Temporary gallery

James Leonard, Industrial Artist

25 October 2025 - 21 February 2026

The Educational Supply Association was one of the town's biggest employers for over 100 years. After the Second World War they began to make a new range of modern, clean-lined school furniture fit for the future, using skills learnt in the manufacture of Mosquito aircraft wings. 

The idea started in 1944; to use scrap aluminium for school furniture. James Leonard designed it, and Johnny Appleton raised over £4m for it. The desk (X100) and chair (X200) first appeared in May 1947, the first two of six world-class designs: “The School Furniture of the Future”.

Jim Leonard’s designs are in the Museum of Modern Art in New York, The Vitra Museum in Germany, the Pompidou in Paris and the V&A in London. . . and now Stevenage Museum.

Coming next . . . 

Six Hills Secrets

7 March – 25 April

Artworks that celebrate the people and places of Stevenage.

And in the foyer . . . 

Mosaics

Until 7 February

See artwork by students from Almond Hill Juniors and the Barclay Academy done with the artists, Donna reeves, as she prepared her work for the bus interchange (now installed). 

See the bigger picture, from above! 

14 February - 25 April

Local drone photographer Sean Lee shows you some great birds' eye views of Stevenage.