The gallery presents a broad and ambitious exhibition programme, drawing upon collections from the Arts Council Collection, Hayward Touring, National Trust and multiple regional partners and galleries. Knowsley’s Annual Open Exhibitions, schools, and community arts projects are also core to much of what the gallery offers, along with various art courses. Knowsley Council also works in partnership with other arts agencies to deliver exhibitions such as Liverpool Biennial and pan-Merseyside projects, as part of the city region.
Opening times
Kirkby Gallery is open Monday to Friday from 10am to 5pm. On Saturdays, it is open from 10am to 1pm.
You will find it on the first floor of The Kirkby Centre, Norwich Way, Kirkby, Knowsley, L32 8XY.
See disability access information
Exhibitions at Kirkby Gallery
Kirkby Gallery hosts three major temporary exhibitions per year in the main gallery space, presenting a broad range of art from paintings, drawings and sculpture to photography, design and textiles. It is one of the best contemporary art galleries in Merseyside and the North West of England.
Exhibits are loaned from regional and national galleries, private individuals and artists’ collections. Past exhibitions have included works by Degas, Hockney, Moore, Hepworth, Turner, Morisot and Lichtenstein.
Smaller temporary displays are also held in The Entrance Gallery in the lobby area. These displays showcase the work of emerging artists, community creatives and local students.
What's on - exhibitions
ECHO by Julie Dodd - 13 April – 14 August 2026
Julie is an environmental artist mainly working with recycled materials and paper, constructing sculptural pieces. Books feature heavily in her work, often recycling other discarded materials to form artworks and constructions; bringing new life and meaning to them.
Comfort Work by Andrii Dostliev and Lia Dostlieva - 14 September – 18 December 2026
Comfort Work is a video installation created in 2024 and was commissioned for the Ukrainian National Pavilion at the 60th International Art Exhibition - La Biennale di Venezia, curated by Viktoria Bavykina and Max Gorbatskyi. In the video installation, ten actors from the EU and the UK are hired to perform in front of the camera the roles of those types of Ukrainian refugees, which are preferred by various communities in their own countries.
This exhibition is the UK Premiere of the video works, having only been seen at the Venice Biennale previously.
Also, at Kirkby Gallery
Kirkby Gallery is committed to offering high-quality, accessible art to all. Kirkby Gallery hosts art courses for adults and young people. The Love Art Loan Art scheme enables schools to display original artworks to inspire pupils and encourage creative learning.
Knowsley Council also works in partnership with other arts agencies to deliver exhibitions such as the Liverpool Biennial and pan-Merseyside projects as part of the Liverpool City Region.
Further information
You can join our mailing list for details of upcoming exhibitions and activities here.
You can follow Knowsley Galleries and Museum on facebook here. You can also follow our Friends of Kirkby Gallery and Prescot Museum here.
We are also on Instagram, @galleriesmuseum
Travel and parking
Buses and trains
Kirkby Bus Station is on Cherryfield Drive, directly outside The Kirkby Centre.
Kirkby Train Station is a 10 to 15-minute walk away.
Car parking
The nearest short/long stay car parks are next to the Kirkby Centre building / off Norwich Way (1.20 for three hours) and Hall Lane (A506) with an outdoor car park (free for three hours) and multi-storey (charges apply). Further spaces are available in car parks off County Road.
Find more information about car parks in Kirkby town centre.
Disabled parking
There are several disabled parking bays in the Kirkby Centre car park. There is designated disabled parking in the multi-storey car park, with 14 marked bays. This car park is accessed via Hall Lane (A506). As a general note, disabled users can use any public car park space (and get an extra hour free), but these do not come with the extra space of a designated disabled space.
Coach parking
Coaches can drop off with prior arrangements at the bus station and minibuses at the back of the Kirkby Centre. The coach can then park in one of the coach parking bays at Kirkby Leisure Centre (Cherryfield Drive, L32 8SA). The coach can return to the bus station to collect the group in due course. Please get in touch with the gallery at least three days in advance to notify them of your party's visit.