Tours
Spotlight Tours – Early Spring 2026
07 Jan - 26 Mar 2026
Each tour highlights one aspect of the iconic Living Area collection, from artist, to region, or medium. Come along to learn of the stories behind our objects and discover unexpected connections between works!
Spotlight Tours include tea and cake in the Terrace Cafe, followed by a tailored tour of the Living Area.
Refreshments served from 10.30am, with tour starting at 11.00am
Total cost, including the tour and refreshments, is £7.50
Numbers are limited and booking essential
Early Spring 2026 Spotlight Tours
Each tour highlights one aspect of the iconic Living Area collection, from artist, to region, or medium. Come along to learn of the stories behind our objects and discover unexpected connections between works!
Spotlight Tours include a hot drink and cake in The Terrace, followed by a tailored tour of the Living Area. Please arrive from 10.30am to enjoy refreshments before the tour begins at 11.00am. Tickets cost £7.50 and pre-booking is essential. Please note that the tours are now sold out.
A Mask Tells Us More than a Face
Thursday 22nd January
Dancer, Hunter, Actor, Mourner, Shaman, Artist, Activist, Priest! Uncovering the people behind the masks.
Masks have been made and used across the globe for millennia, allowing the wearer to conceal their identity and project a different persona. Used in religious rites and rituals, the performing arts and for entertainment, they can also have a practical or protective function.
With volunteer guide Andrew Tarbuck.
Henry Moore at the British Museum
Tuesday 3rd February
How was Moore influenced by the indigenous cultures he discovered in the British Museum?
“Nine-tenths of my understanding and learning about sculpture came from the British Museum.”
We will look at similar works of indigenous art from the Sainsbury Collection and find out how they influenced Henry Moore’s art.
With volunteer guide Chris Jones.
What’s it all About?
Wednesday 11th February
Exploring abstract art in the Sainsbury Collection
Can we find meaning in abstract art? Should we even attempt to? Do we see what the artist saw? What is the significance of the title? Should it have a title? And would I like it in my home? These and other questions will be explored on this tour.
With volunteer guide Diane Freeborn.
Where Are the Other Women?
Tuesday 24th February
Discover some more fascinating and diverse depictions of women in the Sainsbury Collection
We will continue to compare and contrast the female form. We can look at women alone or with other women, men or children. How do they relate to each other? What can we discover about these ancient or modern depictions of women and does the artist’s gender make a difference?
With volunteer guides Sue Hull and Georgie Livingstone.
New for 2026
Cultures in Miniature
Friday 6th March
An exploration of Robert Sainsbury’s ‘Toy Department’
Robert Sainsbury had a passion for small-scale sculptures – his family nicknamed them ‘the toy department’. These include miniature heads and figures from ancient cultures including Egypt, China and the Arctic. We will look in detail at the most intriguing and consider what they tell us about their creators.
With volunteer guides Alison Day and Julie Roy.
Bold New Women
Tuesday 10th March
How does the recent arrival of works by women artists expand our view of art?
We will look at newer acquisitions and loans by women artists and explore how their bold expressions continue to expand and shift our view of what art can be.
With volunteer guides Sally Howard and Jenni Brace.
New for 2026
The Power of Colour
Friday 20th March
Exploring the meaning of colour across continents and centuries
How do artists across the collection use colour to connect with us, shaping our emotional and aesthetic experience? We will explore the symbolic and spiritual meaning of colour across different cultures.
With volunteer guide Caroline Robson.
New for 2026
Body Language
Thursday 26th March
How can the human form in art express or symbolise different emotions and qualities?
Authority, isolation, love, fear, gratitude, curiosity, generosity, courage, transience. We will look at how artists of all eras make the figure into a powerful form of expression.
With volunteer guides Linda Chapman and Bo Davis.
Photography by Kate Wolstenholme.