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Exhibition

The Shelter Drawings 1940-1941

Sheep Field Barn

Studios & Gardens, Hertfordshire

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A drawing of four adults and a small child huddled together under blankets. The figures are primarily drawn in white and yellow chalk, with some orange and red highlights, and are surrounded by darkness.

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Six framed artworks of 'Shelter Drawings' by Henry Moore, with an introductory text about them to the left.
A gallery space with several framed artworks and a large-format, black-and-white photo of Henry Moore on the wall.
A gallery space with books in a display case and a large-format, black-and-white photo of Henry Moore on the wall.
A gallery space with dozens of framed artworks on the walls.
A gallery space with fourteen framed artworks on the walls.
Black and white photo of British artist Henry Moore stood on a London Underground platform, with rows of people taking shelter from the Blitz.
Drawing by Henry Moore in black and white with yellow highlights, showing a tunnel lined with rows of people lying down or sleeping.
Painting by Henry Moore in black and dark purple, showing a tunnel lined with rows of seated or sleeping people.
Two sketches of a person sleeping with their arms raised behind their head. It has been made using pencil, black pen, and blue and yellow watercolour wash.
A drawing of four adults and a small child huddled together under blankets. The figures are primarily drawn in white and yellow chalk, with some orange and red highlights, and are surrounded by darkness.

About the exhibition

Created during the Second World War, Moore’s Shelter Drawings are among the most powerful and widely recognised works of his career.

Commissioned by the War Artists Advisory Committee, this evocative body of work shows Londoners sheltering in the London Underground during the Blitz (1940-41). The drawings were among the first works that Moore made after he moved to Perry Green, Hertfordshire, from the capital.

Developed over a relatively short but exceptionally intense period, from 1940 to the summer of 1941, this concentrated burst of activity resulted in more than 300 drawings. Thirty of these are on display in the exhibition, accompanied by material from the Henry Moore Archive.

Produced while Moore observed Londoners taking refuge in Underground stations during the Blitz, the drawings capture moments of collective vulnerability, endurance, and quiet solidarity. They played a crucial role in establishing Moore’s national and international reputation, and remain central to understanding his artistic response to conflict and humanity.

Black and white photo of British artist Henry Moore stood on a London Underground platform, with rows of people taking shelter from the Blitz.
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What’s on

Find out more about what you can see and do this season at Henry Moore Studios & Gardens, Hertfordshire.

See what’s on

The Art and Life of Henry Moore
A black and white photo showing an older man in shirt and tie working with a mallet and chisel to carve a sculpture from a large piece of wood.

The Art and Life of Henry Moore

This exhibition in the newly-opened Sheep Field Barn Gallery presents over eighty sculptures made between 1922 and 1986, alongside photographs and archival materials from the Henry Moore Foundation Collections.

Henry Moore: Shelter Drawings
A drawing of four adults and a small child huddled together under blankets. The figures are primarily drawn in white and yellow chalk, with some orange and red highlights, and are surrounded by darkness.

Henry Moore: Shelter Drawings

Our special display for 2026 focuses on Moore’s Shelter Drawings. Created during the Second World War, they are among the most powerful and widely recognised works of Moore’s career.

Upcoming events

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Shelter Drawings into Sculptures
Drawing by Henry Moore in black and white with yellow highlights, showing a tunnel lined with rows of people lying down or sleeping.

Drop-in workshop

Shelter Drawings into Sculptures

12:00–16:00, last entry 15:30

Learning Studios, Sheep Field Barn
Studios & Gardens, Hertfordshire
Mini Moore: Collect, Make, Rearrange
Part of Early Years Programme: Collect, Make & Rearrange
Part of Early Years Programme: Collect, Make & Rearrange

Early years activity

Mini Moore: Collect, Make, Rearrange

11:00–13:00

Learning Studios, Sheep Field Barn
Studios & Gardens, Hertfordshire
Shut-Eye Sculpt
Close up photo of a hand resting on part of a bronze sculpture.

Drop-in workshop

Shut-Eye Sculpt

12:00–16:00, last entry 15:30

Learning Studios, Sheep Field Barn
Studios & Gardens, Hertfordshire
Learning Through Making
A blur of people around a central sculpture under construction.

Educator Network event

Learning Through Making

10:00–12:00

Learn more

Learning Studios, Sheep Field Barn
Studios & Gardens, Hertfordshire

Getting here

We’re located just 27 miles north of London in the beautiful Hertfordshire countryside.

Our 2026 visitor season runs from 1 April to 25 October. We’re open Wednesday to Sunday, 11:00–17:00.

Henry Moore Studios & Gardens

Perry Green
Hertfordshire
SG10 6EE
United Kingdom

T:  01279 843 333
E:  visitorservices@henry-moore.org

Directions Accessibility

Plan your visit – Studios & Gardens
A large bronze sculpture made of three parts, sited in a woodland clearing. The two larger parts surround the small on on two sides, acting like a shell or shelter.

Roadworks are currently affecting routes to Henry Moore Studios & Gardens that travel through Green Tye. Access via Bourne Lane or Stansted Hill is unaffected.

If you are travelling to us, please plan your route in advance and allow extra time for your journey. Thank you for your patience, and we look forward to welcoming you soon.