CovSoc founder member, Paul Maddocks, tells us about a recent visit to the Herbert and encourages you to go along too. Paul writes…..
I recently visited the Herbert Art Gallery and Museum to see the Stories That Made Us exhibition, which is located on the first floor overlooking the main gallery. The exhibition runs until 25 May 2026, although that date will soon come around.
I was very impressed by both the content and the presentation. This fascinating exhibition tells the story of the roots, resilience, and representation of many people from Coventry’s diverse communities.
The exhibition explores modern UK immigration and is both powerful and thought-provoking, presenting many important facts and historical details. It begins with the British Nationality Act of 1948, which gave Commonwealth citizens shared status as British subjects, and also covers further immigration legislation introduced during the 1960s and 1970s.
The exhibition mainly centres around one family and the archive collection of Hardish Virk. During the 1970s, Hardish lived on St George’s Road in Coventry, a vibrant and culturally diverse neighbourhood where migrant families from India, Pakistan, and Jamaica lived alongside white working-class communities.
Harbhajan Singh Virk was a hardworking man, a strong believer in politics, and an active member of many organisations, including the Indian Workers Association. He was also a poet, writer, and musician who played both the violin and harmonium. Today, he would probably be described as an “activist” or “cultural activist”.
The exhibition also shares the lives and stories of many other people, including other members of the Virk family.
I particularly liked the various mock room settings that have been built into the gallery, including a front room, a bedroom, and a radio station. There is a great deal to see and listen to, with headsets, television monitors, numerous photographs, and many interesting documents on display. I only allowed myself an hour for the visit and did not manage to see everything, which is why I plan to return using my new admission pass.
The exhibition and museum are open Tuesday to Saturday from 10am to 4pm, and on Sundays from 12pm to 4pm. Please note that last admission is 30 minutes before closing time. There is an admission charge for the museum, but holders of a CVGo card can enter free throughout the year after paying the one-off registration fee.
The Herbert Art Gallery and Museum is located in Jordan Well, with the main entrance in Bayley Lane, Coventry CV1 5QP.
