Art & collections

We look after one of the world’s largest art and heritage collections. With more than one million objects at over 200 historic places - including over 400,000 book titles - a surprise discovery awaits you around every corner.

Unearth some of the amazing objects featured in our 125 Treasures book in this series of articles exploring the greatest works of art in our collections. From paintings and sculptures, to books, ceramics and tapestries, uncover the stories behind these remarkable items.

The Beatrix Potter: Drawn to Nature exhibition is running at the V&A throughout 2022. The exhibition, created in collaboration between the V&A and the National Trust, explores the life story of the beloved children's author-illustrator.

We host art exhibitions at some of the places in our care. Take a look at our guide to discover what's on, including the largest known painting by Constable at Anglesey Abbey, Anglo-Saxon gold and silver objects at Sutton Hoo and some intricate and lavish treasures at Polesden Lacey. Plus, find out what’s coming up in 2022.

The paintings in the National Trust's care could rival those of the world’s greatest art galleries. Delve into some of the highlighted works from our new book, 100 Paintings from the Collections of the National Trust, and discover pictures by Sir Joshua Reynolds, J.M.W. Turner and Vanessa Bell, to name but a few. The book includes paintings from medieval to modern times, from Titian and Rembrandt to Barbara Hepworth.

From artistic masterpieces and vast tapestries to precious personal possessions, the range and breadth of the collections in our care is astonishing. Uncover more about some of the intriguing objects featured in our recent 125 Treasures book and dig deeper into their stories. You can get closer to some of these treasures which are on special display at our places this autumn.

Our collections are constantly revitalised through new acquisitions. Recently, a travelling carriage has been donated to the National Trust’s Carriage Museum at Arlington Court, Devon and a 17th-century perspective painting by Hendrick van Steenwyck has returned to Ham House, Surrey.

Delve deeper into our collections and curatorial research in some of the key specialist publications the National Trust produces, including the lavishly illustrated Historic Houses & Collections Annual and Art, Buildings & Collections (ABC) Bulletin. Our latest autumn 2021 ABC Bulletin is now available to download.