After the success of the outdoor exhibitions with The National Gallery as part of the Art on Your Doorstep touring project, and the exhibition celebrating the work of Charles William Brown, a new outdoor exhibition has just opened in Hanley's Bethesda Gardens, entitled Past Times.

From the intimacy of the home to the energy of bustling towns, and the openness of the countryside, Past Times brings together a variety of paintings from The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery's art collection that explore the rhythms of daily life across generations. Scenes of hard work sit alongside moments of pause and connection: farmers tending the land, fishermen in conversation as they mend their nets, and the quiet concentration required for tasks demanding patience and precision.

Elsewhere, artists illustrate the simple pleasures of the seaside, and the excitement and spectacle of fairs and horse races. Family gatherings and moments of relaxation offer a contrast with their gentler forms of enjoyment and amusement.

Highlights include paintings by John Currie, June Burnett, Roderic O’Conor and Ethel Gabain, in addition to a monumental portrait of Josiah Spode II - a member of one of Stoke-on-Trent’s most celebrated pottery dynasties.

Past Times will be on display in Bethesda Gardens in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent until January 2027.