Galleries
The Herbert’s permanent galleries showcase objects drawn from the social history, archaeology and visual art collections.
On the ground floor, the History Gallery tells the story of Coventry and its people from the medieval period to the present day. It includes sections which look at the city’s watchmaking and ribbon weaving industries, the impact of the Second World War and the boom years of the 1950s and ‘60s.
Discover Godiva is a family-friendly interactive exploration of the famous story of Lady Godiva, which includes many of the museum’s paintings of Godiva – you can decide if she really did make her famous naked ride! The Peace and Reconciliation gallery tells the story of Coventry’s role in promoting peace and reconciliation, starting with the Blitz of 1940 and the destruction of the cathedral. The story is told through objects, artworks and oral history interviews.
In Gallery 2 on the first floor you can see our largest painting, Bacchus and Ariadne, painted by Luca Giordano in the 1600s, alongside other paintings from the 1500s to the 1900s. Sculptures from the collection are displayed in the Long Gallery.