The Armitt: 20th Century Museum Featuring The Victorian Era 

The Armitt Museum and Library were founded in the 20th century. Now the Armitt has a museum, a library and a gallery, and features collections donated by the descendants and friends of the great and famous residents of the Lake District who make the Lake District such an important treasure trove of the English heritage.

Why Visit the Armitt Museum and Library?

I can think of a number of reasons to choose the Armitt Museum for your short break visit in the Lake District.

The English Heritage

At least three great and famous names feature in the Armitt collections.

Beatrix Potter

Beatrix Potter, the creator of the iconic Peter The Rabbit and the authoress of many great books for children, is loved and cherished in the Lake District. She donated to the Armitt Library her family books, personal editions of her own books, and her watercolours. 

John Ruskin

The Armitt Library has a section dedicated to John Ruskin and among other precious exhibits you will find there the unique and very special private letters made public only at the end of the 20th century. These letters shed much new light on the character of John Ruskin and on the particularly notable events of his life. The Whistler trial and John Ruskin's drug addiction are among these events. 

The history has it that at some point in his life John Ruskin  was granted the title of Slade Professor of Fine Art at the Oxford University, and he held this title up until the outcome of the Whistler trial. As a lawyer, I found the account of the Whistler trial quite fascinating so I summarise it here.

The history has it that at some point in his life John Ruskin  was granted the title of Slade Professor of Fine Art at the Oxford University, and he held this title up until the outcome of the Whistler trial. As a lawyer, I found the account of the Whistler trial quite fascinating so I summarise it here.

The Whistler Trial  

Whistler was an impressionist artist and a contemporary of John Ruskin. Once John Ruskin saw Whistler's painting of fireworks. He disliked the painting and made some ill-judged comments in public about it. Whistler sued Ruskin for damages. Ruskin did not fancy at all the idea of confronting Whistler at the trial, and to justify his absence from the trial he repeatedly sought certificates from his personal doctor. The correspondence of Ruskin with his doctor suggests that Ruskin had symptoms of drug addiction. 

Eventually Whistler won the trial, and the court awarded him a farthing in damages. 

The public of those days reportedly found this trial entertaining and amusing. But for Ruskin it had a sad impact on his career as a professor at Oxford - following his defeat in this trial Ruskin surrendered his title. 

Kurt Schwitters

Kurt Schwitters was a Germany-born artist who lived his later life in the Lake District. He is known for his influence on the 20th century art in many genres such as dadaism, constructivism, surrealism, poetry, sound, painting, sculpture, and graphic design. One of the England's most important collections of Schwitters' works is found in the Armitt Library.

An Enjoyable Day's Trip

The Armitt is an educational and memorable place to visit and is sure to make your short break or a weekend in Ambleside truly enjoyable.

How to Get to the Armitt Museum and Library?

The Armitt is located on Rydal road in Ambleside.

If you drive, there is a good pay and display parking opposite the Armitt.

You can also get to The Armitt by Bus 555 from other towns and villages of the Lake District. The bus stop for The Armitt is Ambleside Health Centre, 2 minutes walk from The Armitt.