Art & collections

Discover tales of love and romance in our collections, including a sculpture of doomed lovers, paintings of romantic ruins and portraits of women whose unconventional relationships shocked and challenged societal norms.

A carved bust of St Agnes has recently been identified as the work of renowned 15th-century sculptor Niclaus Gerhaert von Leyden. Thought lost to the art world, the bust is the only example of Gerhaert’s work in a UK public collection. It's now on display at Anglesey Abbey in Cambridgeshire.

Seven paintings from our collections are featuring in the new exhibition 'British Baroque: Power and Illusion’ at Tate Britain, London, which runs from 5 February to 19 April 2020

See the works of art on show in the new, dramatically lit exhibition of light and dark at the grand 18th-century Palladian building of Ickworth, Suffolk. Until May 2020.

Insects are essential to our ecosystem, indoors and out, but they’re not so welcome when flying out of wardrobes or eating your favourite woolly jumper or carpet! What can you do? Hilary Jarvis, one of the National Trust’s Assistant Preventive Conservators, shares some tips based on the latest findings and methods used in our historic houses to protect our collections, and reveals the most common pests of 2019.

From orange trees to orchids, bonsai to ferns and hyacinths, the fashion for greening our interiors and filling them with plants and natural fragrances is nothing new. Discover the history of houseplants through objects in our collections and in National Trust houses and gardens across the country.

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.

Each year we lend many items from our collections to external exhibitions. You may be surprised to find out where our objects go on show.