Stanley Spencer Gallery
Volunteer-run gallery in Cookham, founded in 1962, showing paintings and drawings by Stanley Spencer in the village that inspired his work.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Stanley Spencer Gallery was founded in 1962 in Cookham, the Berkshire village where the painter Stanley Spencer lived and found the subjects for many of his works. It is run by volunteers and is a registered charity governed by the Sir Stanley Spencer Memorial Trust, whose founding document dates from 1961. The gallery describes itself as self-funded and is a fully accredited museum.
The permanent collection has grown since 1962 through gifts, bequests and occasional purchases. The gallery also looks after further Spencer works on long-term loan and lends pieces from its own collection to exhibitions elsewhere in the United Kingdom and abroad. Past displays have included the 2018 exhibition Patron Saints: Collecting Stanley Spencer.
Visitors see Spencer's art in a small space on Cookham High Street, close to the places that appear in his paintings. The gallery also keeps an accessible library and archive, and volunteers lead guided walks to the Cookham locations linked to the artist for groups. A self-guided walk pamphlet can be bought at the gallery.
Highlights
- Paintings and drawings by Stanley Spencer in his home village
- Permanent collection built up through gifts and bequests
- Free audio guide through the Bloomberg Connects app
- Guided walks to Cookham places linked to Spencer's paintings
- Library and archive
Permanent exhibition
- Stanley Spencer collection – Paintings and drawings by Stanley Spencer from the gallery's own collection, built up through gifts, bequests and purchases since 1962.
- Founded
- 1962
- Operated by
- Sir Stanley Spencer Memorial Trust
Admission & discounts
| Adults | £9 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | £4.50Visitors aged 18 to 25, Art Fund members and holders of the RBWM Advantage Card. |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 17 · Free for everyone under 18. |
| Visitors with disabilities | –companion free · Carers are admitted free. |
| Adult ticket including a donation | £10Gift Aid applies to donations above the admission price. |
| Reduced ticket including a donation | £5 |
| Group gallery tour, per person (10 to 20 people, minimum group charge £100) | £15 |
| Group gallery tour and Cookham walk, per person, including admission | £20One-hour tour and one-hour walk. |
Friends of the Gallery are admitted free. Tickets can be bought online or on arrival. Free group visits are offered to disability access groups.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- 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 has level access throughout and a lift to the mezzanine floor, and the exhibition space is evenly lit. An accessibility guide with photographs can be downloaded from the website. Public toilets with disabled facilities are in the car park around the corner.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 17 |
|---|
- Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
Under-18s are admitted free. A free workbook with questions, drawing prompts and close-looking activities is available at the gallery for children and adults.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Cookham station · 10-min walk
Take the Cookham branch line from Maidenhead, which connects with the Reading to Paddington line and the Elizabeth line. The gallery is about a 10-minute level walk from the station.
By car
Free parking
Free on-street parking with a two-hour limit, and a free car park with several spaces close by.
Cookham is about 4 miles from Maidenhead, 19 miles from Reading and 30 miles from London. The what3words address is faced.lamps.swim.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Museum shop
Gallery shop. There is no café mentioned at the gallery, but tea rooms, pubs and restaurants are close by. Public toilets are in the nearby car park. Knowledgeable custodians answer questions in the galleries.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 60 min |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | yes |
| Good to know | The free Bloomberg Connects app serves as the audio guide (bring headphones). Guided tours and volunteer-led walks are offered for groups of 10 to 20 people by arrangement. |
