Estorick Collection of Modern Italian Art
What Visitors Say
Posting a few images from a recent visit to the Estorick collection in Highbury to see the fabulous new Sean Scully exhibition there. I’m always a little drawn to his work, so it was a real treat to see this small but beautifully curated show, contrasting a lively selection of prints, drawings and painting by Scully opposite a wall of works by Giorgio Morandi, who along with Euan Uglow has always struck me as a real artist’s artist. Well worth a visit if you’re in the area!
Most interesting museum of Italian paintings, drawings and sculptures of the early years of the 20th up to after the second World War thanks to the passionate collecting work of Eric and his wife Salome Estorick. Nice place. Warm welcoming. A place to visit absolutely.
A wonderful and inspiring place to visit! Temporary shows of ever inspiring work, with a permanent collection upstairs. A little cafe with sweet treats to recharge you and you can sit outside or inside when the sun shines. And a neat little bookshop. And lockers, and toilets and friendly staff. A great place!
Tucked away in the backstreets of Canonbury, the Estorick Collection has been an important part of London’s art scene since its opening in 1998. Currently, the ground floor hosts guest exhibitions, while the permanent Collection resides on the upper levels. Renowned internationally, the Collection features a core of Futurist works along with figurative art and sculpture from the late 19th to mid-20th century. Housed in a beautifully restored Grade II-listed Georgian townhouse, the Collection also offers a bookshop and a café serving Italian-style refreshments, with options for alfresco dining. Guest exhibitions are showcased in Galleries One and Two on the ground floor. It's an excellent choice if you prefer small art galleries or you're a fan of Italian art. There are quite a few stairs to climb.
I had so much fun here! The temporary exhibition on Licini is informative and moving. There are six galleries and the paintings are rotated, so not all of the paintings from the collection are displayed at once. It’s a nice dose of art which is stimulating and not tiring. Makes it worth returning. The labels present information in a very captivating and in-depth way. My respect goes to the curators. I greatly enjoyed the coffee shop and the book shop. The prices in the book shop are surprisingly low. The gallery building and the garden are really pretty. Also, the bench designs go pretty hard and have no reason to be this good.
Highlights
Permanent Collection (Futurists & Friends)
Sets Italian modernism in context—speed, cities, the body, industry.From Balla’s motion to Morandi’s stillness: opposites that define a century.
Upper floors; lift available, expect stairs
Guest Exhibitions
Rotating shows keep repeat visits fresh and reframe the core collection.Contemporary voices in dialogue with early avant-gardes.
Galleries One & Two, ground floor
Café & Garden Nook
Resets the pace after dense galleries; very ‘Italian bar’ vibes.Espresso + catalogues = perfect debrief.
Rear of house; small outdoor space
Opening Hours
Fun Facts
Opened in 1998, it’s the UK’s only museum devoted to modern Italian art with a Futurist core.
Housed in a restored Grade II-listed Georgian townhouse in Canonbury, Islington.
Futurism wasn’t just painting: it embraced sculpture, design, typography and manifestos to capture speed and the modern city.
