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Tony Cragg at Castle Howard

3 May – 22 September 2024

Striking art in stunning surroundings

This special exhibition by internationally renowned artist Sir Tony Cragg will include several large-scale sculptures in the Gardens, as well as sculptures and works on paper in the historic rooms of the House. 

This is Castle Howard’s first ever headline contemporary sculpture exhibition. Enjoy the artworks set against the backdrop of the beautiful Gardens and landscapes, and inside the magnificent House. Viewing the outdoor sculptures is included in Gardens tickets, and indoor and outdoor sculptures and works on paper is included in House & Gardens tickets.

Children can enjoy a creative art trail around the Grounds as part of the exhibition, plus art and craft activities in the summer holidays.  

 Book admission tickets online and save 10%

Please note that some of the sculptures will be moving for a private event on the following dates:

  • Masks and Industrial Nature will move on Friday 19th July and return to their usual positions on Monday 22nd July.
  • Sculptures in the Great Hall, Garden Hall and Octagon will also be moved on Friday 19th July and return to their usual positions on Thursday 25th July.
  • We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause and hope that you can use these dates to plan your visit accordingly.
Castle Howard LionTony Cragg at Castle Howard
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Take a tour

Indoors and outdoors sculpture is everywhere at Castle Howard. Gigantic busts surround the dome, figures crown the roofline, and statues sit in niches on the front of the house. Join the Castle Howard curatorial team as they explain the history of these collections with an exciting opportunity to view these figures alongside the contemporary work of Tony Cragg. This tour is BSL Interpreted.

Make the most of your day at Castle Howard

Itinerary ideas for families
  • Pre-book your admission tickets to save 10%.
  • Enjoy the creative art trail around the Grounds and discover Tony Cragg’s sculptures.
  • Finish at Skelf Island, Castle Howard’s award-winning adventure playground, and have fun on the play and climbing equipment. Refuel at the Boathouse Café or Kitchen, with family-friendly refreshments and ice cream.
  • If you’re visiting during the summer holidays enjoy art and craft activities and create your own masterpiece.
  • Stop by the Farm Shop and Gift Shop to collect a souvenir, or locally sourced produce to take home.
Itinerary ideas for art and history enthusiasts
  • Pre-book your House & Gardens admission tickets to save 10%, or deepen your experience visit with a Guided House Tour.
  • Walk through 300-years of history, and enjoy Castle Howard’s extensive collection of paintings, sculpture, and objects, in the main House, alongside Tony Cragg’s sculptures and works on paper.
  • Visit the House Gift Shop and browse books and homewares inspired by the House interiors, and enjoy lunch in the stylish Fitzroy Café.
  • Stroll through the Gardens and visit Cragg’s outdoor sculptures, plus Castle Howard’s intriguing and beautiful follies
 
Itinerary ideas for nature lovers
Itinerary ideas for nature lovers
  • Pre-book your admissions tickets to save 10%.
  • Take an extended walk in Castle Howard’s Grounds spotting Cragg sculptures.
  • Start in the 18th century Walled Garden and marvel at the flowers and displays, before visiting the Temple of the Four Winds via the South Lake, and viewing the farmland, New River Bridge and Mausoleum. Explore Ray Wood, jewelled with vibrant rhododendrons in May and June, before emerging at the Boathouse.
  • Take a boat trip to spot wildlife on the Great Lake, running on selected dates in the summer months. Finish your day at the Courtyard and enjoy a seasonal meal in the Courtyard Café, before browsing the Garden Centre
 

More about the artworks

The artworks on display will celebrate Cragg’s rich imagination, showing the diverse ways and materials he uses to make sculpture. The artworks are surprising, hybrid forms that challenge our thoughts and emotions.

You can expect interesting shapes, some up to six metres tall, made from different materials including steel, bronze, glass, and wood, with works on paper in the main House.

A catalogue by curator Dr Jon Wood will include an interview with the artist. The catalogue will be available to purchase from Castle Howard’s House Gift Shop and Farm Shop.

