Constable 250
March 2026 – March 2027 | Christchurch Mansion, Ipswich
2026 marks the 250th anniversary of the birth of Suffolk born artist, John Constable (1776-1837), who would become one of the most important of all British painters. To commemorate his life and work Colchester + Ipswich Museums present Constable 250, a programme of exhibitions and activities at the heart of which are three landmark exhibitions in the Wolsey Art Gallery at Ipswich’s Christchurch Mansion.
These showcase rare and internationally significant artworks on loan from the National Gallery, Tate, Victoria & Albert Museum, Royal Academy, National Galleries of Scotland, Government Art Collection and private collections.
Inspiring varied community events and learning programmes, Constable 250 also explores Constable’s art and impact sparking connections between art and the natural world for audiences across the county.
About the Constable 250 Exhibitions
Constable: A Cast of Characters
28 March – 14 June 2026
Constable: A Cast of Characters introduced visitors to the people who inspired and supported the artist including works by Suffolk artists Thomas Gainsborough and George Frost and lesser-known artists in the Colchester + Ipswich Museums collections.
This first Constable 250 exhibition explored the Regency period that he lived in, including family items and select pieces from our costume collections.
It also showcased new art created by Sasha Constable, international sculptor and a direct descendant of the artist himself.
The Hay Wain: Walking Constable’s Landscape
11 July – 4 October 2026
The Hay Wain (1821) is one of the most famous and instantly recognisable landscape paintings in British art. This summer, in celebration of Constable’s 250th birthday on 11 June, The Hay Wain leaves its home in the National Gallery, London to travel to Suffolk for the first time.
As part of the year-long Constable 250 celebrations at Ipswich Borough Council’s historic Christchurch Mansion, The Hay Wain by John Constable RA will take pride of place in the exhibition The Hay Wain: Walking Constable’s Landscape between 11 July and 4 October 2026.
This famous painting is making its first ever visit to the county alongside unprecedented key loans from Tate, V&A, Royal Academy, National Galleries of Scotland and private collections – all appearing together in Suffolk in this unique exhibition exploring themes of walking, landscape and place.
These include Dedham Vale (1828, National Galleries of Scotland) which will be seen alongside Ipswich Museum’s own Constable collection, including the two most personal paintings from his childhood home, Golding Constable’s Flower Garden and Golding Constable’s Kitchen Garden (both 1815).
In this second of three exhibitions during Constable 250 visitors will be able to see paintings that show the scenery he loved best and that made him a painter, by taking a walk with Constable from the family home in East Bergholt, down to the industry of milling at Flatford, across to Dedham and past the many locks, up to Gun Hill for expansive views across the Vale that we now know as Constable Country. This journey can be experienced through early watercolours, oil sketches, and major ‘six-footer’ masterpieces, like The Hay Wain, created for exhibition.
Constable’s approach to landscape painting, working directly from nature outdoors and depicting everyday local scenery, was seen at the time as radically different and he struggled to gain recognition in the London art world. However, when The Hay Wain was shown in Paris, France in 1824 it caused a sensation and was seen as a breakthrough in landscape painting. Entitled Landscape: Noon by Constable the painting had been nicknamed The Hay Wain by his friend Archdeacon Fisher. Over time, it has since become an iconic representation of a disappearing way of life after the Industrial Revolution and an image of the ‘traditional English rural landscape’, even though it started life as a picture that exploded traditions of classical landscape painting.
Two contemporary artists bring their own responses to the theme of walking and landscape.
Stuart Bowditch has spent months recording the sounds of today in the locations of Constable’s most famous artworks to feature as Constable Ambisonic a sound artwork of field recordings .
Contemporary painter and Curatorial Advisor for the exhibition, Peter Harrap, has created drawings and paintings that reflect Constable’s method of walking and observation outdoors.
Single Exhibition Tickets
You do not have to book in advance if you are visiting as an individual, although it is recommended. Groups of 12 or more visitors must book ahead to guarantee entry. All UK school groups must pre‑book their visit. Entry to the exhibition is available any time during normal opening hours (see Useful Information below) on the day of your visit.
| Adults | £10 |
|
Reduced Rate
|
£8 |
| Adult ticket for Groups (12+ Visitors) | £8 |
| Children under 16 | Free |
| Members of the Art Fund and the Friends of Ipswich Museums | Free |
Multi-Exhibition Discounts
Save money when booking more than one exhibition. These discounts for individuals are exclusively available by purchasing online.
