The building houses a 14-tonne figurehead collection suspended from the ceiling in the main gallery.
It contains over two million individual items within its archival collections.
The facility was constructed by joining three historic buildings with a large, modern glass-and-steel extension.
The archives include the personal papers and documents related to the Plymouth Blitz during World War II.
A permanent exhibit features a life-sized replica of a woolly mammoth based on fossils found in the local area.
The central atrium features a striking permanent installation titled 'The Stacks', showcasing thousands of collected objects on floor-to-ceiling shelving.
The Box is Plymouth's multi-disciplinary cultural center, housed in a repurposed Edwardian museum building expanded with a striking, cantilevered architectural extension. It integrates the city's former central library, public museum, and art gallery into one unified institution. The site stores and displays extensive archives including the Mayflower collection and massive maritime artifacts. Its permanent galleries feature natural history specimens, such as a life-sized woolly mammoth model, alongside contemporary visual arts. A dedicated media lab and archive space provide access to local historical records and film footage. The building design reflects a fusion of restored historic features with modern, sustainable construction techniques. It serves as a central hub for Plymouth's regional heritage and international art programming.
The main entrance hall where the iconic 'The Stacks' shelving installation provides a dramatic vertical backdrop.
Check the online calendar for temporary exhibition rotations before visiting to prioritize specific galleries.
Use the dedicated 'Media Lab' if you are interested in researching local genealogy or historical photography.
Visit the onsite cafe to see the view of the restored Edwardian architecture from within the modern extension.
Attempting to see every single archive piece, as the sheer volume of the collection is too large to view in a single day.
Closed on Mondays during non-school holiday periods.
