Ferens Art Gallery
Free city-centre art gallery in Hull with about 700 years of European painting, from Lorenzetti and Frans Hals to contemporary work.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Ferens Art Gallery takes its name from Thomas Robinson Ferens, a Hull businessman with the firm Reckitt and Sons and later Member of Parliament for Hull East. In 1905 he gave money to Hull Corporation to buy art for the city, and in 1917 he paid for a new gallery on the site of the former St John's Church in Queen Victoria Square. The gallery opened in 1927.
Ferens later added further endowments that funded most of today's collection. Until 1975 the gallery was run independently; it was then combined with Hull's museums under a single curator. The collection ranges from late medieval painting to modern art and includes European old masters, British artists and works with local connections, alongside a notable group of maritime paintings.
A refurbishment costing 4.5 million pounds was completed in 2015, in time for the gallery to host the Turner Prize in 2017 as part of Hull's year as UK City of Culture. Today the gallery shows its permanent collection alongside a changing programme of exhibitions, and it runs learning programmes for schools, families and young people.
Highlights
- Pietro Lorenzetti's Christ between Saints Paul and Peter, the only work by the artist in a UK collection
- Frans Hals's Portrait of a Young Woman in the Netherlands gallery
- Canaletto and Guardi in the eighteenth-century European gallery
- Rosa Bonheur's The Lion at Home in the Victorian gallery
- Maritime art gallery reflecting Hull's links with the sea
- Explore Art, an interactive gallery for children aged 0 to 5
Permanent exhibitions
- Gallery 2 – The Netherlands – Dutch Golden Age and other Netherlandish art of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, including a portrait by Frans Hals.
- Gallery 6 – Maritime Art – Maritime paintings of local and international importance that trace Hull's connection with the world by water.
- Gallery 9 – Modern and Contemporary – Changing displays of modern and contemporary painting, sculpture and photography, including portraiture.
- Founded
- 1927
- Operated by
- Hull City Council (Hull Museums)
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
| Visitors with disabilities | –companion free · Carers are welcome to join at no cost because entry is free for everyone. |
|---|---|
| Groups | –Groups of 15 or more are asked to tell the gallery in advance. |
Entry is free and no booking is needed. Groups of 15 or more should book through the self-directed visits page or contact the museum team.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials
- Audio description
Ramped entrance with a shallow incline and lifts between the gallery floors. A manual wheelchair can be borrowed at the front desk; it is best to call ahead. Accessible toilets, combined with baby-change facilities, are off Gallery 2 and at the rear of the building. The nearest Changing Places toilets are in the Wilson Centre on Alfred Gelder Street and at the Guildhall. An audio-descriptive guide of the highlights can be used on a phone or on handsets at the gallery. Nine designated disabled parking spaces are on Paragon Street, a few minutes away. A visual story, a quick access guide and an easy-read guide are available.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
- Family tours & workshops
- Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
- Hands-on stations
- Baby changing facilities
- Playground / play area
Gallery 10, Explore Art, is an interactive ground-floor gallery for children aged 0 to 5 with hands-on activities. The gallery runs family trails and activities, and the cafe offers a Little Artists menu.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Hull Paragon Interchange · 6-min walk
Hull Paragon Interchange (bus station and railway station) is a 6-minute walk away. The nearest bus stop is on Alfred Gelder Street.
By car
Parking available · 5-min walk to the entrance
The gallery has no car park of its own; nearby car parks include Lowgate, Saville Street and Paragon Street, all within a 5-minute walk.
- Accessible parking
The gallery stands in Queen Victoria Square next to the Maritime Museum and Hull City Hall. A bike park is opposite the entrance.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Café
- Museum shop
The in-house cafe serves breakfast, light bites and cakes and has a menu for young children. The gift shop sells postcards, prints and art books.
Events & venue rental
- Spaces for rent
- Private parties
- Corporate events
Hireable spaces include Gallery 2, further galleries, the live arts Studio with projection and audio equipment, and the cafe.
Inquiries & detailsPlan your visit
| Audio guide | yes (EN) |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Photography | Photography for personal, non-commercial use is welcome; occasional exceptions, such as touring artworks, are signposted. |
| Good to know | An audio-descriptive guide of gallery highlights is available as a phone download or on handsets; handsets can be reserved by phone. |
