Graves Gallery

About the museum

The Graves Gallery opened in 1934 thanks to the generosity of the Sheffield philanthropist J. G. Graves and the Corporation of Sheffield, now Sheffield City Council. It was planned to show a carefully chosen, nationally important collection of art that anyone could visit. The gallery occupies the top floor of the Art Deco Central Library building on Surrey Street, which is Grade II listed.

Over the years the city's art collection grew into one of the strongest regional collections in the north of England. It includes work by JMW Turner, Edward Burne-Jones, John Singer Sargent, Paul Cezanne, Stanley Spencer, David Hockney and Bridget Riley, as well as contemporary artists. In 2021 the gallery began a five-year programme of redisplay supported by the Ampersand Foundation, rehanging about 40 per cent of the displays each year.

In spring 2026 a failure of the building's heating system forced the gallery to close most of its display spaces. Investigations found that the system cannot be repaired, so the gallery will close on 31 October 2026. Sheffield Museums and the City Council plan to show highlights of the collection in an interim city-centre location in 2027, until a major redevelopment of the building allows the collection to return to Surrey Street.

Highlights

• Collection of British and international art, including Turner and Hockney
• Works by Bridget Riley, John Hoyland and Claudette Johnson
• Art Deco building above the Central Library
• Rehanging programme refreshing about 40 per cent of displays each year
• Gallery shop with prints, postcards and artists' materials

Founded

1934

Operated by

Sheffield Museums Trust

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Entry is free; the gallery asks visitors to donate 5 pounds if they can.

Accessibility

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

The gallery is step-free, but the Grade II listed building has three flights of stairs from the library to the gallery entrance, and a few steps from the street to the library foyer. Step-free access is through the Arundel Gate entrance: ring the bell and library porters take visitors up by lift to the top floor. Wheelchairs can be borrowed on request. Accessible toilets are reached via the library, and the nearest Changing Places toilet is at the Crucible Theatre. Blue Badge spaces outside the Central Library have a three-hour limit. Films have captions, labels are available in large print, and folding stools can be requested. A visual story is available.

Kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Baby changing facilities: not available

Sheffield Museums offer family trails and activities at their sites; ask staff on arrival. There are no baby-change facilities and no buggy storage at the gallery.

Getting there & parking

The gallery is on the third floor of the Central Library building on Surrey Street. From the M1, leave at junction 33 and follow signs for the city centre. Sheffield has a Clean Air Zone and a bus gate on Arundel Gate.

Amenities & dining

• Café: not available
• Restaurant: not available
• Museum shop
• Coat check: not available
• Lockers: not available

There is no cafe in the gallery; the nearest is Ambulo at the Millennium Gallery across the road. Food and drink may not be taken into the gallery. The shop sells prints, postcards, books and artists' materials. There is no cloakroom, locker or buggy storage.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit