Colour

When: 23 May 2026 to 06 September 2026
Where: Royal Albert memorial Museum Art & Gallery Queen Street Exeter UK
Cost: Online – £6 (£8 at the desk) / NUS Cardholders and MA Members – £4 / A
Suitable for: Any age

A kaleidoscope of an exhibition, bringing together over 150 objects spanning art, science, nature and cultural histories.

Colour is key to helping us make sense of the world, used to communicate by wildlife, plants and people alike. Colour is more than just something we see – it’s something we feel and sometimes even smell. It has the power to symbolise who we are and what we believe, and it is at the heart of some of our most enduring traditions.

This exhibition explores a spectacular world of colour – how we see it, how it’s made, how it’s used and how meaning can become attached to it. Artworks by Hokusai, Kandinsky, Bridget Riley and Andy Warhol are on display alongside examples of exquisitely crafted decorative ceramics. A diamante-studded Trinidadian carnival costume and Victorian mourning dress illustrate how colour can imbue clothing with cultural significance, while examples of pre-historic gold jewellery show the value of colour across millennia.

A family-friendly exhibition packed with vibrant objects, interactive displays and thought-provoking exhibits, this is a chance to see colour in all its glory – come and be surprised by the spectrum of possibilities!

Colour has been curated by Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery in partnership with Sheffield Museums; Tullie House, Carlisle; Gosport Museum & Art Gallery, Hampshire; and Bristol Museum and Art Gallery, for the Museums and Galleries Network for Exhibition Touring (MAGNET), with Art Fund support and public funding by the National Lottery through ACE.

Information about accessibility is available on our Access page.