Our Temporary Exhibitions allow us to delve more deeply into specific themes and ideas from the 17th century, exploring their legacy up to today. These are usually located in the two rooms on the top floor of the museum, floor five.

The Robert Kiddey Exhibition | Saturday 18 October 2025 - February 2026

Newark proudly honours one of its most celebrated artists with a landmark exhibition: Robert Kiddey: A Life in Art. Opening on 18 October 2025, this extraordinary dual-venue showcase spans the National Civil War Centre and Newark Town Hall Museum and Art Gallery, and runs until February 2026.

This is the largest collection of Kiddey’s work ever displayed in Newark, featuring a stunning array of pieces from across his prolific career. Many of these works have never been seen by the public, offering a rare opportunity to explore the full depth of Kiddey’s artistic legacy.

The exhibition is the result of a dynamic new partnership between Newark and Sherwood District Council and Newark Town Hall Museum, reflecting a shared commitment to celebrating Newark’s rich cultural heritage and making art more accessible to the community. A generous loan from Newark College has also helped bring this ambitious project to life.

Among the highlights is the newly conserved masterpiece, Death of The First Born, on public display for the first time. This powerful and emotional work stands as a testament to Kiddey’s skill and sensitivity.

Born in Nottingham in 1900, Kiddey trained at the Nottingham School of Art and went on to exhibit at prestigious venues including the Royal Academy in London and the Salon in Paris, alongside artists such as Picasso and Epstein. After serving in the First World War, he settled in Newark, where he taught at the Technical College and became a beloved figure in the local arts community.

Visitors can enjoy a rich and immersive experience across both venues, with a programme of events designed to engage all ages:

• 1 November 2025 – Spooky Shadows and Pocket Portraits (Family Creative Day) at NCWC
• 17 January 2026 – Sketch Book and Drawing Workshop (Adults) at Newark Town Hall Museum
• 11 February 2026 – In Conversation: Robert Kiddey, My Uncle with Lindah Kiddey

Whether you’re a lifelong admirer or discovering his work for the first time, Robert Kiddey: A Life in Art promises to be a moving and memorable celebration of a truly remarkable local artist.

Mining for Stories

Mining for Stories is a unique exhibition sharing the experiences of miners and their families from Ollerton, Thoresby, and Bilsthorpe.

Unearth the history of our local mining communities by:

• Listening to interviews with miners and community members
• Learning about the 1984-85 mining strikes from people who were there
• Discovering a vibrant community artwork inspired by mining.

This free exhibition will be touring three locations between July and 2025 and February 2026:

• Ollerton Library - Tuesday 8 July to Saturday 4 September 2025
• Newark Library - Wednesday 9 September to Saturday 1 November 2025
• Dukeries Library - Wednesday 5 November 2025 to Friday 13 February 2026

Our permanent galleries include the Main Civil War Gallery on Floor 1 which gives a comprehensive overview of the causes of the conflict while The World Turned Upside Down galleries on Floor 3 examine their consequences and 17th century life more closely.  

‌The World Turned Upside Down

The unmatched devastation of the Civil War led to an extraordinary ‌transformation. Re-building society after such a dramatic breakdown opened the door to a chance at revolution, and the chaos of war left a remarkable opportunity for creativity in its wake. This 'World Turned Upside Down' is the focus of a brand new permanent exhibition exploring the 17th century's seismic shifts in religion, science, culture and politics. The exhibition will ask just what happened to turn the world from right way up to 'upside down'; examine what it would have been like to plunge into the mayhem of war and emerge into an unfamiliar landscape; and uncover how the pyramid of power shifted from the God-chosen King on top... to Charles' head on the ground.

Newark’s story begins with Ice Age travellers, following their prey along the high ground between rivers. After the ice melted, other travellers left their mark and their treasures here. Romans gave us our roads. Vikings named many of our streets. Anglo Saxons built Newark Castle and the New Werk – the town we know as Newark today.

Explore these two rooms to see some of the clues left to us by generations past. Find out about our local history and the people who built Newark. Who buried the golden torc by the River Trent? Why did Lord Byron have his first volumes of poetry printed here? Who used folding bikes before commuters?

Take our colourful leaflet with illustrations and information about a selection of objects in our galleries! This leaflet was designed by artist and illustrator Samantha Peberdy who was Artist in Residence during 2023. We aim to provide information about our heritage and cultural sites and programmes in a range of languages.

Click here for the leaflet in English: Object Trail Leaflet (English) - PDF Leaflet (PDF File, 13,331kb)

Click here for the leaflet in Polish: Object Trail Leaflet (Polish) - PDF Leaflet (PDF File, 13,507kb)

Click here for the leaflet in Arabic: Object Trail Leaflet (Arabic) - PDF Leaflet (PDF File, 13,081kb)

If you would like information in other languages or formats please contact our team here: visitorinformationcentre@newark-sherwooddc.gov.uk