![HomeofHorseracing](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2e/HomeofHorseracing.jpg)
Palace House is the home of the National Horse Racing Museum in the remaining part of
Charles II's racing palace in
Newmarket, Suffolk
Newmarket is a market town and civil parish in the West Suffolk district of Suffolk, England. Located (14 miles) west of Bury St Edmunds and (14 miles) northeast of Cambridge. It is considered the birthplace and global centre of thoroughbred hor ...
, England. It is home to the National Horse Racing Museum, the British Sporting Art Trust and
Retraining of Racehorses
Retraining of Racehorses (RoR) is a national animal welfare organization in the United Kingdom. It was established by the British Horseracing Authority in 2000 and is a registered charity under English and Scottish law. RoR is the official char ...
, and was opened by
Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during ...
in 2016.
National Horseracing Museum
The National Horseracing Museum of the United Kingdom, a
registered charity
A charitable organization or charity is an organization whose primary objectives are philanthropy and social well-being (e.g. educational, religious or other activities serving the public interest or common good).
The legal definition of a ch ...
, tells the history of horse racing. This is explored through works of art, silver, bronzes and artifacts including silks worn by famous jockeys such as Lester Piggott and Frankie Dettori. Using interactive and audio-visual displays, the museum also examines the physical attributes of elite equine athletes and the importance of thoroughbred pedigree.
It contains collections and records of people and horses involved in the sport of
horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian performance sport, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its basic p ...
from its royal origins to the present day. Exhibits include the history of horse racing, horse racing in Britain, trophies, paintings of famous horses, trainers and jockeys, jockey uniforms, betting, and horse racing memorabilia. The Vestey Gallery of British Sporting Art is located in the museum, and features changing exhibits of art relating to sports, including
hunting
Hunting is the human activity, human practice of seeking, pursuing, capturing, or killing wildlife or feral animals. The most common reasons for humans to hunt are to harvest food (i.e. meat) and useful animal products (fur/hide (skin), hide, ...
,
shooting
Shooting is the act or process of discharging a projectile from a ranged weapon (such as a gun, bow, crossbow, slingshot, or blowpipe). Even the acts of launching flame, artillery, darts, harpoons, grenades, rockets, and guided missiles can ...
, fishing,
boxing
Boxing (also known as "Western boxing" or "pugilism") is a combat sport in which two people, usually wearing protective gloves and other protective equipment such as hand wraps and mouthguards, throw punches at each other for a predetermined ...
,
archery
Archery is the sport, practice, or skill of using a bow to shoot arrows.Paterson ''Encyclopaedia of Archery'' p. 17 The word comes from the Latin ''arcus'', meaning bow. Historically, archery has been used for hunting and combat. In m ...
,
rowing
Rowing is the act of propelling a human-powered watercraft using the sweeping motions of oars to displace water and generate reactional propulsion. Rowing is functionally similar to paddling, but rowing requires oars to be mechanically atta ...
, and horse racing.
The British Sporting Art Trust
The British Sporting Art Trust, a registered charity, hosts a large collection of important pieces of British sporting art at Palace House. In the remaining part of Charles II’s racing palace is the Fred Packard Museum and Galleries of British Sporting Art and a new home for the British Sporting Art Trust. Paintings by
George Stubbs
George Stubbs (25 August 1724 – 10 July 1806) was an English painter, best known for his paintings of horses. Self-trained, Stubbs learnt his skills independently from other great artists of the 18th century such as Reynolds or Gainsborough ...
and
Sir Alfred Munnings
Sir Alfred James Munnings, (8 October 1878 – 17 July 1959) was known as one of England's finest painters of horses, and as an outspoken critic of Modernism. Engaged by Lord Beaverbrook's Canadian War Memorials Fund, he earned several prest ...
rub shoulders with works from
John Singer Sargent
John Singer Sargent (; January 12, 1856 – April 14, 1925) was an American expatriate artist, considered the "leading portrait painter of his generation" for his evocations of Edwardian-era luxury. He created roughly 900 oil paintings and more ...
and
John Wootton
John Wootton (c.1686– 13 November 1764)Deuchar, S. (2003). "Wootton, John". Grove Art Online. was an English painter of sporting subjects, battle scenes and landscapes, and illustrator.
Life
Born in Snitterfield, Warwickshire (near Stratfo ...
, showcasing some of the finest examples of British Sporting Art.
The gallery explores the development of popular sporting images through paintings, sculpture, print-making and the applied arts. Significant loans have come from the
Tate
Tate is an institution that houses, in a network of four art galleries, the United Kingdom's national collection of British art, and international modern and contemporary art. It is not a government institution, but its main sponsor is the U ...
and the
Victoria & Albert Museum
The Victoria and Albert Museum (often abbreviated as the V&A) in London is the world's largest museum of applied arts, decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 2.27 million objects. It was founded in 1852 and nam ...
, along with a number of private and public art collections.
Retraining of Racehorses
Retraining of Racehorses hosts a number of retired racehorses in the Rothschild Yard in the Palace House grounds to meet with members of the public. There are daily tours for the public.
List of horses
The National Horseracing Museum contains an extensive archive of images from glass negatives with accompanying biographies. The list includes both runners and breeding stock.
See also
*
Australian Racing Hall of Fame
The Australian Racing Hall of Fame is part of the Australian Racing Museum which documents and honours the horseracing legends of Australia. The museum officially opened in 1981 and created the Hall of Fame in 2000.
The numbers in brackets afte ...
*
British Steeplechasing Hall of Fame
The Steeplechasing Hall of Fame is a museum at Prestbury Park, in the village of Prestbury, Gloucestershire. Opened in 1994 at Cheltenham Racecourse, the Hall of Fame charts steeplechasing history from 1819 and showcases the sport's riders and t ...
*
Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame
The Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame was established in 1976 to honour those who have made a significant contribution to the sport of harness and Thoroughbred horse racing in Canada. It is located at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario.
The H ...
*
New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame
The New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame recognises and honours those whose achievements have enriched the New Zealand thoroughbred horse racing industry.
History
The Hall of Fame's first group of honorees were inducted in 2006, and inductions are he ...
*
United States National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
References
External links
*
The stallion Blandford at the National Horseracing Museum Hall of FameNote: The image here is not a true representation of Blandford.
The mare Athasi at the National Horseracing Museum Hall of Fame
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Horse racing in Great Britain
Horse racing museums and halls of fame
Equestrian museums in the United Kingdom
Sports museums in England
Art museums and galleries in Suffolk
Museums in Suffolk
Newmarket, Suffolk