More about artist Tony Cragg

Tony Cragg has been working and exhibiting since 1969. He was awarded the Turner Prize in 1988, the prestigious Praemium Imperiale Award, Tokyo in 2007 and the Lifetime Achievement in Contemporary Sculpture Award in 2017. He has exhibited extensively in museums worldwide: Tate Gallery, London (1988), Stedelijk Van Abbemuseum, Eindhoven and Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, Duesseldorf (1989), Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh and Musée du Louvre, Paris (2011), Lehmbruck Museum, Duisburg (2013), Von der Heydt-Museum, Wuppertal and Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg (2016) and Boboli Gardens, Florence (2019).

He has lived in Wuppertal, Germany since 1977.

More about Tony Cragg

Features to enhance your visit

Maps

A fold-out paper map is available from the Ticket Office. The map shows the locations of the Tony Cragg sculptures, plus locations of cafes, toilets, and more. A large print version of the map is available from the Ticket Office and House Entrance.

You can download the map using the button below.

Tony Cragg Visitor Guide
Video and audio guide
A video and audio guide of the exhibition, which includes close-up video content of each sculpture with voiceover information read by Nick Howard is available via a QR code on the map, or here.
Tours

All Tony Cragg Exhibition Tours are outdoors and indoors and will require participants to be on their feet for the duration. The tours will access gravel, grass and tarmacked terrain.

The Sculpture Tour led by Castle Howard Curators, 14th August, is British Sign Language-interpreted.


Tactile Bags
We kindly ask you not to touch the sculptures. Bags containing wood, glass and bronze materials are available for anyone who would benefit from touching the materials the sculptures are made from. Please ask our team inside the House or ask the Ticket Office if you’re just visiting the Gardens. Make sure to return the bag so someone else can make use of it.

Safety, access, and comfort FAQs

I’m bringing a pushchair, large rucksack-style carrier, or a pram. Can I bring it into the House?

Pushchairs, prams, and large rucksack-style baby carriers are not allowed in the main House. Please leave your pushchair, carrier or pram in the House Entrance.

Small baby carriers and hip seats are available to borrow from the House entrance. Please return it when you collect your pushchair or pram. No food or drink is allowed in the House. Breast feeding is welcome anywhere on site, but if you’d prefer a private place, please ask a staff member.

What is there for children to do?
A Mini Artists children’s activity trail is available from the ticket office or House entrance. The sculptures are precious, so we kindly ask children not to touch or climb on them. The Skelf Island Adventure Playground has a lot of play and climbing equipment.
When is the Kelly Car (land train) running?
The Kelly Car is due to run daily, please check with the Ticket Office on the day of your visit. The Kelly Car runs until 4pm weekdays and 4.30pm on weekends and school holidays.
Disabled car parking spaces and specs

We have dedicated blue badge car parking spaces. Please display your badge in your window. There are limited blue badge parking spaces so please arrive early if you would like to secure one. If you struggle with mobility but don’t have a blue badge, you can drop-off at the Courtyard before parking elsewhere. Blue badge holders do not need to pay for car parking.

Our disabled car parking spaces are closest to the ticket office. They are 2.4m wide by 4.8m long with hatching to one side and rear of 1200mm.

Do you offer free carer or companion tickets?
If you require a carer or companion, they can visit for free. We ask all carers to bring with you evidence of carer status, which we will check in the Ticket Office.
Surfaces and gradients
Some pathways are rutted or grassy, and much of the building and landscape is historic, with uneven and bumpy surfaces. Please see the Access page on our website for more information.
Important information for wheelchair users

Level access to the House is via the House Gift Shop. Please ask a member of staff in the Gift Shop for level access assistance through to the visitor route.

Staff can help wheelchair users (under 225kg) use our House stair lift which takes visitors to the main floor of the House. Electric wheelchair or scooter users will need to self-transfer into a manual wheelchair to use the House stair lift, this is in accordance with advice from the fire brigade. We have plenty of manual wheelchairs which can be borrowed if required. We regret that access to the Chapel is restricted. There are additional resources available to anyone unable to access these areas - please ask our friendly team in the House for assistance.

Tony Cragg at Castle Howard is supported by: