Pitzhanger Manor in Ealing opens the door to Peter Blake's studio

One of Britain's best loved artists is coming to Ealing this winter. From 25 November 2026 to 4 April 2027, Pitzhanger Manor and Gallery presents Peter Blake: In the Studio, a show that offers a rare insight into the career and working methods of the Pop Art pioneer.

The exhibition includes a recreation of Sir Peter Blake's studio, alongside paintings, collages, prints, album covers, sculpture and works on paper. It examines his role in British Pop Art and his engagement with popular culture, and his contribution to 20th century British and American cultural life.

The show caps a strong year for the venue. It follows Marthe Armitage: Pattern Maker, which explored the hand drawn, hand printed wallpapers and textiles Armitage makes in her Chiswick studio, and Clare Woods: Garden Without Seasons, which filled the manor and gallery with paintings, collages and prints responding to the building's interiors, stained glass and parkland setting. That exhibition runs until 8 November.

The setting is part of the magic. Pitzhanger Manor was the country home of the architect Sir John Soane, who bought the estate in 1800 and built the house between 1800 and 1804 as a family home and a place to entertain. Ealing Council acquired it in 1900, opening it as a free public library in 1902, and the surrounding land became Walpole Park.

After a major restoration led by Ealing Council and the Pitzhanger Manor and Gallery Trust, with support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the Grade I listed house reopened on 16 March 2019. The work revealed Soane's original design for the first time in more than 175 years. The adjacent gallery presents three contemporary art exhibitions a year, offering new perspectives on Soane's interests and legacy.

The site is run by the Pitzhanger Manor and Gallery Trust, an independent charity, making it a fine example of a historic house given new life through contemporary art.

A visit pairs nicely with a stroll through Walpole Park, right on the doorstep of Ealing Broadway.

Pitzhanger Manor and Gallery is in Walpole Park, Mattock Lane, W5, and opens Wednesday to Sunday from 10am to 5pm, with late opening on the first Thursday of the month. For tickets, visit pitzhanger.org.uk.