Leamington Spa Art Gallery & Museum’s new exhibition ‘An Entertainment’ opened on Friday 14th June!

Entry is free and everyone is welcome.

This family friendly exhibition showcases the many entertainments on offer over the past two centuries, from theatres and cinemas to concerts and dances.

Since the town’s development as a Regency spa resort, Leamington has enjoyed a lively nightlife. This exhibition showcases the many entertainments on offer over the past two centuries, from theatres and cinemas to concerts and dances.

Objects on display include beautiful ballgowns from the 1800s to the 1950s, Victorian playbills and film of the 24-hour jive marathon of 1960. This will also be the first chance to see the museum’s newly-acquired Arbiter Elegantiarum medal, an enamelled badge of office worn by Leamington’s answer to Beau Nash. Visitors can find about the town’s historic venues and how they evolved over time, as ballrooms were transformed into music halls and theatres became cinemas. Displays will also explore the lives of the men and women at the heart of Leamington’s entertainment scene, from the raffish Regency impresario Robert William Elliston to the cinema magnate Edith Devis and bandleader Jan Berenska.

The exhibition comes up to date with a look at some of the many musical and theatrical groups in Leamington today. These range from the Warwickshire Symphony Orchestra and Loft Theatre to Tango Warwick and Spa Opera.

There are plenty of activities in the gallery to keep young visitors busy during the school holidays. These include the chance to create a puppet and tell your own stories in our toy theatre.

Admission is free.

The exhibition will run until Sunday 8th September 2019
For more information on all upcoming exhibitions and events please visit www.warwickdc.gov.uk/royalpumprooms