Monet exhibition boosts visits to South Shields Museum by 31% in first month  

South Shields Museum & Art Gallery has seen a significant uplift in business since its new exhibition opened to the public on 17 January.

Monet: In the Presence of Nature showcases Claude Monet’s masterpiece painting, The Petit Bras of the Seine at Argenteuil (1872), on loan from London’s National Gallery.

In its first month the exhibition has attracted 7,706 visitors – an increase of 31% on the same period in 2025 – reflecting the community’s strong appetite for high-quality art experiences in South Tyneside.

Donations to the museum have increased by 264% while retail sales have also seen a boost of 72%.

Visitors have been given a rare opportunity to experience Monet’s work as part of The National Gallery Masterpiece Tour. South Shields Museum & Art Gallery has been selected as one of just four partners to host the nationwide tour, which is a three-year transformative opportunity to bring world-class art to the North East.

Keith Merrin, Director of North East Museums, said:

“The response from our visitors has been brilliant.

“It’s inspiring to see so many people engage with the Monet artwork. This level of enthusiasm reinforces the importance of bringing world-class art to our region and making it accessible to all.”

Monet: In the Presence of Nature aims to inspire visitors to slow down, appreciate the beauty of the natural world and reconnect with the power of observation and reflection.

The Monet painting is on display alongside an exhibition of landscapes by other artists taken from the South Shields, Laing and Shipley art gallery collections. Art by local young people is also on show.

In a newly released trailer film about the exhibition, museum manager Geoff Woodward reflects on Marcel Proust’s description of Monet’s work as a “magic mirror.” He explains that Monet’s paintings do more than depict the landscape – they merge with our own memories and emotions, inviting us to look closer and embrace our deeper feelings.

The loan of the famous Monet artwork forms the centrepiece of a creative programme aimed at supporting young people in South Tyneside experiencing Emotional Based School Avoidance (EBSA). EBSA, an increasingly recognised issue both locally and nationally, affects young people who face significant anxiety and emotional barriers to attending school.

Building on the success of the museum’s recent EBSA pilot project, which used art as a tool for expression, the Masterpiece Tour programme aims to deepen this work, supporting improved wellbeing and strengthening connections within the community.

Dr Gabriele Finaldi, Director of The National Gallery, said:

“The National Gallery’s collection belongs to all of us. It is part of our duty and our honour to look after these paintings and to bring them to where people are, not just expect them to come to us.

“Partnering on touring exhibitions does so much more than bring beloved paintings from the collection to other places in the UK – it supports the whole country’s cultural ecosystem, connects people with paintings that belong to us all, and allows us to learn and expand our own practices and interpretations through the creativity of our partner organisations and their communities.

“That over one million people have visited these exhibitions in the last decade proves the desire to engage with our collection is growing, and we look forward to welcoming the next million visitors across the UK.”

Monet: In the Presence of Nature is on display at South Shields Museum & Art Gallery until Wednesday 25 March 2026. Entry is free but visitors are encouraged to donate. South Shields Museum & Art Gallery is open Monday – Friday, 10am – 5pm, and Saturday, 11am – 4pm. The museum is closed on Sundays.

Monet: In the Presence of Nature showcases Claude Monet’s masterpiece painting, The Petit Bras of the Seine at Argenteuil (1872), on loan from London’s National Gallery.

In its first month the exhibition has attracted 7,706 visitors – an increase of 31% on the same period in 2025 – reflecting the community’s strong appetite for high-quality art experiences in South Tyneside.

Donations to the museum have increased by 264% while retail sales have also seen a boost of 72%.

Visitors have been given a rare opportunity to experience Monet’s work as part of The National Gallery Masterpiece Tour. South Shields Museum & Art Gallery has been selected as one of just four partners to host the nationwide tour, which is a three-year transformative opportunity to bring world-class art to the North East.

Keith Merrin, Director of North East Museums, said:

“The response from our visitors has been brilliant.

“It’s inspiring to see so many people engage with the Monet artwork. This level of enthusiasm reinforces the importance of bringing world-class art to our region and making it accessible to all.”

Monet: In the Presence of Nature aims to inspire visitors to slow down, appreciate the beauty of the natural world and reconnect with the power of observation and reflection.

The Monet painting is on display alongside an exhibition of landscapes by other artists taken from the South Shields, Laing and Shipley art gallery collections. Art by local young people is also on show.

In a newly released trailer film about the exhibition, museum manager Geoff Woodward reflects on Marcel Proust’s description of Monet’s work as a “magic mirror.” He explains that Monet’s paintings do more than depict the landscape – they merge with our own memories and emotions, inviting us to look closer and embrace our deeper feelings.

The loan of the famous Monet artwork forms the centrepiece of a creative programme aimed at supporting young people in South Tyneside experiencing Emotional Based School Avoidance (EBSA). EBSA, an increasingly recognised issue both locally and nationally, affects young people who face significant anxiety and emotional barriers to attending school.

Building on the success of the museum’s recent EBSA pilot project, which used art as a tool for expression, the Masterpiece Tour programme aims to deepen this work, supporting improved wellbeing and strengthening connections within the community.

Dr Gabriele Finaldi, Director of The National Gallery, said:

“The National Gallery’s collection belongs to all of us. It is part of our duty and our honour to look after these paintings and to bring them to where people are, not just expect them to come to us.

“Partnering on touring exhibitions does so much more than bring beloved paintings from the collection to other places in the UK – it supports the whole country’s cultural ecosystem, connects people with paintings that belong to us all, and allows us to learn and expand our own practices and interpretations through the creativity of our partner organisations and their communities.

“That over one million people have visited these exhibitions in the last decade proves the desire to engage with our collection is growing, and we look forward to welcoming the next million visitors across the UK.”

Monet: In the Presence of Nature is on display at South Shields Museum & Art Gallery until Wednesday 25 March 2026. Entry is free but visitors are encouraged to donate. South Shields Museum & Art Gallery is open Monday – Friday, 10am – 5pm, and Saturday, 11am – 4pm. The museum is closed on Sundays.