Quilts

More than 300 years of British quilting history, covering subjects including consumerism, creativity, fashion, commemoration and national and regional identity, will be examined in this exhibition of patchwork and quilted covers. The show will bring into focus some of the personal narratives associated with quilt-making, for example a cot quilt from Deal Castle is displayed alongside the maker's diary, which documents the daily life of an eighteenth-century mother. The quilts and bed covers of historical figures including Lord Nelson and the Duke of Wellington will be on display; work by prominent contemporary artists such as Tracey Emin and Grayson Perry will bring the show up to date.