The Whitechapel Gallery, London

The Whitechapel Gallery is a public art gallery designed by Charles Harrison Townsend. It was founded in 1901 as one of the first publicly-funded galleries for temporary exhibitions in London, and has a long track record for education and outreach projects, now focused on the Whitechapel area's deprived populations.

It exhibits the work of contemporary artists, and hosts retrospective exhibitions and shows that are of interest to the local community.

For the history of post-war British art, the most important exhibition to have been held at the Whitechapel Gallery was This is Tomorrow in 1956. Initiated by members of the Independent Group, the exhibition brought Pop Art to the general public as well as introducing some of the artists, concepts, designers and photographers that would define the Swinging Sixties.

In the later 1960s and through the 1970s, the critical importance of the Whitechapel Gallery was displaced by newer venues such as the Hayward Gallery, but in the 1980s the Gallery enjoyed a resurgence under the Directorship of Nicholas Serota. The Whitechapel Gallery had a major refurbishment in 1986 and completed, in 2009, a two year programme of work to incorporate the former Passmore Edwards Library building next door which has doubled the size of the Gallery.

Opening Times

Monday Closed
Tuesday 11am-6pm
Wednesday 11am-6pm
Thursday 11am-9pm
Friday 11am-6pm
Saturday 11am-6pm
Sunday 11am-6pm

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Ticket Prices

Admission is free of charge.

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Disabled Facilities

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