Item of the month

Discover an atmospheric sketch by Joyce Conwy-Evans, on display in 'Out on the Town: Entertainment in Swindon' until 18 October.

August’s ‘Item of the Month’ explores a portrait of Leslie Cole’s wife, Brenda, currently on display in ‘Leslie Cole: Recording Conflict in the Second World War’.

This July, take an in-depth look at a tabard and cap from the historic Savoy Cinema, currently on display in our exhibition ‘Out on the Town’.

Explore June 2025's Item of the Month, Studland Bay 1911 by Roger Fry. Learn more about this fascinating painting and the artist behind it.

In April's item of the month discover Julian Trevelyan’s striking 1930s view of Stoke-on-Trent, on display in A Very British Art Revolution, at Museum & Art Swindon. Explore how Mass-Observation and life in the Potteries shaped his raw, expressive artworks during Britain’s economic depression.

Discover Essex Housing Estate (1954) by Edward Bawden in Seriously…, an exhibition selected by the Friends of Museum & Art Swindon. In this post, selection committee member Linda Kasmaty reflects on Bawden’s watercolour, exploring its subtle commentary on post-war change and everyday life in Essex.

Explore February 2025's Object of the Month, from the Museum & Art Swindon Collection, the sculpture of Alfred Williams by Carleton Attwood.

Of all the artists with connections to Swindon, Paul Rudall is one of the most interesting, and one of the most unfairly ignored. Museum and Art Swindon recently acquired several paintings by Rudall, including Distant Red, which is currently on display in our exhibition Art on Our Doorstep.

The 21st of December is the shortest day in the Northern Hemisphere.We will then welcome the return of the Sun, and longer days...

Dig deeper into Brian Graham’s 1991 painting of Cranbourne Chase, which is currently on display in Wessex Landscapes at Museum & Art Swindon. 

To acknowledge the spookiest month of the year, October’s item of the month is our stuffed brown rat.  A fitting symbol of Swindon’s long-running battle against urban pests, this specimen is on display in our history of Swindon Gallery “A Tale of Two Towns” (no pun intended).

September means a fresh new academic year for students across the globe, creating the perfect opportunity to highlight some new additions to our social history collection in this months Item of the month.