Family Fun
Events and Exhibitions
Group Visits
Location
About The MUSEUM OF ROYAL WORCESTER
We are an independent charitable trust, founded in 1946 by Charles Dyson Perrins, to care for and connect people with the largest collection of Worcester porcelain in the world, together with our unique factory and design archive, in the place where it was made from 1751 to 2008. Our small experienced team helps make our collections accessible for all and connect communities with this shared interest.
During the COVID-19 pandemic we worked hard to achieve emergency funding to sustain the Museum. In May 2021, we reopened with a new Paint-Your-Own-Pottery studio introducing creative engagement for visitors. We launched the ‘Pop-up Museum’ to take the Museum out into our local communities to involve under-represented audiences, children, families and younger adult visitors, widening our reach and inspiring the next generation of creatives.
The Museum of Royal Worcester holds a collection of national significance. Dr Wall’s 1751 pioneering Worcester porcelain manufactory was one of the earliest and first commercially successful in England – crucial in the history of transfer-printing and the Midlands industrial revolution. Read more about the history of Royal Worcester in our archives.
OUR JOURNEY
‘The Porcelain’, as the factory was affectionately known, closed in 2009. We transitioned from being part of a factory experience to a stand-alone museum in the regenerated Royal Porcelain Works site now comprising residential, business premises and independent arts venue. Our 2016-18 National Lottery Heritage Fund-supported refurbishment was crucial for re-display and re-interpreting the collections beyond the factory closure, giving insight into 250 years of skill and innovation and the people behind the porcelain.
In December 2018, trustees appointed a new Museum Director, Sophie Heath, (RCA/V&A MA Design History) with 15 years’ collections expertise curating industrial heritage: collections management, research and programming. Our trustees, staff and volunteers, are champions for the Museum and are passionate about sharing our collections for all generations, and are proud the Museum plays such a crucial role in putting the city of Worcester on the map