Best Places Urban Art Luton Near Me

4worldlovers: At the end of October Departure Lounge announced what we hoped would be a temporary closure. Regretfully, following some very disappointing funding news we must now announce that the gallery will close for the foreseeable future.

Departure Lounge was established in 2010 and offered breakthrough exhibitions, commissions and publishing opportunities to an international array of contemporary artists -- in particular in the area of photography, and very often showcasing the work of women artists. Working peripatetically across four different spaces (including a former bank, a formers hairdresser’s and a former hat showroom) some of the highlights during this period have included our inaugural show Disruptive Members with Nigel Grimmer followed by our first international commission Escape from Colditz with Leipzig based artists Annette and Erasmus Schroeter, and a whistle-stop tour through all that was interesting and innovative in international photography with participating artists including Vanley Burke, John Myers, Julie Cook, Nancy Newberry, Jane Hilton, Susan Barnett, Catrine Val, Thomas Mailaender, Kurt Tong and Haley Morris Cafiero, with the occasional excursion into conceptual sculpture and performance with Yva Jung, Tom Hacket, Dominic from Luton, Sarah Baker and Idit Nathan. All of our past programme can be viewed on our archive page.

We complimented our national and international vision by working with a number of globally ambitious local artists including Asiya Clarke, Abi Spendlove, Maria Meyer and Anna Fairchild all of whose practice aligned with our belief that Luton could be an international shop window for the visual arts. The vision of our partners Culture Trust Luton, whose work in the the Hat District to refurbish and put to creative use the built heritage of Luton’s millinery industry -- and Luton Council’s ambitious Luton 2040 development suggest that our vision for Luton’s renewal is shared and that remarkable and positive change is underway.

Our success, until now, in securing funds from Arts Council England and other funders is testament to a shared belief in Luton’s potential, and in closing I would like to thank all our funders, partners, Departure Lounge’s amazing current and former curatorial staff and interns, and especially, the artists we have worked with. Starting from scratch as we did, we have often had to make it up as we went along and it’s been quite a journey, often challenging but never boring!

4worldlovers: Please note: Our upper galleries are reopening on Sunday, 14th of May and our café will be closed for a week from 21st May for essential maintenance. It will reopen on 28th May.

More than a museum. Who said time travel wasn’t real? Welcome to a wealthy family home in the Victorian era. Explore the rooms and let the house tell you its story!

Wardown House, Museum and Gallery is a Grade II listed building situated in the beautiful grounds of Wardown Park.

Formerly the home of the Scargill family, then a World War I military hospital, the house is now a museum. But not just any museum, this house transports you back in time, to a Victorian family home. Every room tells a story, with interactive displays, a treasure trove of local curiosities and the largest hat industry and headwear collection in the UK!

Our Morning Room art gallery displays inspiring exhibitions throughout the year and our Dining Room café, overlooking Wardown Park, serves up the most delicious coffee and cake . You can even treat yourself to an Afternoon Tea.

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If you enjoy visiting Wardown House Museum & Gallery, why not explore other museums Bedfordshire has to offer? Click here to see a map that shows the top 20 museums in the county. Bedfordshire Museums are varied to suit a wide range of interests and hobbies, so there is something to suit everyone, and each museum is unique. Download the map, and click on the links of museums that interest you to plan your trip.

Want to breast feed in private? Our breastfeeding room, complete with a comfy chair and baby-changing table is available for your use.

The Dining Room offers a delicious menu of light bites, lunch options and afternoon tea.

Our gift shop combines traditional Victorian products with modern museum retail to create a charming range of gifts that will delight all ages. Taking original design features from the redevelopment of the house, these gifts are truly unique. Every item has a story to tell, even Pompey the Penguin our chosen house mascot! All gift shop profits go back into maintaining our heritage sites and keeping them free to enter.

A lift is available on the ground floor of the museum, taking you up to the first floor, to continue your journey through the house. Fully accessible toilets are also situated on the ground floor.

We have two free car parks on site, one can be accessed via Old Bedford Road and the other via New Bedford Road. During the winter months, we recommend you use New Bedford Road, as the lighting is much better suited for darker conditions.

The site is approximately 1 mile from Luton station. It’s a lovely walk on a summer’s day, but if you’d prefer to travel via cab, a taxi rank is located directly outside Luton station.

4worldlovers:
We're a registered charity in England (no. 1107790) and a registered company (no. 03525877) in England and Wales.