Perpetuating the memory of one of the greatest figures of the Victorian age

Great News! Our online shop has officially reopened!

Our museum shop sells key books, journals and publications covering the life and work of William Morris and other leading figures of the Arts & Crafts movement. Alongside this we also sell handmade textile items, mugs, postcards and other gift ideas. A selection of these items has been added to our online shop available at www.williammorrissocietyshop.com. Members receive 10% off all items both in our museum and online.

Check your email for your exclusive member discount code.

image: Honeysuckle Handmade in Hammersmith embroidery kit

We are very excited and honoured to announce the appointment of Dr Tristram Hunt as the William Morris Society’s new President. Dr Hunt is the Director of the V&A, and a distinguished historian and author. He has been an essential supporter of the Society, and delivered our 2019 Kelmscott Lecture, exploring the inter-relationships between Morris, South Kensington and Socialism.

We are delighted that Dr Hunt’s first official act in his new role with us will be to open our exhibition, ‘Morris’s Successor: John Henry Dearle’. This will be the first time an exhibition has focussed on the work of a man who Morris discovered, trained and who eventually became Director of Morris & Co, creating some of the firm’s most iconic designs.  The exhibition will focus on Dearle’s 50+ year career with Morris & Co. and will run from 13th April – 17th December 2023.

We are excited to announce the launch of our most recent exhibition, ‘Morris’s Successor: John Henry Dearle’. Open until 17th December, 2023 this is the first exhibition focusing solely on the work of John Henry Dearle (1859-1932), Morris’s apprentice and successor in the role of Artistic Director at Morris & Co.

To learn more click here.

We are delighted to introduce an exclusive collaboration with fashion company Warehouse!
A revolutionary Victorian artist, Morris introduced bold, repetitive patterns to textiles and interior design furnishings and created a collection of fashionable and influential prints that are still contemporary today. Now the in-house designers at Warehouse have hand-selected iconic, heritage artwork from our archives and produced limited-edition pieces to keep forever.  Encapsulating Morris’ signature style, the 30+ piece capsule focuses on iconic prints including, Blackthorn, Pimpernel and Indian.
Browse the collection here.

The William Morris Society is looking to appoint a new Chair of Trustees when Stephen Bradley steps down in 2023.

With 800 members worldwide, the William Morris Society celebrates the life and legacy of William Morris, the Victorian era’s greatest socialist designer and poet.

Based in Hammersmith, the Society runs a popular museum and shop from the coach house of Morris’s riverside home, Kelmscott House. It runs a successful series of talks and lectures on Morris’s life, work and its heritage collection. The Society also produces a magazine and academic journal which is distributed to its members.

This is an exciting time to join the Society, as it embarks on the development and delivery of its next forward plan. Following the pandemic and flooding to the Hammersmith headquarters the Society is looking to the future; to embed digital fully into all activity and to redevelop the Hammersmith site to meet the needs of current and new audiences.

Find out more here.

Our current exhibition on display in the Coach House is The Ideal Book: William Morris and the Kelmscott Press. This exhibition explores the history and legacy of Morris’s Kelmscott Press. It features a number of Kelmscott Press books, original designs and proof pages, as well as the Society’s copy of the Kelmscott Chaucer which was the crowning glory of Morris’s printing venture.

This exhibition will be on display until April 2, 2023

This week we are delighted to host an exhibition in celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Pilsudski Institute in London. Nispa Among the Ainu presents the character and academic achievements of the outstanding Polish ethnographer – Bronislaw Pilsudski – to whom we owe the phonographic recordings of the Ainu songs and speech.  By exploring the Ainu culture it touches on difficult anthropological issues, paying attention to the ethnic diversity of the world. It makes viewers sensitive to the problem of the disappearance of cultures and the still repressive treatment of national minorities.

The exhibition will be on display in the Coach House on Friday, Saturday and Sunday this week. We will be CLOSED on Thursday to allow for installation.





The display of Arts and Crafts pieces by students from the Macbeth Centre in Hammersmith continues until the end of the week in the Print Room.

				

			

		

	



	

		

			
			

				

					
“Art made by the people for the people, as a joy to the maker and the user” – William Morris


We are delighted to have on display in the print room pieces created by the exceedingly talented students at Macbeth Centre in Hammersmith. The Macbeth Centre is an adult education hub that offers a large range of classes and courses that allow students to develop new skills and interests. The works are a diverse range including stained glass, ceramics, jewellery, woodwork and works on paper. The pieces demonstrate the continued importance of creativity and handcraft in our contemporary world.


On display from 22 September – 9 October

				

			

		

	



	

		

			
			

				

					
Our thoughts and condolences are with the family of the Queen, as they mourn the loss of someone held dearly by so many.  


Over her 70 years as head of state, Queen Elizabeth II played an important role in the creation and restoration of London’s architectural heritage. 


We are marking our respect for Her Majesty by continuing to open to visitors as we feel she would have considered suitable and appropriate.

				

			

		

	



	

		

			
			

				

					
We’re excited to participate in London’s Open House Festival this year!


Our museum will be open on Thursday 8 and Thursday 15 September from 2-5pm; and on Saturday 10 and Saturday 17 September from 12-5pm.


On both Saturdays there will be printing demonstrations on William Morris’s Albion printing press. These will take place at 1pm, 2pm and 3pm; there’s no need to book, but due to space restrictions participants are limited to 10 per session.