The National Gallery brings Mary Magdalene to the nation with new touring exhibition
Mary Magdalene: Woman and Myth
Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool: 6 February – 23 May 2027
Millennium Gallery, Sheffield: 17 June – 12 September 2027
Auckland Palace, Bishop Auckland: 29 September 2027 – 2 January 2028
The first major UK exhibition to explore the legacy of Mary Magdalene through historic and contemporary art is to be staged by the National Gallery at three locations across the north of England in 2027.
Partnering with the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool, the Millennium Gallery in Sheffield and Auckland Palace in Bishop Auckland, this exhibition will explore the making of Mary Magdalene, looking closely at her legacy shaped by belief, power and misrepresentation.
Mary Magdalene: Woman and Myth will bring together eight paintings from the National Gallery’s collection, (works by Carlo Crivelli about 1491–4, Annibale Carracci 1604 and Giovanni Girolamo Savoldo about 1535–40), alongside three loans: 'Saint Mary Magdalene in the Desert’, 1869, by Pierre Puvis de Chavannes (on loan from the Städel Museum, Frankfurt), ‘The Tower (Mary Magdalene)’, 2022, by Jesse Jones, and 'The Map', 2021, by Alice Maher and Rachel Fallon (both courtesy of the artists).
See her story unfold from Renaissance panel painting to contemporary sculpture and meet the woman behind one of history’s most enduring images. At each venue, the exhibition will be enriched by works from the host collection, creating a different experience for audiences in Liverpool, Sheffield and Bishop Auckland. The breadth of art in this exhibition explores how centuries of storytelling have constructed a Magdalene far beyond what scripture records. Exploring why Mary Magdalene continues to be a source of fascination and inspiration, the exhibition centres her as a saint and a figure of devotion, authority and witness – not just a penitent sinner.
The life of Saint Mary Magdalene has always been shrouded in mystery and intrigue. In the biblical stories of Jesus’ life, she travels alongside him, supports his public ministry and is present for his suffering, death and resurrection. However, over the centuries, her story was merged with other Gospel women and her role as a witness and disciple often became overshadowed by the image of a repentant sinner. Her image was transformed across the art, theology and popular culture of Western Europe. Individuals and institutions fashioned her as a figure who could embody their ideas about female sexuality and the importance of repentance, a pattern repeated throughout history.
Connecting her story to contemporary feminist discourse, the exhibition will explore how women’s histories are maintained, manipulated and erased under intersecting systems of power, and ultimately honours Mary Magdalene’s enduring legacy and, with her, the legacies of all women who persist in the face of misrepresentation.
Dr Siobhán Jolley, Lecturer in Christian Studies at the University of Manchester and Curator of the exhibition, says: ‘Mary Magdalene's story is ultimately a story about power: who is remembered, who is misrepresented, and whose voices are heard. Over nearly two thousand years, her image has been continually reshaped to reflect changing ideas about women's authority, sexuality and faith. By exploring the relationship between the woman and the myth, the exhibition invites visitors to consider what happens when a life becomes a legend, and why that matters today.’
Conceived as a touring exhibition from the outset, 'Mary Magdalene: Woman and Myth' will first open at the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool, 6 February – 23 May 2027. It will then travel to the Millennium Gallery, Sheffield, 17 June – 12 September 2027. Finally, it will arrive at Auckland Palace, Bishop Auckland, 29 September 2027 – 2 January 2028.
Alex Kavanagh, Head of Exhibitions at the National Gallery says: ‘We are incredibly fortunate to be working with three wonderful partners across the UK on this tour. Exhibitions like this allow us to take the National Gallery’s collection beyond Trafalgar Square and share it with audiences across the country. By working together, we can bring great art to more people and tell compelling stories that resonate with communities nationwide.’
Exhibition organised by the National Gallery, London.
Notes to editors
Image credit
Giovanni Girolamo Savoldo, 'Mary Magdalene', about 1535–40 © The National Gallery, London
The National Gallery
The National Gallery is one of the greatest art galleries in the world. Founded by Parliament in 1824, the Gallery houses the nation’s collection of paintings in the Western European tradition from the late 13th to the early 20th century. The collection includes works by Artemisia Gentileschi, Bellini, Cezanne, Degas, Leonardo, Monet, Raphael, Rembrandt, Renoir, Rubens, Titian, Turner, Van Dyck, Van Gogh and Velázquez. The Gallery’s key objectives are to care for and enhance the collection and provide the best possible access to visitors. Admission free.
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Walker Art Gallery
Walker Art Gallery stands among Europe's finest museums, showcasing an internationally significant collection spanning centuries.
Its Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque displays sit alongside masterpieces from British artists including Lucian Freud, David Hockney, Barbara Hepworth and Lubaina Himid, complemented by celebrated Pre-Raphaelite and Impressionist collections.
2027 will mark 150 years since the gallery first opened its doors, with a full year of celebrations planned, including the 70th anniversary of the John Moores Painting Prize.
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Sheffield Museums
Sheffield Museums Trust is the independent charity that operates six of the city’s leading museums and heritage sites: Abbeydale Industrial Hamlet, Graves Gallery, Kelham Island Museum, Millennium Gallery, Shepherd Wheel Workshop and Weston Park Museum. Established in 2021, the charity cares for the city’s collections of art, archaeology, social and industrial history, and natural science, alongside the Guild of St George’s John Ruskin collection and provides a home for the Ken Hawley Collection Trust’s Hawley Tool Collection. We work with communities to tell remarkable stories of Sheffield and its people, and celebrate its reputation for excellence in craft, making and innovation. Together with local, regional and national partners, we showcase home-grown creative talent and bring outstanding cultural experiences to the city.
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Millennium Gallery
Arundel Gate, Sheffield, S1 2PP
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The Auckland Project
The Auckland Project is a regeneration charity with a difference. The historic town of Bishop Auckland has a rich and surprising history spanning over 2,000 years, and The Auckland Project believes that the history, culture and heritage of Bishop Auckland have the power to bring about transformative change for the people who visit, work, and live there.
The Auckland Project is creating a visitor destination in Bishop Auckland, incorporating Auckland Palace (once home to the Prince Bishops of Durham and the historic seat of faith and power in the North of England) and 10 acres of meticulously restored gardens, 150-acre Deer Park, the Spanish Gallery, the Mining Art Gallery, Auckland Tower visitor centre, Weardale Railway and the Faith Museum. At the heart of these sites is St Peter’s Chapel, and the themes of faith and power are repeated across The Auckland Project’s attractions, inviting conversations about belonging, faith, loss, sacrifice, community, love and creativity.
Alongside the visitor destination, The Auckland Project is also working directly with the local community – including educational and training facilities- to deliver a wide range of formal and informal learning for adults and young people, create jobs and apprenticeships, and, both directly and indirectly, support sustainable living.
For more information about The Auckland Project, please visit aucklandproject.org or search Auckland Project on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and /or Twitter.
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For more information
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