Tea Ceremony

Explore our remarkable display of ceramics collected by W.A. Ismay, the UK’s most prolific collector of post-war British studio pottery.

 

The Anthony Shaw Collection

Enjoy exploring this long-term loan collection from Anthony Shaw, a collector of art for over forty years.

Permanent Collection

The Burton Gallery
See some of the finest pieces from our fine art collection, including Italian Old Master paintings, Dutch and Flemish Old Master paintings, works by early 20^th century modern artists and abstract paintings. In addition to this, on display are some old favourites including Hogarth’s Studio by E. M. Ward, Clifford’s Tower by L. S. Lowry and works by York artist William Etty.

Centre of Ceramic Art (CoCA)
CoCA highlights and celebrates our collection of British Studio Ceramics, which is the largest and amongst the most important in the UK and covers the entire British studio ceramics movement.

The Anthony Shaw Collection: Children Curate
Anthony Shaw’s impressive collection of art was assembled over a 40-year period and is on long-term loan to York Art Gallery. In this remarkable display, Anthony invited 28 Year Six children from Burton Green Primary to become Guest Curators and create their own exhibition using his collection.

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