About
Central Saint Martins Museum and Study Collection preserves and provides access to an extraordinary teaching collection assembled over more than a century at one of the world's most celebrated art and design schools. Housed within the spectacular Granary Building at King's Cross, the collection spans textiles, ceramics, jewellery, graphic design, theatre design, and fine art, offering an unparalleled resource for students, researchers, and visitors interested in the creative process and the history of art and design education.
The collection originated in the late 19th century when the constituent schools that eventually merged to form Central Saint Martins began acquiring objects for teaching purposes. Students and staff would study historical examples of craftsmanship to develop their own skills and design sensibilities. The resulting archive includes over 12,000 objects ranging from ancient textiles and medieval ceramics to contemporary fashion and graphic design.
The textile collection is particularly significant, encompassing embroideries, woven fabrics, printed textiles, and lace from cultures worldwide, spanning several centuries of production. The ceramics holdings include studio pottery, industrial design prototypes, and historical examples that informed generations of ceramic students. The jewellery collection showcases both historical pieces and innovative contemporary designs by alumni and staff.
Access is primarily by appointment, reflecting the collection's role as a working study resource rather than a conventional public gallery. However, the museum regularly mounts exhibitions drawn from its holdings and participates in open days and special events. Central Saint Martins' alumni include some of the most influential figures in contemporary art and design, from Alexander McQueen and Stella McCartney in fashion to Antony Gormley and Gilbert and George in fine art, making the study collection that helped shape their education a uniquely significant cultural resource.
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Plan Your Visit
⏱️ Recommended Visit Duration
📅 Best Times to Visit
Quietest: Monday, Friday
Busiest: Wednesday, Thursday
💡 Weekday mornings during term time for best access to study collection and exhibitions
💡 Visitor Tips
- Access to the study collection is primarily by appointment - contact the museum in advance to arrange your visit and specify which areas of the collection interest you.
- Check the exhibition programme online before visiting, as the gallery hosts changing displays that may feature different aspects of the collection throughout the year.
- The Granary Building itself is architecturally impressive - take time to appreciate the Stanton Williams conversion of this Grade II listed Victorian grain store.
- King's Cross is one of London's best-connected transport hubs with six Underground lines, national rail, and Eurostar, making the museum exceptionally easy to reach.
- Granary Square and Coal Drops Yard offer excellent dining and shopping options right on the doorstep, making it easy to combine a museum visit with exploring the area.
- If you're interested in textile or design history research, the museum staff can help guide you through the collection and suggest relevant items for study.
- Open days and special events provide the best opportunity for general visitors to see collection highlights without a prior appointment.
- The collection complements the nearby British Library's design and art holdings - consider visiting both on the same day for a comprehensive design history experience.
Highlights
Historic Textile Collection
The museum's textile holdings form one of the most significant teaching collections in Britain, encompassing over 5,000 items spanning several centuries and cultures worldwide.
The collection includes exquisite embroideries from China, India, and the Middle East; European woven silks and brocades from the 17th and 18th centuries; printed cottons from the Industrial Revolution; lace from Flanders and Italy; and experimental textiles by 20th-century designers. These objects were acquired specifically to inspire students, and many of the textiles bear the marks of close study over decades.
The collection demonstrates the extraordinary variety of textile techniques developed across world cultures and provides invaluable context for contemporary textile design practice.
Ceramics and Studio Pottery Collection
An extensive collection of ceramics ranging from historical examples of Chinese, Japanese, and Middle Eastern pottery to British studio pottery of the 20th century and contemporary ceramic art. The holdings include works by significant studio potters who taught at or were associated with the school, alongside industrial design prototypes and historical reference pieces.
Students studying ceramics at Central Saint Martins have long drawn inspiration from these examples, which demonstrate the full spectrum of ceramic techniques including throwing, hand-building, slip-casting, glazing, and firing methods.
The collection illustrates the relationship between historical ceramic traditions and innovative contemporary practice.
Jewellery and Metalwork Archive
A specialist collection of jewellery and metalwork assembled to support one of Britain's leading jewellery design courses. The holdings include historical pieces demonstrating traditional goldsmithing and silversmithing techniques, Art Nouveau and Art Deco jewellery, modernist designs from the mid-20th century, and innovative contemporary pieces by CSM alumni and staff.
The collection shows the evolution of jewellery from purely decorative craft to conceptual art form, reflecting the school's influential role in redefining jewellery design.
Many pieces demonstrate experimental techniques and unconventional materials that have become hallmarks of British art jewellery.
Graphic Design and Typography Archive
A rich archive documenting the history of graphic design and typography, reflecting Central Saint Martins' influential role in British graphic design education. The collection includes printed ephemera, posters, packaging design, typeface specimens, and original artwork spanning the 20th century. Holdings document the evolution of British graphic design from Arts and Crafts movement typography through modernist design, psychedelic 1960s graphics, punk aesthetics, and digital-era innovation.
The archive preserves work by notable alumni and staff members who shaped the profession, providing primary source material for design history research.
Collections
The Central Saint Martins Museum and Study Collection holds over 12,000 objects assembled over more than a century to support teaching at one of the world's leading art and design schools. Core strengths include an exceptional textile collection spanning cultures and centuries; significant ceramic holdings from historical to contemporary; specialist jewellery and metalwork; graphic design and typography archives; theatre and performance design materials; and fine art by staff and alumni.
The collection reflects the school's distinctive interdisciplinary approach to art and design education, with objects acquired specifically for their teaching value and ability to inspire creative practice.
Many items bear witness to decades of close study by generations of students who went on to become leading practitioners.
Study Collection
The core museum collection of textiles, ceramics, jewellery, graphic design, and fine art, available for study by appointment. Objects are rotated and displayed thematically to support current teaching and research interests.
📍 Granary Building
Exhibition Gallery
A dedicated exhibition space hosting changing displays drawn from the study collection, student work, and collaborative projects with external partners. Exhibitions typically relate to current teaching themes or celebrate aspects of the collection.
📍 Granary Building, Ground Floor
Themes
Time Periods
Current Exhibitions
No current exhibitions. Please check the museum website for updates.
