Henry Moore at Kew Gardens and Wakehurst

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 20^th 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.

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.