Marianne North Gallery

Opening and closing times may vary: please check planned closures for more information. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

More than 800 remarkable paintings cover the walls of the Marianne North Gallery.

A vivid collection of 19th century botanical art, the gallery is a treat for both art lovers and adventurous minds. As a woman who defied convention, North travelled the world solo to record the tropical and exotic plants that captivated her.

She challenged the tradition of Victorian flower painting and chose to paint plants in their natural settings instead. Her work became a powerful record of the dramatic landscapes she visited and the plants that inhabit them - years ahead of the invention of colour photography.

Now, North’s vast collection of paintings is on permanent display here at Kew, exhibited in geographical order for you to follow in her footsteps.

Sacred plants and fungi: A new exhibition

See our historical and scientific collections displayed together at Kew for the first time.

Across the world, plants and fungi are deeply rooted within spiritual and religious beliefs. Inspired by Marianne North’s paintings of plants sacred to the Hindu faith, the Sacred plants and fungi exhibition is an exciting opportunity to see parts of Kew’s collections that are not often shown to the public.

Explore why certain plants and fungi are considered sacred, their scientific importance and how they are used: from enchanting sandalwood crafts to a deep dive into the story of the mystery plant, soma.

Displaying until April 2024.

An old glass stoppered bottle of sandalwood oil with an aged handwritten label — Indian Sandalwood (Santalum album) essential oil, Economic Botany Collection no. 76956 © RBG Kew

Dried mushrooms on a white background; white spots are visible on one mushroom cap — 3. Dried fly agaric (Amanita muscaria) specimens, Fungarium Collection K-M001435732 & K-M001435733 © RBG Kew

Close up of an intricately carved wooden box with a keyhole. Label below it reads "India Museum: box carved in sandalwood" — Indian Sandalwood (Santalum album) carved box, Economic Botany Collection no. 44734 © RBG Kew

Museum exhibit of dried seeds with wings. Handwritten label reads "Shorea robusta - Kurseong, Bengal - Colonial Indian Exhibition 1886" — Sal (Shorea robusta) seeds, Economic Botany Collection no. 66087 © RBG Kew

Art gallery space where the walls are lined with colourful botanical paintings, with glass display cases standing against the left and right walls — Sacred Plants and Fungi exhibition, Marianne North Gallery 2023 © RBG Kew

Visiting the Marianne North Gallery

Nearest entrance

Victoria Gate. The Marianne North Gallery is located near the Temperate House and Pavilion restaurant.

Price

Included with entry to the Gardens.

Opening times

Daily, 10am to 5pm

Closed for the weekends of 13 to 14 April, 20 to 21 April and 27 to 28 April 2024.

We may occasionally need to close attractions for maintenance or visitor safety: Check for planned closures and visitor notices before you visit.

Accessibility

We want everyone to have an enjoyable time at Kew, so we aim to provide accessibility support across the Gardens.

The Marianne North Gallery is fully accessible by wheelchair and can be entered via a platform lift near the Temperate House gates.

Electric wheelchairs are also permitted.

Please note that we cannot accommodate mobility scooters in the gallery, however we can provide wheelchairs for visitors to use on arrival.

A little bit of history

At 26 years old, Marianne North visited Kew with her father on a trip that was to inspire her life-long fascination with far-flung plants and flowers.

After his death, she set off on a series of trips to some of the world’s most remote jungles and forests.

A visitor admiring the collection in the Marianne North Gallery — Marianne North Gallery © RBG Kew

Painting of foliage, flowers and fruit of a Queensland Tree, and Black Cockatoo — Foliage, flowers and fruit of a Queensland Tree, and Black Cockatoo (Marianne North, RBG Kew)

Exterior of the Marianne North Gallery at Kew — The Marianne North Gallery © RBG Kew

As a wealthy, unmarried woman, North travelled to areas that the 'establishment' thought she should not visit – from Borneo to Japan, South Africa to South America.

Her journeys became one of the most reported subjects in the British newspapers of the period. Despite having no formal training, North’s talent gained the admiration of notable scientists, including Charles Darwin.

After thirteen years of travel, North had an idea – to exhibit the paintings in the Gardens where her passion began. In 1879, she offered to build a gallery here if Kew Director Joseph Hooker would agree to display her life’s work.

The gallery was completed in 1882 and is open to explore her legacy today.

Restoring the Marianne North Gallery

A £1.8 million Heritage Lottery Fund grant and additional donations allowed for the restoration of the building and the conservation of the artwork in 2008.

During the project, a conservator discovered a painting hidden on the back of another painting. It had not been seen for over 120 years, since North had covered it with a backing board!