A is for Arts and Crafts

The UK is home to a plethora of arts and crafts attractions that cater to all interests. You can find museums and attractions that celebrate the arts and crafts movement. Red house is an historic arts and craft house in Bexleyheath featuring original furniture by William Morris and His Pre-Raphaelite friends. The Arts and Crafts Movement was a reaction to the excesses of Victorian industrialisation. It grew from a desire to revive traditional craftsmanship and restore simplicity and honesty to how buildings and furnishings were made. The National Trust care for several Arts and Crafts houses across England designed by the leading lights of the movement, many of which feature interiors by the textile designer William Morris.

A great day out for lovers of the Arts and Craft movement is Kelmscott Manor in Oxfordshire where you can view the iconic collection of artwork and objects owned and designed by the Father of the Arts & Crafts Movement and discover why the Cotswold home became an inspiration for William Morris and his family. Kelmscott Manor is a place where creativity and imagination thrive in beautiful harmony. 2026 is a big year for the Royal Scottish Academy as it celebrates 200 years with a nationwide programme of exhibitions, talks, performances and events across more than 70 venues.

Central to the celebrations is the 200th RSA Annual Exhibition (9 May to 14 June 2026), showcasing contemporary Scottish art and architecture. Other highlights span major spaces including V&A Dundee and Paisley Museum and Art Gallery, reflecting the RSA's cultural impact. Cumbria is not only known for its stunning landscapes but also for its vibrant arts and crafts scene there are some notable attractions you can explore including Blackwell the celebrated Arts & Crafts House in Bowness-on-Windermere where you can discover arts and crafts through examples of the finest craftsmanship and exceptional themed design. Go back in time to see Blackwell as a family holiday home and school and immerse yourself in an exciting programme of exhibitions, creative workshops and events.

Cumbria is also home to the first pencil where you can find a museum dedicated to its creation in Keswick, visitors enter this museum through a replica graphite mine which would have served as the source of the pencil industry over three centuries ago where you can explore a journey of graphite and pencil discovery from its humble beginnings as a cottage industry to modern day production. Cumbria's dramatic landscapes, sweeping coastlines, high peaks and crystal waters have inspired creative minds for generations. The ever-changing colour palette of the terrain here is replicated in the innovative works of glass makers, potters, weavers and stonemasons. With so much natural resource it’s no wonder farmers turn their hand at spinning and sculptors seek driftwood and slate.