Constable to Contemporary
24 October 2026 – 28 February 2027
The final exhibition of the year-long celebration will highlight the artistic and cultural relevancy of Constable’s art through a variety of contemporary and community responses.
Featuring work produced over the anniversary year through varied engagement opportunities including Constable 250 community partners and participating schools, the exhibition will offer a final moment of celebration and reflection for the anniversary year.
Suffolk Art Link’s Brave Art Groups, for adults with learning disabilities, will develop a new body of mixed media works inspired by the work of Constable.
Community Hub Ipswich (CHIp) will develop a youth led immersive artwork bringing to life the essence of ‘Constable Country’ through the senses.
Single Exhibition Tickets
You do not have to book in advance if you are visiting as an individual, although it is recommended. Groups of 12 or more visitors must book ahead to guarantee entry. All UK school groups must pre‑book their visit. Entry to the exhibition is available anytime during normal opening hours (see Useful Information below) on the day of your visit.
| Adults | £5 |
|
Reduced Rate
|
£4 |
| Adult ticket for Groups (12+ Visitors) | £4 |
| Children under 16 | Free |
| Members of the Art Fund and the Friends of Ipswich Museums | Free |
Multi-Exhibition Discounts
Save money when booking more than one exhibition. These discounts for individuals are exclusively available by purchasing online.
Useful information
Opening Days & Times
Mondays closed
Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday 10am – 5pm
Fridays closed
Saturday 10am – 5pm
Sunday 11am – 5pm
Access to the exhibitions
Every effort has been made to make Christchurch Mansion a great place to visit for everybody. However, as a Grade I listed building with multiple floor levels providing access to all areas is difficult.
From inside the Mansion, the route to the gallery involves a short flight of steps. An accessible entrance is located from the Gallery’s garden which staff can open for visitors needing level access, and staff will be happy to point out the route to these doors.
For further information, visit Accessibility | Ipswich Museums
Gift Shop
Our gift shop has been given a Constable 250 makeover, and it’s worth a browse.
You’ll find a carefully chosen selection of books and guides to Constable Country, jigsaw puzzles for anyone who’d rather piece a landscape together than just look at one, plus framed prints and postcards of Suffolk’s most famous views.
We’ve also leaned into the Regency world Constable lived in, with peacock-adorned accessories, collector’s editions of Jane Austen, character jugs, and a rather fetching bag for anyone who likes their literature hands-free.
Whether you’re after a thoughtful gift or a treat for yourself, there’s plenty to take a little bit of Constable home with you.
Visit Constable 250 Exhibitions | Ipswich Museums for information About Constable 250 | Tickets | Partners + Funders | Collaborations | Events | Schools | Access
Partners + Funders
Constable 250 is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players, we will be able to explore Constable’s art and legacy through 2026.
The loans are supported by the Weston Loan Programme with Art Fund.
We are grateful for the generosity of The Friends of Ipswich Museums, Garfield Weston Foundation, Babergh District Council, East Anglia Art Fund, Adnams Southwold, Kerseys Solicitors, Suffolk Chamber of Commerce, Arts Council England, and AFS Art Friends Suffolk in their support of the Constable 250 exhibition programme.
Constable 250 programme Partners Babergh District Council and Paul Mellon Centre make possible ‘Unconventional Constable’ mixed reality exhibition, and the ‘Ground, Horizon, Sky: Constable 250’ Conference respectively.
Community Partners Aspire Black Suffolk, Suffolk Archives, Suffolk Community Libraries, Community Hub Ipswich (CHIp) and Suffolk Artlink are collaborating with Colchester + Ipswich Museums on the delivery of Constable 250 inspired activity to a range of audiences county wide.
We are grateful for the support of Chestnut, a recommended stay partner for Constable 250 with hotels and pubs in and around Constable country including East Bergholt, Long Melford, and Stoke-by-Nayland.
Partner Collaborations
The Constable 250 engagement programme embeds meaningful community collaborations to bring to life Constable’s life, work and legacy for all.
Aspire Black Suffolk
Aspire Black Suffolk is an award‑winning, not‑for‑profit community interest company committed to tackling inequality through creative and educational programmes. For Constable 250, they are delivering inclusive storytelling, youth engagement workshops in schools, and the next phase of their diverse history resource, Elimu 2.
Suffolk Community Libraries
Suffolk Community Libraries, in collaboration with Ipswich arts organisation Make Play, will present Constable’s Garden, a bespoke immersive playscape for under‑fives. This pop‑up experience will tour Ipswich Libraries at Chantry, Gainsborough and Ipswich, and feature at Christchurch Mansion’s Mini Mansion Sessions from May to September 2027.
