Derby Museum and Art Gallery

About the museum

The museum grew out of a local natural history society formed in 1836. The town took over the collections, and the museum opened to the public in 1879 in a new building next to the central library, designed by Richard Knill Freeman and given to Derby by the brewer and philanthropist Michael Thomas Bass. An art gallery followed a few years later.

The collection broadened over the decades to include fine and applied art, Derby porcelain, archaeology, geology, natural history, world cultures and military history. A major gift of paintings in 1936 and a bequest that paid for a modern extension in the 1960s expanded the space. In 2011 the Wright holdings received Designated status as an outstanding collection, and the museum was refurbished in the early 2010s.

Today Derby Museums Trust, a charity, runs the museum together with the Museum of Making and Pickford's House. The building is best known for its galleries devoted to Joseph Wright of Derby, the 18th-century painter of scientific experiments and industrial scenes, born in the city in 1734. Other galleries cover the geology and archaeology of Derbyshire, historic ceramics, objects from around the world, and the story of local regiments, including the Royal Lancers Museum within the Soldiers' Story gallery.

Highlights

• The world's largest collection of paintings and drawings by Joseph Wright of Derby
• Historic Derbyshire porcelain and ceramics in the Ceramics Gallery
• The Soldiers' Story gallery with the Royal Lancers Museum
• "Unearthed" gallery on the archaeology and natural science of Derbyshire
• Surrealist paintings and archive of the Derby artist Marion Adnams

Permanent exhibitions

• Joseph Wright of Derby – The world's largest collection of works by the Derby-born painter (1734 to 1797), famed for his scenes of science and industry.
• Unearthed – Archaeology and natural science objects tracing millions of years of life in Derbyshire and how people have shaped it.
• The Soldiers' Story – Military collections of three local regiments, the Royal Lancers, the Sherwood Foresters and the Derbyshire Yeomanry.

Founded

1879

Operated by

Derby Museums Trust

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Entry to the museum is free.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The museum is described as fully wheelchair accessible, and staff can give assistance if needed. The main entrance is on The Strand, opposite the end of Sadler Gate; the building cannot be entered through the adjoining library. An access statement and a picture story for visitors are published on the Derby Museums website.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops

The Coffee House is a family-friendly space, and the shop sells children's toys. A learning programme for families, young people and schools across the three Derby museums.

Getting there & parking

There are bicycle racks outside the main entrance on The Strand.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Restaurant: not available
• Museum shop

The Coffee House, a family-friendly cafe serving food from local suppliers, in the Ceramics Gallery. Museum shop with local makers' ceramics, jewellery, prints and toys.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties
• Corporate events
• Weddings / ceremonies

Spaces include the Museum on the Wardwick, the Joseph Wright Gallery and the World Collection Gallery, for events, weddings, parties and conferences. Contact: venuehire@derbymuseums.org.

Plan your visit