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Henry Moore at Kew Gardens and Wakehurst

Large green-tinged bronze sculpture in two parts, with a hole through the middle. It is in a field of grass with trees behind.

Largest-ever outdoor presentation of Henry Moore’s art to be unveiled at Kew Gardens and Wakehurst in 2026

Kew Gardens, London:  Saturday 9 May – Sunday 27 September 2026  
Wakehurst, West Sussex:  Friday 5 June – Sunday 27 September 2026

  • Presented in partnership with the Henry Moore Foundation
  • 30 monumental sculptures displayed across Kew Gardens’ 320-acre UNESCO World Heritage Site
  • Exhibition in the Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art at Kew includes major and rarely seen works, spanning Moore’s entire career
  • Contemporary works at Wakehurst explore the connections between nature and art

Most comprehensive presentation of Moore’s work in a generation

Throughout summer 2026, Kew Gardens will welcome a once-in-a-generation presentation of artworks by Henry Moore, one of the most influential and internationally recognised artists of the 20th century.

Opening in May 2026, Henry Moore: Monumental Nature represents the largest and most comprehensive showcase of Moore’s work to date, featuring 30 works across Kew’s landscape and inside the iconic Temperate House, the largest surviving Victorian glasshouse in the world.

A world-first exhibition

This major exhibition, the largest of its kind on Moore anywhere in the world, will offer a fresh perspective on Moore’s lifelong engagement with natural forms and materials, creating new opportunities for visitors to encounter his monumental sculptures within the context of Kew’s iconic vistas and historic glasshouses.

Throughout Moore’s career, this connection to nature remained a constant theme, reflected in his ability to transform its complexity and beauty into abstract forms that feel profoundly human. Moore believed that landscapes provided the perfect setting for his sculptures, where the natural architecture of the environment could amplify their visual and emotional impact.

Situating this remarkable body of work amongst Kew’s heritage landscapes and living collections, Monumental Nature will celebrate Moore’s profound connection to ecology, creating a unique interplay between art and the surrounding landscape. In turn, visitors are encouraged to reflect on how they perceive and interact with the natural world. Works on display will include Large Two Forms, Oval with Points, Reclining Woman: Elbow, Locking Piece and Three Piece Sculpture: Vertebrae.

This new exhibition will also span Kew’s entire 320-acre site, in contrast to the 2007 presentation of Moore’s works in the Gardens, which was concentrated in a few specific areas.

Rarely seen works

Monumental Nature will also encompass a comprehensive exhibition in Kew’s Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art. This exhibition will feature over 90 works including bronzes, stone and wood carvings, prints and drawings, exploring Moore’s unique process of ‘thinking through nature’.

Looking at Moore’s work in the context of today’s tandem climate and biodiversity crises, the gallery exhibition will explore his creative responses to the fragility of the natural world, and the role of humans within the complex ecosystems which connect all life on earth.

Curated thematically, and drawing inspiration from Moore’s evolving approach to natural forms and the scientific innovations he witnessed during his lifetime, the exhibition will feature major and lesser-known works, some of which are rarely accessible to the public.

The exhibition will culminate in a room showcasing some of Moore’s most impressive sculptures in wood, highlighting his innovative carving techniques. A selection of items from Kew’s collections will also be on display as part of the exhibition, alongside works on loan from major British collections including Tate and the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts.

The exhibition will be accompanied by a fully illustrated book published by Kew Publishing. Featuring contributions by curators, art historians and specialists of associated fields from the team at Kew, such as botanists and evolutionary biologists, this major new publication on Moore will present new viewpoints from which Moore’s work can be understood through a contemporary lens.

Acclaimed art at the heart of Kew

Following in the footsteps of major contemporary art commissions at Kew Gardens from artists including Marshmallow Laser Feast, Marc Quinn, Felicity Aylieff, Mat Collishaw, Rebecca Louise Law and Dale Chihuly, Monumental Nature continues a growing tradition of situating art and artists at the heart of Kew’s remarkable Gardens and record-breaking living collection.

This growing tradition demonstrates the power of working with artists across a range of disciplines and mediums to communicate powerful stories around plants, fungi and the natural world.

Henry Moore & more: contemporary responses at Wakehurst

Wakehurst, Kew’s wild botanic garden in Sussex, will host a parallel presentation of four of Moore’s sculptures, alongside newly commissioned pieces from contemporary artists, curated in partnership with the Henry Moore Institute.

As part of Henry Moore & more, these artworks will continue the conversation of art and nature, drawing inspiration from the research being undertaken as part of Wakehurst’s Nature Unlocked programme. Complimenting Moore’s sculptures, their works will illuminate the many ways in which artists respond to nature, evoking themes of care and protection, with a particular focus on the stewardship and conservation of the natural world.

