Site History

Opened in 2001 and featuring over 1,800 square metres of exhibition space, the gallery is the permanent home of Sheffield’s unique Metalwork Collection and the Guild of St George’s Ruskin Collection of art and artefacts, and plays host to major temporary exhibitions of art, craft and design.

The building was designed as part of Sheffield’s Heart of the City regeneration project, linking the train station with the city centre. Since the gallery was built, the surrounding area has seen further change, including the redevelopment of Tudor Square and the development of St Paul’s Place.

Inside, natural light fills the main ‘avenue’ of the building, from which the four exhibition spaces are accessed. The rear entrance to the Gallery backs on to the spectacular Winter Garden, one of the largest temperate glasshouses in the UK.

Since opening, the Millennium Gallery has staged major exhibitions with national and international partners, including the National Portrait Gallery, Tate and the V&A. It has celebrated the region’s own creative talent, and showcased Sheffield’s remarkable collections. Highlights have included The European Design Show, Vivienne Westwood: The Exhibition, Made in Sheffield, Leonardo da Vinci: A Life in Drawing and Beyond Bloomsbury: Life, Love and Legacy.