Suffolk Archives
Suffolk Archives, the Suffolk County Council service responsible for preserving over 900 years of the county’s history, will present Constable on Tour. This mobile exhibition, specially developed for Constable 250, will visit events and Constable‑related locations across Suffolk from Spring 2026, including appearances at The Suffolk Show and National Trust Flatford. Free to book family holiday workshops, hosted at The Hold during Summer 2026 further explore the context of Constable in Suffolk.
Community Hub Ipswich
Community Hub Ipswich (CHIp) is an Ipswich‑based CIC formed by local creatives in 2020, creating community spaces and projects that respond to local needs. Their young artists will explore Constable’s relevance today and develop new artwork for the exhibition Constable to Contemporary, running 24 October 2026 – 28 February 2027.
Suffolk Artlink
Suffolk Artlink is a participatory arts charity bringing creative opportunities into the heart of Suffolk communities to support health and wellbeing. Through the Brave Art Unlimited programme, learning‑disabled and neurodivergent artists in Ipswich, Lowestoft and Bury St Edmunds will explore Constable’s work and create visual artworks for exhibition in Constable to Contemporary, 24 October 2026 – 28 February 2027.
PMC Generation Landscape
The Paul Mellon Centre, a London‑based research centre and educational charity and part of Yale University, is partnering with the University of Suffolk and Colchester + Ipswich Museums to present Ground – Horizon – Sky: Constable 250 Conference and Challenge Lab. The programme examines historic and contemporary relationships with landscape and forms part of the Centre’s Generation Landscape initiative. The conference will be held at The Hold, Ipswich, with the Challenge Lab hosted at National Trust Flatford Mill in July 2026. We invite papers that offer fresh perspectives on Constable and the evolving ways we understand landscape.
Xibitr
Unconventional Constable is a mixed‑reality pop‑up exhibition developed by immersive technology specialists Xibitr in partnership with Babergh District Council and Colchester + Ipswich Museums. Using advanced 3D design and game‑engine technology, Xibitr will bring Constable’s iconic works to life through mixed‑reality headsets at Constable Memorial Hall, East Bergholt, from Monday 17 – Sunday 23 August 2026, 10am–3pm.
Constable Ambisonic
Constable Ambisonic is a new sound artwork by artist Stuart Bowditch, created through a series of field‑recording workshops held in the contemporary landscapes depicted in Constable’s paintings. The resulting immersive piece will be presented as part of Constable: Walking the Landscape, running 11 July – 4 October 2026.
The Packing Shed Theatre Company
The Packing Shed Theatre Company, champions of new writing and playwrights from across Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk, will present The Hay Wain. Created to mark the bicentenary of Constable’s iconic painting, the production brings to life the characters within the artwork. Performed in the grounds of Christchurch Park during the first‑ever Suffolk visit of The Hay Wain painting for Constable: Walking the Landscape, the production will be accompanied by family theatre‑skills workshops throughout August 2026.
Events Programme Highlights
What's On
The Constable 250 engagement programme runs from January 2026 to March 2027:
Creative workshops and artist-led sessions for families and schools across six school holidays April 2026 – February 2027 hosted at Christchurch Mansion and delivered by local artists and Biodiversity Discovery Days for the full community.
Adult poetry workshops, family theatre skills workshops, a Gallery Late delivered by Ipswich Museums’ own Young Associates, for young people and a series of Joy at the Job Centre Constable 250 events for families, alongside a series of Talks and Tours of local areas linked with the artworks on show.
Schools + Resources
The Constable 250 Schools Programme offers a range of opportunities from primary to further education to explore the life and work of Constable as stimulus for cross curricular learning. Including Teachers CPD, Artist Masterclasses, workshops, talks, tours and outdoor learning opportunities.
Constable 250 Art in a Day workshops offer a great opportunity for pupils to discover a range of art forms around them, learning that art is more than just painting. During this hands-on day, they will take part in a creative activity, find out more about John Constable and Suffolk artists and share their ideas with the group.
We also have a range of resources to support teachers, home educators and families to help bring your lessons and Museum visits to life. For additional resources, don’t forget to visit our Resources page.
Visit Constable 250 Exhibitions | Ipswich Museums for information About Constable 250 | Tickets | Partners + Funders | Collaborations | Events | Schools | Access