About Kew's Exhibitions and Galleries team

Meet Sian, Joanne and Jess - who manage Kew's galleries, and Laura and Ken - who organise the majority of exhibitions at Kew and Wakehurst Place.

The team hang a picture in the Shirley Sherwood Gallery

Hanging pictures in the Shirley Sherwood Gallery

The team consists of five members of staff who came together in 2008 when the newly built Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art opened adjacent to the Marianne North Gallery.

The team works under the Library, Art and Archives section of Kew. Siân, Joanne and Jess are the three full time members of staff who manage both buildings everyday throughout the year. This includes facilitating gallery events, engaging with visitors and working alongside the retail team.

Laura, the Galleries and Exhibitions Leader, organises the vast majority of exhibitions at Kew Gardens and Wakehurst Place. She was responsible for many successful displays, such as Dale Chihuly’s work in 2005 and the popular Henry Moore exhibition in 2007. Laura was also heavily involved in the restoration project for the Marianne North Gallery, which began in 2008 and is nearing completion.

Laura is supported by Ken, the Galleries and Exhibitions Support Technician, who installs the exhibitions. Most of his work takes place in the Nash Conservatory and in the Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art when we are changing over exhibitions. We change our exhibitions approximately three times a year and everyone in the Galleries and Exhibitions Team is involved.

Both Laura and Ken also work in maintaining the Museum No. 1 Economic Botany displays.