Moore’s works will remain at Wakehurst until 27 September 2026.

These landmark presentations at both Kew Gardens and Wakehurst will offer visitors a journey through the beauty and rich variety of Moore’s work, exploring his exceptional output across sculpture, drawing and print, and showcasing how

the themes explored in his body of work continues to inspire artists today. Using the natural landscapes of these spectacular botanic gardens as a unique canvas, these tandem presentations offer an extraordinary opportunity for visitors of all ages to encounter Moore’s work as never before.

“Almost two decades after Kew’s last major exhibition dedicated to Henry Moore we’re delighted to be collaborating once again with the Henry Moore Foundation to present Monumental Nature in 2026. This new exhibition will invite visitors to engage deeply with Moore’s artistic inspirations, revealing how his work was shaped by the scientific and natural discoveries unfolding during his lifetime. His enduring interest in placing the human figure within the landscape speaks to our timeless and shared connection with the natural world, something which feels more pertinent today than ever before.”

Paul Denton, Director of Creative Programmes and Exhibitions, Kew Gardens

“We’re delighted to be bringing four of Moore’s sculptures to Wakehurst as part of Henry Moore & more. The opportunity to commission and display new contemporary pieces from pioneering artists in collaboration with the Henry Moore Institute also allows us a fantastic opportunity to connect Moore’s key motifs of care and connection with the leading lights of contemporary art practice. This in turn reflects the vital work which we do at Wakehurst, not only in terms of managing and researching an incredible array of landscapes and natural habitats, but also through the vital work of our Millennium Seed Bank, which stands as a potent symbol of caring for and conserving the natural world.”

Eva Owen, Programme Manager at Wakehurst

A large oval sculpture, made of bronze, sited in a flowering meadow with the Atlanta skyline visible in the background.

“Moore’s deep affinity with the natural world makes Kew and Wakehurst ideal settings for his work. Throughout his career, he was inspired by organic forms – bones, stones, trees, and the rhythms of the landscape – and he believed that sculpture should exist in harmony with its surroundings. The Henry Moore Foundation has a long-standing relationship with Kew, and this exhibition builds on that connection in bold and exciting ways. By presenting his sculptures across both Kew and Wakehurst, we’re offering a fresh perspective on Moore’s legacy – one that invites visitors to reflect on nature, humanity, and the environment at a time when those themes feel more urgent and relevant than ever.”

Sebastiano Barassi, Head of Henry Moore Collections & Programmes, Henry Moore Foundation

A vintage colour photo showing sculptor Henry Moore working in his maquette studio. He is moulding a small sculpture in some kind of clay.

World-leading research

The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, are dedicated to harnessing the power of plants and fungi to end the extinction crisis and secure a future for all life on Earth. With Kew’s world-leading research, global partnerships and beloved gardens – home to the world’s most diverse collections of plants and fungi – their trusted voice shapes policy and practice worldwide.

As a charity they rely on the critical support of visitors, not only to sustain the gardens, but to protect global plant and fungal biodiversity for the benefit of the planet and humanity.

For further information or images, please contact:

Press Office
Kew Gardens
pr@kew.org

Notes to Editors

About the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew is a world-famous scientific organisation, internationally respected for its outstanding collections and scientific expertise in plant and fungal diversity, conservation, and sustainable development in the UK and around the globe. Kew’s scientists and partners lead the way in the fight against biodiversity loss and finding nature-based solutions to the climate crisis, aided by five key scientific priorities outlined in Kew’s Science Strategy 2021-2025.

Kew Gardens is also a major international and top London visitor attraction. Kew’s 132 hectares of historic, landscaped gardens, and Wakehurst, Kew’s Wild Botanic Garden and ‘living laboratory’, attract over 2.5 million visits every year. Kew Gardens was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in July 2003 and celebrated its 260th anniversary in 2019.

Wakehurst is home to the Millennium Seed Bank, the largest wild plant seed bank in the world and a safeguard against the disastrous effects of climate change and biodiversity loss. RBG Kew received approximately one third of its funding from Government through the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and research councils.

Further funding needs to support RBG Kew’s vital scientific and educational work comes from donors, memberships and commercial activity including ticket sales. For tickets, please visit www.kew.org/kew-gardens/visit-kew-gardens/tickets. In the first six months since implementing a new accessibility scheme for those in receipt of Universal Credit, Pension Credit and Legacy Benefits, Kew has welcomed over 100,000 visitors with £1 tickets.

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