A Masque for The Yellow Book 1897 by Charles Edward Conder
Rhyme and Reason
25 September 2026 - February 2027
Wixamtree and Connections Gallery - Free Entry
Discover the influence of stories and poetry on artists in this new exhibition drawn from the internationally renowned Cecil Higgins Art Gallery Collection. Greek myths and Shakespearian stories, Arthurian legends and poetry will all be explored in the works of artists such as Thomas Gainsborough, Paula Rego, Henry Moore, Ceri Richards and Henri Matisse.
A full colour catalogue by curators Professor Christiana Payne, Dr Mary O'Neill and Victoria Partridge will be available to buy in the shop.
The Paisley: Mass Production, Migration and Memory Exhibition
Sir William Harpur Gallery - Free Entry
22 November 2026 - 13 June 2027
An exhibition by artist Amina Pagliari explores the cultural, political and economic life of the Paisley motif. Originating in Kashmir, the design became globally recognised through colonial trade and industrial production in Britain, particularly in the town of Paisley. Through artworks, textiles, film, historical objects and community-led participatory projects, the exhibition traces the motif's transformation. It reflects on histories of empire, migration, and commodification, while asking how ornament can carry memory and be reclaimed in contemporary visual culture.
Minerals, Mysteries and Collectors Display
13 October 2026 - 9 May 2027
Settlement Foyer display case - free entry
Do you wonder about the shiny bits in your rock collection? How did they form? Why are they shiny? Where did they come from? Who collected The Higgins' rocks, minerals and fossils?
This exhibition, in partnership with Bedfordshire Geology Group, will answer these questions. Explore the properties of minerals and their mysterious formation. Discover some of the fabulous collection seen for the first time, along with the story of those collectors who have donated to the collection over the years.
Bedfordshire Natural History Society 80th Anniversary Display
Opens 20 October 2026, Free entry
Great Bedfordians Gallery
Come and discover some of the key personalities that have supported the Bedfordshire Natural History Society over the past 80 years. A display that celebrates people who have been central in studying, recording, and championing the county's wildlife for present and future generations to benefit from and enjoy.
Edward Bawden's Murals
Opens 22 May 2027
Wixamtree and Connections Gallery - Free entry
It is getting harder and harder to find Edward Bawden’s murals in the wild. Once millions of visitors would have visited his mural at The Festival of Britain, passengers on cruise ships would have relaxed with cocktails beneath them in the First-Class Lounge and university students would have passed them on their way to lectures. As tastes changed many of Bawden’s murals were put away or in some cases painted over but today they are much prized.
This new exhibition will focus on Bawden’s remarkable mural career from his early work with Eric Ravilious in the Morley College Refreshment Room to his last mural scale work ‘Bunyan’s Dream’ for The Cecil Higgins Art Gallery. The exhibition will feature well known works alongside those rarely seen in public.