Exhibition
Practically Magic: William Morris at Home in Hammersmith: Our 70th Anniversary Exhibition
Step inside William Morris’s Hammersmith home and discover the magic that shaped his art, politics, and ideals.
From hand-drawn designs to revolutionary ideas, our new permanent exhibition reveals the beauty and energy that flourished within Kelmscott House.
At Kelmscott House in Hammersmith, overlooking the River Thames, Morris pursued new creative directions for his firm Morris & Co., experimented with book design and private printing, and became a leading voice in the Socialist League.
His time here was shaped by both domestic life with his wife Jane and their daughters Jenny and May, and by a flourishing circle of friends and collaborators who helped foster a vibrant atmosphere of art, ideas, and activism.
A House Full of Inspiration
Although Morris initially described Kelmscott House as “dreary,” he soon recognised that it “might even be made very beautiful with a touch of my art.” Friend and fellow Socialist League member George Bernard Shaw remembered the house as a place of “extraordinary discrimination” and deep creative energy.
The new exhibition reveals the many facets of Morris’s life in Hammersmith, from his designs conceived in the garden and library, to the political ideals debated in its rooms, to the handcrafts and collaborations that shaped his career.
Exhibition Highlights
Visitors can explore a rich display of original designs, objects and personal memorabilia, including:
- Hand-drawn textile and wallpaper designs by William Morris
- Printing blocks and fabric samples produced by Morris & Co.
- Rare works from Morris’s private press movement
- Socialist League material and personal artefacts from his years in Hammersmith
- Designs by family and friends, including wallpaper by May Morris
Together, these pieces illuminate the “practically magical” atmosphere of Kelmscott House and the creative community that thrived here.
