This exhibition showcases The Atkinson’s fine art collection in the popular 19th-century ‘Salon Hang’ style, when artworks were arranged from floor to ceiling.
In 1875 William Atkinson, a cotton manufacturer from Knaresborough, offered Southport Corporation £6,000 to build an art gallery and library for the town. The architects Waddington & Son of Burnley designed the Atkinson Art Gallery and Library, which officially opened in 1878. William Atkinson eventually moved to Southport and generously donated approximately £40,000 to the town during his lifetime.
The Atkinson’s fine art collection comprises nearly 3,000 works spanning the 17th to the 21st centuries. This special exhibition brings together some of the collection’s most significant pieces alongside rarely seen works that haven’t been on display for many years.
Lunchtime Talk – ‘Mrs. Kendrick Pyne’ by Ford Madox Brown
Wednesday 14 January. 1pm. Free, drop in event.
Dr Anna Maddison considers important works from Madox Brown’s career, most importantly the portrait of Mrs Kendrick Pyne. View the portrait on display in the 150th Anniversary Exhibition.
the Fourdrinier / Floor to ceiling – 150th Anniversary Exhibition at The Atkinson / by Jo Manby
“Walking into the main gallery space at The Atkinson, the temptation is to feel as if you are in a time-warp, or at least entering a stage set for a costume reconstruction of a scene at the Royal Academy circa 1890….”
Our Collections / Find out more about The Atkinson’s fine art, social history and Egyptology collections.
ArtUK / We are in the process of digitising our fine art collection, some of our which can be seen on the ArtUK website. You can purchase selected framed and un-framed print reproductions from our fine art collection via the ArtUK Shop. Print reproductions from artists including John Collier, William Henry Longmaid and Bessie Downes are available for you to purchase in a variety of sizes and frame styles. All the money raised from sales supports our ongoing collections care, public engagement programmes and learning.
The Atkinson, in partnership with The Arts Society Southport, invited anyone aged 18 or over with a connection to Sefton to take part in our fourth Poetry & Creative Writing Competition.
The competition received 57 submissions of creative writing that responded to artworks featured in our 150th Anniversary Exhibition.
The exhibition showcases highlights from our fine art collection, presented in the popular 19th-century ‘Salon Hang’ style—where artworks are displayed floor to ceiling. With nearly 3,000 pieces spanning the 17th to the 21st centuries, the collection includes major works as well as rarely seen pieces brought out of storage for this special occasion.
Judges from The Arts Society Southport, Kim Barlow, Sue Dexter and Liz Helliwell were impressed by the high quality submissions and decided to award an overall winner for Poetry and for Prose, alongside several commended pieces for each category.
You can download and read all of the competition entries here.
The winners will receive prizes donated by The Arts Society Southport, and their writing will be displayed in the Art Gallery for visitors to read and enjoy.
Join us in the Art Gallery on Saturday 1 November at 11am for a celebration event where all entries are invited to read their submissions aloud surrounded by the artworks that inspired them.
Inspirations: Poetry & Creative Writing Competition
Winner:
Lilith And The Serpent by Malcolm Terry
Commended:
The Art Of Sitting Still by Marion Smith
Huzan by Phil McNulty
The Flame by Celia Gentles
Crimson Blood, Blanched Earth by Anna Downes
Winner:
Conversation Piece by Danny Morrell
Commended:
Where Does Time Go? by John Howard
Pygmalion Makes A Friend by Sio Wynne
Lilith And Galatea by A.J. O’Toole
The Spiders Of The Colliery by Laura Barnes
Due to essential maintenance in the Art Gallery, the ‘150th Anniversary Exhibition’ will now close at 4pm on Saturday 21 February 2026 (previously 7 March). We apologise for any inconvenience caused and appreciate your understanding.
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