Friends of the Wedgwood Museum

On every continent, in every city, town and village, there are individuals as well as groups of people who share one common interest – their undeniable love of everything that is Wedgwood.

Now, in an endeavour to bring those people closer together, a new organisation has been established providing a central forum for enthusiasts, collectors, students and researchers alike to exchange ideas and information, harness knowledge and chat about their favourite subject. That forum is called, quite simply, Friends of the Wedgwood Museum.

The new organisation is also designed to provide valuable ongoing support to the Wedgwood Museum, long recognised as the world’s greatest collection of Wedgwood ceramics. In total more than 8,000 rare ceramic items are held in the Trust by the Museum Trustees together with a enormous range of historically important manuscripts and correspondence about social, political and business life in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Whilst an integral part of the Museum’s activities, Friends is administered by a Voluntary Committee under the chairmanship of Michael Peddar. The Membership Secretary is June Bonell.

To complete your Friends membership application online, click here. To renew your Friends membership, click here.

The Wedgwood Museum is due to re-open to the public in the autumn and will contain one of the largest worldwide display of 250 years of Wedgwood history. The contents will include items from the ceramics collection, more than 75,000 manuscripts and items of correspondence plus a fine art collection including works by Stubbs, Reynolds Romney and Singer Sargent.

The new state of the art digital reference library, research and education facilities will provide a learning experience embracing all ages and abilities and provide access to ensure that everybody can enjoy the heritage of the Potteries. The educational facility will be available to formal classes, life-long learners and specialist ceramic groups. The new museum aims to be a centre of excellence and learning.

The Trust plans to hold special events in the future such as master classes, lectures, and family and community events. It will also be the home of the Friends of the Wedgwood Museum.

Visitors will benefit from the broad range of existing amenities, including shopping facilities, restaurants, toilets and extensive car and coach parking.

We look forward to welcoming you to the new museum in the near future.

June Bonell

Museum & Gallery Manager

Our dream has now become a reality as this recent photograph of the new Wedgwood Museum at Barlaston shows. The exterior is now complete and has been officially handed over to the Museum Trust in order that the interior fit out may begin ready for the official opening later this year. Click anywhere on the main photograph for further images of the completed exterior including the specially commissioned museum logo.