What We Treasure opens

From portraits of renowned historical figures to treasured items

Wordsworth Grasmere exhibition showcases rarely seen art from extensive collection

Rarely seen works of art, from portraits of renowned historical figures to treasured items crafted by Cumbrians 200 years ago, have gone on display at Wordsworth Grasmere as part of a new exhibition: What we Treasure: Art out of the Archive.

Open until 6 June 2026, the exhibition explores what makes an object or artwork a ‘Treasure’. Featuring rare, famous, emotionally resonant and unexpected items, the exhibition offers a unique opportunity to see highlights of a collection that is so large that the majority is rarely on public display.

For the first time, Wordsworth Grasmere’s diverse and captivating art collection is presented in a new interpretive format, taking visitors on a journey through works by some of Britain’s most celebrated artists. Highlights include pieces by J.M.W. Turner, John Constable, Thomas Gainsborough, Thomas Girtin and Sir Joshua Reynolds.

Alongside these well-known names, the exhibition also features less familiar artists with connections to the Wordsworths. Amongst them is John ‘Warwick’ Smith, a Cumbrian-born artist whose depictions of the Lake District’s landscape capture the environment as the young William Wordsworth would have known it.

Over the years, the Wordsworth Trust has continued to expand its collection and What we Treasure features more modern works by twentieth- and twenty-first century artists including Conrad Atkinson, Delmar Banner, Percy Horton and John Piper.

Beyond fine art, the exhibition invites visitors to explore personal objects from the lives of the Wordsworth family, many of which inspired William Wordsworth’s poetry. Highlights include a delicate cloth harp-shaped needle case with gold foil decoration, created by Edith Southey – who Wordsworth referred to as “the Laureate’s Child,” – and which inspired his mock-heroic poem On Seeing a Needlecase in the Form of a Harp.

Meanwhile, painted Easter eggs, or ‘pace eggs’, made by James Dixon, a servant to the Wordsworths at Rydal Mount, offers insight into the enduring folk traditions of the mid-nineteenth century. A beloved pet portrait, said to be of the Wordsworth’s dog Pepper, has also returned from storage. For many years the portrait had been located in the front kitchen of Dove Cottage, greeting generations of visitors as they walked through the front door.

Continuing Wordsworth Grasmere’s commitment to interactive exhibitions, What we Treasure encourages visitor participation by inviting audiences to reflect on what ‘treasure’ means to them and to share what they hold precious.

What we Treasure: Art out of the Archive will be on show in the Museum at Wordsworth Grasmere until 6 June 2026 and can be visited as part of the overall attraction experience.