Guided tour of Guildhall Art Gallery and London Roman Amphitheatre with lecturer Paul Pickering

Tickets include the guided tour and a hot drink & cake.

The first Guildhall Art Gallery was built in 1885 to display the City of London Corporation’s growing art collection. The project was inspired by the success of new galleries supported by local authorities in Liverpool, Manchester and Leeds. It aimed to cater to an ‘increased taste for Art’ evident in Victorian society. Under the dynamic leadership of its first Director, Alfred Temple, the Gallery ran a series of popular and influential exhibitions and expanded its collection of contemporary 19th century paintings.

Guildhall Art Gallery holds a rich variety of Victorian paintings, displayed in original 19th century style. The collections illustrate the key artistic movements and influences of the Victorian period, from the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, to Orientalism, Classicism and narrative painting.

The Gallery’s collection of London paintings opens a window onto unusual, memorable and colourful scenes from the city’s history. Dating from the 17th century onwards, they provide a vivid record of events including The Great Fire of London in 1666 and the opening of Tower Bridge in 1894. Street and crowd scenes capture the look and feel of city life, showing Londoners gathering to watch the Lord Mayor’s Show, rushing down Fleet Street, or partying on public holidays.

In 1987 the remains of the original Gallery were demolished. Shortly afterwards the Museum of London Archaeological Service discovered the remains of London’s Roman Amphitheatre and the building was re-designed to incorporate this astounding piece of architectural history.