Gainsborough's House

Gainsborough's House is an established museum in the birthplace of Thomas Gainsborough RA (1727-88. More of Gainsborough's paintings, drawings and prints are on display here at any one time than anywhere else in the world. The collection of work encompasses the artist's whole career, from early portraits or landscapes painted in Suffolk in the 1750s to later works from his London period of the 1770s and 80s, and is shown with 18th century furniture and memorabilia together with work by Gainsborough's contemporaries and followers. The permanent collection is augmented by several loans of paintings by Gainsborough or his contemporaries, from public and private collections. The outstanding collection of drawings is housed in a Study Gallery, alongside prints, rare books and Gainsborough ephemera.

There is a varied programme of temporary exhibitions of both historic and contemporary art.

The visitor entrance to Gainsborough's House is on Weavers Lane and leads into the Gift Shop and Coffee Shop, with the Hills Room Education Centre upstairs. The entrance area leads out on to the terrace and the delightful walled garden, with its ancient mulberry tree.

The Print Workshop at Gainsborough's House is now recognised as one of the best facilities of its kind in the country and welcomes printmakers through its membership scheme and courses. A programme of classes, intensive summer courses and tailor made workshops for community and educational groups is designed to help both experienced artists and newcomers to printmaking develop a wide range of skills.