Temporary Exhibition
Lives in Motion: Stories of migration from the 11th century to the present day
Go to Nottingham City Museums
25 October 2025 to 8 March 2026
Lives in Motion: Stories of Migration from the 11th Century to the Present Day is a touring exhibition from the National Portrait Gallery, arriving at Nottingham Castle Museum & Art Gallery this October. Historically, migration has played a major role in Britain’s national life. It is the movement of people from one place to another, nationally or internationally, with those individuals making a place their home, on a permanent or temporary basis.
Lives in Motion features stories of migration spanning nearly 1000 years from the collections of the National Portrait Gallery and Nottingham City Museums and Galleries. It is a vibrant show with objects in a variety of media, including painting, sculpture, photography, print, and digital art.
It looks at the variety of reasons why people move and explores how leaving home and finding a new one in a different place can present opportunities but also challenges to somebody’s personal identity and sense of belonging.
Featuring a range of familiar names from throughout history such as William the Conqueror and George Frideric Handel, through to Freddy Mercury and Mo Farrah, the exhibition is arranged chronologically with sections exploring royalty, fame and contemporary commissions by the National Portrait Gallery. While the stories portrayed are of individuals within the portraits, they also demonstrate the lived experience across time.
-
- Judith Kerr with her cat Katinka, March 2011 © Sam Pelly / National Portrait Gallery, London
-
- Mo Farah by Kate Peters, 2012 © Kate Peters
-
- Mary Seacole by Count Gleichen, 1871 © National Portrait Gallery, London
-
- Dame Zaha Hadid by Michael Craig-Martin, 2008 © National Portrait Gallery, London. Commissioned by the National Portrait Gallery with the support of J.P. Morgan through the Fund for New Commissions
-
- Fiona Shaw by Victoria Russell, 2001-2002 © National Portrait Gallery, London
-
- King William I by Unknown artist, 1597-1618 © National Portrait Gallery, London
The exhibition has been organised by the National Portrait Gallery as part of the National Touring Programme, and has been curated by Octavia Tam, an Art Fund Vivmar curatorial trainee, hosted by the National Portrait Gallery and Nottingham City Museums and Galleries. The Art Fund Vivmar Curatorial Traineeships are generously supported by The Vivmar Foundation.
Standard admission applies.
Pay Once, Visit All Year Round with our Annual Pass.
For more information, the launch press release for the Lives In Motion Exhibition is saved here: www.mynottinghamnews.co.uk/lives-in-motion
Photo Credit: John Hartley
To accompany ‘Lives in Motion’, Nottingham Castle has also commissioned two Nottingham-based artists to create complimentary displays based on their own experiences of immigration here in the City, focusing on those who have contributed to Nottingham’s rich social identity.
Transitions by Anthony Donnelly
and
