Museum On Tour: Britain in the Fifties: Design and Aspiration
The Box, Plymouth
When: 25 March 2017 to 03 June 2017
Where: The Council House, Armada Way, Plymouth PL1 2AA
Time: 10am - 4pm
Cost: Admission free
Suitable for: Any age
Monday to Saturday 10am to 4pm
Closed Sundays and Bank Holidays
Closed Monday 8 May and Friday 19 May due to civic functions
Come and see a vision of the country from 60 years ago as we explore the history of post-war design in this nationally touring exhibition organised by Compton Verney.
The 1950s was a time when Britain emerged from a period of austerity and rationing after the Second World War.
Following the ground-breaking Festival of Britain of 1951, design played a crucial role in shaping our ‘Brave New World’.
As Britain began to modernise itself and become more prosperous, it led the world with the quality and innovation of its decorative and applied arts. Leading artists became household names and good design became affordable.
This exhibition looks at all aspects of 1950s design, both inside and outside the home, with a diverse range of objects including furnishings, fabrics, ceramics, cutlery, magazines, machinery and the iconic Vespa. It will also include objects and moving images from our collection. This is a 'Museum On Tour' exhibition for the Plymouth History Centre.
Image credit: Vespa GL in metallic green, from an image supplied by Bristol Museums Galleries and Archives.
Exhibitions & Projects
-
FOOD: beyond the plate
Royal Albert Memorial Museum and Art Gallery
22 March 2025 to 29 June 2025
-
Telling Our Stories, Finding Our Roots
Ilfracombe Museum
20 November 2024 to 01 July 2025
-
The Valley: Art on the border a cultural history of Marsland
The Museum of Barnstaple and North Devon
24 May 2025 to 05 July 2025
-
Emma Stibbon RA: Melting Ice | Rising Tides
The Burton at Bideford art gallery and museum
10 May 2025 to 05 July 2025
-
North Devon Arts: Spring into Summer Exhibition
The Museum of Barnstaple and North Devon
31 May 2025 to 12 July 2025
-
Forbidden Territories: 100 Years of Surreal Landscapes
The Box, Plymouth
24 May 2025 to 07 September 2025
-
Digging Deeper: Celebrating volunteers in North Devon's archaeology
The Museum of Barnstaple and North Devon
26 July 2025 to 04 October 2025
-
Treasures of North Devon
The Museum of Barnstaple and North Devon
19 July 2025 to 11 October 2025
-
Six Weeks To Go
Kingsbridge Cookworthy Museum
31 March 2025 to 31 October 2025
-
Kingsbridge 1939 1945 : The Image and the Place
Kingsbridge Cookworthy Museum
31 March 2025 to 31 October 2025
-
Battle of Britain Anniversary Exhibition and Talk Series
Exmouth Museum and Heritage Centre registered charity 291311
08 April 2025 to 01 November 2025
-
Jyll Bradley: Running and Returning
The Box, Plymouth
05 April 2025 to 02 November 2025
-
Coastal Threads: Textile Art
Fairlynch Museum Budleigh Salterton
01 May 2025 to 02 November 2025
-
Jyll Bradley: Life and Influences
The Box, Plymouth
05 April 2025 to 02 November 2025
-
Wild
Royal Albert Memorial Museum and Art Gallery
26 July 2025 to 04 January 2026
-
Carolyn Lefley: Ancient Sea
Royal Albert Memorial Museum and Art Gallery
29 July 2025 to 25 January 2026
