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Wednesday 10:30am - 4pm Thursday 10:30am - 4pm Friday 10:30am - 4pm Saturday 10:30am - 4pm Sunday 10:30am - 4pm

Spode Museum

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The Spode Museum Trust is a registered charity established in 1987. Spode has been fortunate that so much remains intact.

The Spode Archive includes some 20,000 ceramic items spanning over 200 years from the late 18th Century to 2008. It also includes some 25,000 engraved copper plates from which transfer prints were made for printed ceramic wares. There are also collections of antique factory tools, furniture and moulds and ¼ million Spode and Copeland documents including watercolour paintings of some 70,000 ceramic patterns. Because of time span and its near-completeness, the Archive enables unique insight into the history of a world famous factory from the Industrial Revolution to the present, its owners and employees during three centuries and its relevance to the local economy. The ceramics collection is of international standing, and ranges from spectacular items made for the very wealthy and the great 19th Century exhibitions to a definitive collection of Spode blue and white printed earthenwares and a wide variety of more ordinary wares made for domestic and export markets. Archives and valuable collections from factories of world prestige with over 200 years of history, are very rare. However, following the closure of Spode’s historic factory at Church Street, Stoke, where the collection had been located, much of the collection is presently in store and unavailable to public view. The Trustees are working with a number of parties to establish a new permanent home, hopefully in conserved historic buildings on the Spode Church Street site.

30/10/2026

In association with ALWAYS HERE: Untold Stories from the LGBT+ Community

Join photographer Ming de Nasty for a creative portrait-making workshop exploring identity, representation and personal stories.

Saturday 31 October | 2–4pm
Spode Museum, Stoke-on-Trent ST4 1QD

Bring an object that is significant to your story or history, along with your camera or camera phone.

Free to attend. Materials provided.

Ming de Nasty

24/10/2026

We’ve had a wonderful restock of our much loved Blue Italian collection at the museum today, featuring an array of beautiful new pieces and rare finds that you’re unlikely to discover anywhere else.

Whether you’re a long time Blue Italian collector or simply love this iconic pattern, there’s something special waiting to be discovered.

Come and take a look at the museum while stocks last.

22/10/2026

New to the Museum's foyer is a tap-to-donate station, which we hope will make it easier to make donations. It even makes signing up for Gift Aid easier too!

22/10/2026

It was our pleasure to welcome guests from SAVE Britain's Heritage last weekend and to give them a highlights tour of our incredible Blue Room and to share the magic of transfer-printing which originated here at . We hope to welcome you all back again in the future for a longer visit.

If you are a member of a group and would like to enquire about a group visit then please get in touch.

21/10/2026

FREE FILM SHOW - Sunday 25th October 2.00pm - SPODE MUSEUM, Elenora Street, Stoke-on-Trent ST4 1QD

A FAREWELL TO SPODE - THE FINAL WORKING DAYS IN THE FACTORY, THE DAY OF CLOSURE AND MEMORIES RECORDED ON VIDEO IN THE FOLLOWING WEEKS by DARREN WASHINGTON for his Film “MEMORIES OF SPODE”.

Features dozens of photos of Spode workers captured at their working places in 2007.

A chance to come along and possibly share some family memories too. All welcome.

No need to book - just drop in - there is on-site parking.

19/10/2026

Getting in the festive spirit with HSL's Clay Angel Workshop.
Book your place here ➡ https://www.eventbrite.com/e/angels-making-with-tea-and-cake-tickets-2001247038765?aff=oddtdtcreator

14/10/2026

ALWAYS HERE is a socially engaged photography and heritage project that through workshops, meetings, interviews, photoshoots, research and oral histories, has seen participants sharing their experiences and defining life moments. The project celebrates people who have made remarkable contributions to life in North Staffordshire across culture, industry, education, healthcare, social care, housing, retail, engineering, politics and community activism.

The exhibitions include new portraits by Ming De Nasty and Daniel Lyttleton, and archive photographs, documents, texts and objects belonging to the individuals that illustrate their stories. Following the exhibitions the content will become a new digital LGBT+ Public Archive at the Stoke-on-Trent City Archives based at the Potteries Museum & Art Gallery.

At the Spode Museum from 19th September till 30th November.

The project was produced by GRAIN Projects in partnership with The North Midlands LGBT+ Older Peoples Group, supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Arts Council England. We would also like to thank our exhibition partners Spode Museum, New Vic Theatre and Stoke-on-Trent Libraries, and our legacy partner the Stoke-on-Trent City Archives.

13/10/2026

ALWAYS HERE
Untold Stories from the LGBT+ Community in North Staffordshire

The exhibition brings together new photography, archive images and personal stories to celebrate LGBT+ lives shaped by identity, activism, place and social change.

Come and learn more from 19 September – 30 November during open hours and look out for news of associated workshops.

09/10/2026

Last week I had the absolute privilege of attending the launch of ALWAYS HERE: Untold Stories from the LGBT+ Community in North Staffordshire, at Spode Museum.

I’m incredibly proud to have been a small part of this project by GRAIN Projects. My portrait, taken by the brilliant Daniel Lyttleton at Duchess China 1888, features in the exhibition and the book, alongside my own story.

ALWAYS HERE brings together new photography, archive images and personal stories to celebrate LGBT+ people who have shaped life in North Staffordshire, across culture, industry, education, healthcare, politics, community activism and so much more. So much of our local history has been told without us in it, and this project makes sure these stories are recorded, celebrated and seen. We have always been here, and now there’s an exhibition to prove it.

You can see it now at four venues:
📍 Spode Museum, until 30 November
📍 Hanley Library, until 30 November
📍 Stoke Library, from 10 October to 16 November
📍 The New Vic Theatre, until 12 October (so be quick!)

There’s also a series of free art and photography workshops at Spode Museum, with all materials provided:
🎨 Saturday 31 October, 2 to 4pm: portrait making with photographer Ming de Nasty
🎨 Saturday 7 November, 2 to 4pm: collage with artist Kidda Kinsey
🎨 Wednesday 11 November, 2 to 4pm: typography with Kidda Kinsey
🎨 Thursday 12 November, 2 to 4pm: portrait making with Ming de Nasty

Once the exhibitions close, everything will become a new digital LGBT+ public archive at the Stoke-on-Trent City Archives, so these stories will be part of our city’s history for good.

Thank you to Nicola Shipley and everyone at GRAIN Projects, the North Midlands LGBT+ Older People’s Group, and Spode Museum, the New Vic and Stoke-on-Trent Libraries for making it happen.

08/10/2026

Part of our workshop programme over the coming months, this watercolour and ink workshop is £35. To book your place search for Spode Museum on Eventbrite!

Address

Elenora Street
Stoke-on-Trent
ST41QQ

Opening Hours

Wednesday	10:30am - 4pm
Thursday	10:30am - 4pm
Friday	10:30am - 4pm
Saturday	10:30am - 4pm
Sunday	10:30am - 4pm

Telephone

+441782411421

Website

http://www.spodemuseumtrust.org/

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