The official gateway to Devon museums

The Box, Plymouth

The Box is Plymouth's award-winning museum, gallery and archive. Immerse yourselves in galleries filled with highlights from the city's permanent collections.

Browse and buy in our shop. Enjoy something to eat and drink in The Box Kitchen & Bar or The Little Box cafe. Research family and local history in our Cottonian Research Room. Our summer programme is focused on the themes of light and colour and includes two key exhibitions: 'Reframing Reynolds: A Celebration' (24 June-29 October 2023) and 'Rana Begum: Dappled Light' (24 June-24 September 2023). Talks, family activities, live music and special events are also on offer throughout the year.

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Archaeology Collection

The archaeological collection includes locally excavated objects from the City of Plymouth, West Devon and the South Hams. Items include prehistoric artefacts from Dartmoor as well as important Bronze Age and Iron Age material.
Natural History Collection

The natural history collection includes an estimated 90,000 insects, 10,000 minerals, 10,000 plants, 3000 jars of wet-preserved specimens, plus hundreds of birds, mammals, eggs, shell, corals, skeletons, fossils and rocks.
Ethnographic Collection

The world cultures, or ethnography, collection consists of around 3,700 objects that have been collected from Asia, Oceania, Africa and the Americas, as well as some items from Europe. It includes weaponry, tools and utensils, games, clothing and ceremonial artefacts.
Fine Art Collection

Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery has a large and important fine art collection. With over 800 paintings, 3000 watercolours and drawings, over 5000 prints and small collections of sculpture and miniatures, it represents the largest fine art collection in Devon and Cornwall.
Decorative Art Collection

The decorative art collection contains ceramics, glass, furniture, costume and textiles, silver and contemporary craft. It also includes one of the most extensive collections of the historically important Plymouth and Bristol porcelain.

Admission & prices

Opening hours
Tue – Sun 10am – 5pm
Bank Holidays 10am – 5pm

The Box Kitchen & Bar
Tue, Wed, Thu & Sun 10am – 5pm
Fri & Sat 10am – 11pm
Bank Holidays 10am – 5pm

The Little Box cafe
Tue – Sun 9.30am – 3pm
Bank Holidays 9.30am – 3pm

Free entry

For more information visit https://www.theboxplymouth.com

Find us

The Box is a five-minute walk from Drake Circus and Plymouth city centre and a ten-minute walk from the train and coach stations. Many buses stop nearby on North Hill and Coburg Street. Visit https://www.theboxplymouth.com/getting-here

Museum news

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Pelé’s shirt on display at The Box 50 years after he played in Plymouth

Pelé’s iconic number 10 football shirt, worn when he played at Home Park 50 years ago on 14 March 1973, is going on display at The Box from next Tuesday......

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The Box joins The Wild Escape project

The Box is joining The Wild Escape, a major new project uniting hundreds of museums, galleries and historic houses with schools and families to explore nature and creativity......

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Information

For more information visit:
https://www.theboxplymouth.com/plan-your-visit
https://www.theboxplymouth.com/access
https://www.theboxplymouth.com/food-and-drink

Tavistock Place
Plymouth
PL4 8AX

T: 01752 304774
E: TheBoxEnquiries@plymouth.gov.uk