Over het museum
The Whitechapel Gallery was founded in 1901 by the social reformers Samuel and Henrietta Barnett, who wanted to bring the finest art of the world to the people of London's East End. Charles Harrison Townsend designed the original building on Whitechapel High Street in a distinctive modern style for its time. It was one of the first publicly funded galleries in London for temporary exhibitions.
From the beginning the gallery showed art from many cultures and supported local artists and schoolchildren. In 1939 it presented Pablo Picasso's painting Guernica during its only visit to Britain. After the Second World War it became important for new British and international art, with early exhibitions by artists such as Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko, David Hockney and Frida Kahlo, and the 1956 show This Is Tomorrow, an early landmark of Pop Art.
In 2009 the gallery roughly doubled in size by taking over the neighbouring former Whitechapel Library. Today it has no permanent collection and shows changing exhibitions of contemporary art, usually with several free displays and one ticketed exhibition each season. It also runs a learning programme, events, a cafe, a bookshop and the Common Rooms, a free space to sit and read. The gallery is a registered charity and receives public funding from Arts Council England.
Hoogtepunten
- Changing exhibitions of contemporary and modern art, some free and one ticketed per season
- Original building of 1901 plus the former library next door, opened to the gallery in 2009
- Whitechapel Lates on Thursday evenings with pay-what-you-can entry
- Common Rooms: a free space with sofas, books and a large table
- Free audio description, BSL tours and relaxed sessions each season
- Opgericht
- 1901
- Beheerder
- Whitechapel Gallery (registered charity no. 312162)
- Directie
- Iwona Blazwick
- Bezoekers per jaar
- ca. 490.000
Toegangsprijzen & kortingen
| Volwassenen | £ 16,50 |
|---|---|
| Met korting | £ 9,50Students with ID, NHS staff, Universal Credit recipients, seniors (60+), visitors with disabilities and Tower Hamlets residents |
| Kinderen & jongeren | gratisgratis t/m 15 jaar · Under-16s enter free. |
| Senioren | £ 9,50Aged 60 and over. |
| Mensen met een beperking | £ 9,50begeleider gratis · Carers go free. |
| Studenten | £ 9,50Students with ID. |
| National Art Pass holders | £ 8,25 |
Gratis toegang: Whitechapel Lates, Thursdays from 18:00 to 21:00: pay what you can for all exhibitions.
The standard ticket costs £16.50, or £18.15 with a 10% donation. Only one exhibition per season is ticketed; several displays are free. Members of the gallery enter free. Tickets can be booked online or bought at the desk, which does not accept cash.
Toegankelijkheid
- Rolstoeltoegankelijk
- Lift
- Aangepast toilet
- Gehandicaptenparkeerplaats
- Hulphonden welkom
- Tastmodellen / voelbare objecten: geen informatie
- Rondleidingen in gebarentaal
- Informatie in eenvoudige taal
- Audiodescriptie
A passenger lift reaches all floors and all current exhibitions (maximum four people). An accessible toilet with baby changing is on the ground floor. Two wheelchairs can be borrowed, and portable folding chairs are available. A portable induction loop can be booked for the whole gallery. Guide, hearing and assistance dogs are welcome. Audio description is recorded for artworks in all exhibitions. Large-print labels and an Easy Read guide are available. Each season includes audio-description tours, BSL-led tours and a relaxed hour. Free Blue Badge parking is on Osborn Street, and taxis can drop off directly outside.
Kinderen & gezin
Erg geschikt voor kinderen & gezinnen
| Toegang kinderen | gratis t/m 15 jaar |
|---|
- Verschoonruimte
Under-16s enter ticketed exhibitions free. Baby changing is on the ground floor near the cafe. Fidget spinners and other sensory tools are available at the Information Desk, and the Common Rooms offer chairs, sofas and books.
Bereikbaarheid & parkeren
Met het openbaar vervoer
Aldgate East station · 1 min. lopen
Aldgate East station (District and Hammersmith & City lines) is less than a minute on foot. Liverpool Street and Tower Gateway stations and Shoreditch High Street and Whitechapel Overground stations are about 15 minutes away. Buses 25, 205 and 254 stop outside; buses 15, 115, 40, 42, 45 and 67 stop at Aldgate station.
Met de auto
Geen eigen parkeerplaats bij het museum.
There is no gallery car park. Free Blue Badge parking without time limit is at the top of Osborn Street, first come, first served. Nearby paid options include NCP Whitechapel High Street (Spreadeagle Yard, E1 7PJ) and Buckle Street multistorey car park (E1 8EH).
- Gehandicaptenparkeerplaats
Public transport is recommended. Santander Cycles docking stations are at Altab Ali Park and Braham Street.
Route plannenService & horeca
- Café
- Museumwinkel
- Garderobe
- Kluisjes
- Wifi
Free Wi-Fi is available across the gallery. Alba Caffè is open Tuesday to Sunday and until 21:00 on Thursdays. The Bookshop sells books, catalogues and gifts. Self-service lockers for small bags are on the ground floor. Two tables in the ground-floor foyer can be used for packed lunches.
Evenementen & zaalverhuur
- Ruimtes te huur
- Privéfeesten
- Zakelijke evenementen
Spaces include studios, galleries and an auditorium for meetings, conferences, corporate and private events. Public events are not accepted.
Aanvragen & detailsJe bezoek plannen
| Rondleidingen | ja |
|---|---|
| Aanbod voor scholen | ja |
| Goed om te weten | Groups of nine or more must book at least two weeks ahead. School and community groups enter free; university groups pay £6.50 and independent groups £9.50 per person for ticketed exhibitions. Exhibition tours for groups start from £150. Access events need booking. |
