Art & collections

National Trust Head Curator Sally-Anne Huxtable takes a closer look at the Twelfth Night tradition of wassailing in British history and shows how 17th-century wooden wassail bowls, including one at Dyrham Park, embody a host of different practices and beliefs – from the ancient and pagan, to the Christian and modern.

We look after more than 27,000 pieces of dress, most belonging to the people who lived and worked in our historic houses. From the luxurious to the everyday, this collection spans over 500 years of changing taste and fashion.

Our archaeologists shed light on the ‘Dark Ages’ after finding a 5th-century mosaic at Chedworth Roman Villa in Gloucestershire. The dating of the mosaic shows that a sophisticated life continued within this luxury mansion, decades after Britain ceased to be part of the Roman Empire.

In our latest blog post, curator Anna Forrest describes what it was like to work at Oxburgh Hall, Norfolk, throughout the unprecedented events of spring and summer 2020, from the setbacks of lockdown to the extraordinary discoveries made under the floorboards.

Discover some of the great treasures of our libraries, from elaborately decorated manuscripts and rare early editions to books with unique, personal connections to the places we care for.

Our collections are constantly revitalised through new acquisitions. Recently, a painting by Italian artist Carlo Dolci (1616-1687) of the early Christian martyr Saint Agatha has returned to Osterley Park and House in Middlesex thanks to a grant from Art Fund and other generous donations.

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 Bulletin.