Rugby Art Gallery and Museum

About the museum

Rugby Art Gallery and Museum opened in 2000 in a purpose-built building in Little Elborow Street, above the town's library and visitor centre. Before the move the museum collection had been kept at Warwickshire County Museum. The roots of the local museum collection go back to the 1890s, when the old Rugby Library was given to the town and a museum collection was set up beside it. The social history collection was built up mainly through donations from residents and local businesses, and formal collecting for the new museum began in 1999.

The art collection, known as the Rugby Collection, was started in 1946 to acquire work by artists of promise and renown. It now holds more than 220 paintings, prints, drawings, photographs and video works, including pieces by artists such as Paula Rego, Lucian Freud, L S Lowry, Paul Nash and Bridget Riley. The building has three changing exhibition spaces and a Local History Gallery on the first floor.

The Archaeology Gallery shows finds from Tripontium, a Romano-British settlement on Watling Street about five miles from the centre of Rugby that was inhabited for nearly 400 years. The excavations were carried out over about forty years from 1962. Since 2008 the museum has also acted as the repository for archaeological finds and archives from fieldwork in Rugby and the surrounding parishes. It is run by Rugby Borough Council.

Highlights

• Rugby Collection of art, with works by artists such as Paula Rego, L S Lowry and Lucian Freud
• Archaeology Gallery with finds from the Roman settlement of Tripontium
• Local History Gallery and social history collection
• Free entry to the building
• Relaxed Hours, Baby Hour and access support backpacks

Permanent exhibition

• Archaeology Gallery – Finds from the Romano-British settlement of Tripontium, with a reconstructed Roman market street and a section on recent local archaeological work.

Founded

2000

Operated by

Rugby Borough Council

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

General entry to the building is free.

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: no information
• Audio description: no information

There is step-free access throughout, with even floors and wide doorways, a lift to all floors, seating areas in the galleries and accessible toilets on the ground floor. Hearing loop systems are in Floor One Gallery, the Local History Gallery and the Art Gallery. Large-print leaflets and gallery guides are available, staff will describe artworks aloud, and a torch can be borrowed for the dimly lit galleries. Access support backpacks with ear defenders, fidget toys, coloured filters and magnifying glasses can be borrowed free, and an orientation video and social stories help visitors prepare. Assistance dogs are welcome in all areas. A limited number of Blue Badge spaces are available in the neighbouring Asda car park. Sign language and live captioning are not provided as standard but can be requested for workshops and talks.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Hands-on stations
• Baby changing facilities

Family activities include a monthly Baby Hour for under-2s, Relaxed Hour for neurodivergent children, Mini Time sessions for 2 to 5 year olds in term time and a school-holiday activity programme. In the Archaeology Gallery children can dress up in Roman-style clothing and explore a reconstructed market street.

Getting there & parking

The what3words location is punk.region.people.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop

The independently run café Pickle and Pie is open Monday to Saturday, 10:00 to 15:00. There is a visitor centre with a gift shop, and toilets with baby changing facilities. Wi-Fi is mentioned only for the activity room that can be hired.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Corporate events

Up to 40 guests.

An activity space (up to 40 seated theatre style, with Wi-Fi, projector and screen) and an art room (up to 16 seated) can be hired by the hour, with reduced rates for community, education and charitable groups. Artists and groups can also hire gallery space for self-organised exhibitions of two to six weeks.

Plan your visit