5 reasons why you should experience the Flower Fairies exhibition at Lady Lever Art Gallery

We’re lucky to have some world class exhibitions come to National Museums Liverpool and this year one of the must-see ones is at Lady Lever Art Gallery in Port Sunlight.

Flower Fairies is an absolutely beautiful exhibition that’s a real treat for all ages, featuring the original illustrations of Cicely Mary Barker who created the famous Flower Fairies books.

Celebrating 100 years since the publication of her first book, Flower Fairies in the Spring, curators from NML collaborated closely with Penguin Ventures, which is part of publishers Penguin Random House UK, to present her work in a unique and magical way.

Flower Fairies is on until November 5, so it would make for a perfect summer day out. If you haven’t already been, here are 5 reasons to see Flower Fairies …

It’s like stepping into a storybook world 

Cicely Mary Barker’s illustrations are so delicate and the Flower Fairies she depicts are so beautiful that it feels like being transported into the pages of a flower-filled fairytale world. Even though the designs are now a century old, it’s easy to see why they’re still as loved now by children, and adults, all over the world as they were in the 1920s.

The exhibition doesn’t only feature original artwork

The Lady Lever display brings together 45 original illustrations, including Cicely Mary Barker’s much-loved Flower Fairies  and early sketches, but that’s not all. Because her work is also a celebration of nature as well as childhood – she studied plants in minute detail before drawing them to make sure they were accurate – her art is shown alongside examples of flora and fauna from NML’s own botanical collections. Cicely Mary Barker’s fantasy world is bought to life even more by a series of digital projections and costumes inspired by her fairies, designed by award-winning, TV and film, costume designer Vin Burnham.

The artist is still having an influence today – on fashion and music icons

Although Cicely Mary Barker died 50 years ago, the impact of her famous Flower Fairies  on popular culture can definitely still be seen today. Gucci’s spring 2022 collection featured a range of clothing and accessories adorned with some of her ethereal characters and musician Billie Eilish used the book Fairyopolis as an inspiration for a recent tattoo.

Admission to Flower Fairies is at a price everyone can afford

Ticketed entry is free, but you’re encouraged to make a donation of £2-£5 which goes to support the Lady Lever Art Gallery so that they can  put on incredible exhibitions like this one. Sounds like a bargain really!

There are talks and fun family activities based on Flower Fairies too

In addition to the exhibition itself, Lady Lever also has talks, painting workshops and lots of free hands-on craft and creative sessions over the summer holidays which take Cicely Mary Barker’s fairies as their inspiration.  Children can get involved and make everything from fairy doors to miniature fairy specimen jars. They’ll be happening on a drop-in basis on dates right through July and August.

The Guide’s Gemma has been along to see Flower Fairies so you can watch her video above and discover more about the enchanting world that’s been created inside Lady Lever Art Gallery.

Find out more about Flower Fairies at Lady Lever Gallery HERE.