Whitby Museum and Pannett Art Gallery back open - here's what's new

The Pannett Art Gallery and Whitby Museum have re-opened with the addition of newly-installed automatic doors thanks to a grant from Museums Development Yorkshire and Museums Development UK.
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The provide a light and open welcome to the building and are touch-free, helping with the sanitation and distancing currently in place.

Whitby Town Mayor, Cllr Linda Wild cut the ribbon, opening the doors to the public for the first time.

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She said: “We are delighted with this improvement to the gallery.

Cllr Linda Wild at Whitby Museum and Pannett Art Gallery's new touch-free door,with curator Helen Berry.Cllr Linda Wild at Whitby Museum and Pannett Art Gallery's new touch-free door,with curator Helen Berry.
Cllr Linda Wild at Whitby Museum and Pannett Art Gallery's new touch-free door,with curator Helen Berry.

"It was a team effort to create an entrance that fully meets the need of the gallery.

"Azul Door Services installed the automatic doors, supported by Whitby-based Ivy Construction.

"The wonderful door graphics were designed by local design studio Media Vision, and produced by a local company, Vinyl Signs.”

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The door graphics are inspired by the watercolour The Five Monks, a painting in the gallery collection by Hirst Walker, one of the Staithes Group of Artists.

Cllr Wild added: "Using this image entailed a great deal of detective work to track down the descendants of Hirst Walker to ask for permission to reproduce the design.

"The family were finally located in London and we are happy to say that they are delighted to have this painting used for the gallery entrance.”

There is a lot to see when you visit the Pannett Art Gallery.

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The gallery is continuing to show the exhibition First Flowers: Joseph Banks’ Florilegium which features botanical prints from the Captain Cook Memorial Museum’s Banks’ Florilegium collection.

Also on display are artworks by contemporary botanical illustrator Jean Harlow, and a cut paper sculpture by local artist Trish Phillips.

Whitby Museum has lent an early botanical book, and the Cook Museum’s community embroidery have created a fabulously decorated tent, embroidered with specimen from the prints in homage to Banks and his travelling companions, Flora and Thread.

In the Staithes Room you can see a display about Staithes Art Group member, Dame Laura Knight, including artworks, photographs produced for Woman and Home by George Douglas and photographs by society photographer Patrick Lichfield.

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There is also a small display in the cabinet in the gallery, from a recent project supporting the National Literacy Trust.

You can find a video about this project on the National Literacy Trust website.

The gallery is open Tuesday to Friday, 10.30am to 4.30pm, with last admission at 4pm.

Admission to the Pannett Art Gallery is free.

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