OUR EXPERIENCE AT “THE WILSON ART GALLERY & MUSEUM”
The museum is located in Clarence Street, Cheltenham GL50 3JT. It is just in front of St. Matthew's Church and next to Cheltenham's Library. The entrance is free for everyone.
The museum was opened for the first time in 1899. It offers different exhibitions such as: the Arts and Crafts Collection, the Edward Wilson Gallery, Cheltenham's history through the years (The Paper Store), an Oriental Collection of Pottery and Costumes and Archaeological Treasures from the neighbouring Cotswolds.
In our stay here we visited the museum and particularly enjoyed the Arts and Crafts Collection, the Edward Wilson Gallery and The Paper Store. We are going to talk in details about these exhibitions.
ARTS AND CRAFTS COLLECTION
This room is about the Arts and Crafts, an international movement in the decorative and fine arts. All the objects from the collection are made of wood, glass, silver, ceramic and fabric. Here you can also find a piano realised entirely of wood. Going through the Arts and Crafts Furniture Store you can even find many ceramic items inside the dressers. The exhibition offers interesting facts about Cheltenham's history. Did you know that in the 18th Century mineral waters were discovered? Or that the population of Cheltenham is over 100'000 inhabitants now? We discovered that the town was industrially famous for its tobacco, shoes, gloves and stockings production.
THE LANGUAGE OF LANDSCAPES
In Edward Wilson Gallery you can find a particular exhibition called “The Language of Landscapes”. This room analyses the associations that we establish with a place: this relationship can be about people, buildings, geographical characteristics or a state of mind. It helps us to questions ourselves about the meaning of the word “place”. In fact, during our visit, we saw some paintings from different periods representing this link between the man and his surroundings. The landscapes are interpreted through a variety of techniques, materials and ways of expressions. For example you could find canvases representing the power of the scenery and of the figures within it.
THE PAPER STORE
This part of the museum shows us Cheltenham’s history through the eyes of its inhabitants. The Paper Store offers changing displays from the Wilson’s archives. In fact we can open the drawers of the collection and see ourselves the objects which made the history of the town. The best part of this exhibition is the fact that we can interact with the memorabilia exposed.
OUR FINAL OPINION
In the end we can say to have enjoyed this visit. It offered us the chance to explore the town’s past and to admire the masterpieces of Wilson’s art gallery. We really enjoyed the possibility “to write or sketch our thoughts”. For an international student it can be an opportunity to sink in the history of the town and understand the place that they are going to live in. It was really worth it!
Written by Alice, Amina, Giada, Lorenzo, Natalia and Sarita