The Box

The city of Plymouth has undergone transformational change with the £47 million construction of The Box, a new cultural and heritage complex which has transformed, extended and combined the original City Museum, Art Gallery and Central Library buildings and restored St Luke’s church, to create new galleries, a striking elevated ‘archive in the sky’, learning and research facilities and the first public square to be built in Plymouth since 2004, forming the largest museum, art gallery and archive centre in the South West of England. The Box originally opened in autumn 2020 and was able to welcome more than 30,000 visitors before closing in response to the global pandemic. Its already becoming renowned for its engaging exhibition programme, which integrates the contemporary and the historic and brings the past to life through the present. The Box showcases international visual arts and media, as well as Plymouth’s rich heritage through ambitious touring exhibitions, new commissions and the city’s permanent collections. At the heart of The Box’s ethos is the conservation, heritage and preservation of Plymouth’s rich history and heritage. The venue brings together six outstanding national collections in a new and sustainable home, including objects from Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery, archives from the Plymouth and West Devon Record Office and film and photographs from the South West Film and Television Archive and the South West Image Bank. This rich blend of collections enables the stories of international and local significance to be told through immersive experiences and amazing objects. Proudly led by Plymouth City Council, The Box is a partnership with the University of Plymouth, the South West Film and Television Archive, the South West Image Bank and the National Museum of the Royal Navy. Major funders of The Box include Plymouth City Council, National Lottery Heritage Fund and Arts Council England.