This beautiful iridescent shell is from a sea snail known as an abalone.
Many sea snails have a layer of mother-of-pearl inside their shells, also called nacre. Nacre is made of alternating layers of microscopic calcium carbonate crystals and a protein called conchiolin.
Some light passes through these layers while some is reflected, causing the light waves to overlap and interfere, creating nacre’s iridescent shimmer.
Explore the world of colour in nature, society and beyond in our new exhibition opening Sat 23 May - find out more at ramm.uk/colour
✨🌙☀️ Pop by the Garden at RAMM on #FirstThursdays for live DJs and a bar - perfect summer evenings await! ☀️🌙 ✨
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Repost @in_exeter
✨ First Thursdays are coming to Gandy Street ✨
This summer, Gandy Street is the place to be on the first Thursday of the month. First Thursdays launches on Thursday 4 June, bringing later shopping, cocktails, live entertainment, creativity and festival vibes to Exeter’s favourite cobbled street.
From pop-ups and live music to maker markets, Pilates demos, alfresco food and a Cocktail Collective created especially for the event, Gandy Street is the place to be on the first Thursday of the month:
📅 First Thursdays
🕔 5-8pm
📍 Gandy Street
🗓 4 June, 2 July, 6 August, 3 September 2026
Save the dates and make your First Thursdays count.
#FirstThursdays #GandyStreet #ExeterEvents #SupportLocal
Do you have a favourite Exeter view or memory? 🌅
This 1859 watercolour by George Whitaker shows the Exe estuary, looking towards Exmouth and Dawlish Warren, with the Turf Hotel in the foreground.
While the landscape has changed a little, the scene is still familiar, and still loved by locals and visitors today.
We’re gathering stories and memories to feature on digital labels in the museum. Share your connection to the estuary (or other places you love) in the comments. You might see your words on display in RAMM!
This work, and other highlights from Exeter's fine art collection, is currently on display in Gallery 20.
🧵🪡✂ Drop in to the museum courtyard on Sun 14 June and add your stitches to an alphabet of letters embroidered with love.
Contribute a moment (or a few hours) to highlight someone who is on your mind because they are gone, far away or facing challenges.
Local textile artist Rosy Tydeman will lead this opportunity to sew alongside others and leave a mark on something that will go on display in 2027. Be prepared to share your skills or learn on the day.
All materials provided. Suitable for ages 8-108. 🧵🪡✂
🌈 Get ready for a spectacular explosion of colour, creativity and fun as RAMM takes over Northernhay Gardens with the Rainbow Colour Clash! 🌈
Walk, jog or skip your way along this family-friendly course through Northernhay, while being showered with colourful powder. Afterwards, help us decorate the park with bright biodegradable chalks.
£3.50 per person. 27 Jun 11am. Book your tickets at rammuseum.org.uk/whats-on 🌈
May half-term is fast approaching... We’ve got a range of fun activities throughout the week at RAMM to keep kids occupied and exercise their creativity!
🧶 Tue 26 May – Learn how to weave on circular looms, taking inspiration from different cultures.
🎭 Wed 27 May – Make your very own colourful decorated mask. Will you be inspired by Japanese Noh masks, Day of the Dead masks from Mexico, or something else?
🌧️ Thu 28 May – Craft your own rain stick; your very own little piece of the sky!
All sessions run 10.30am–3.30pm, £3.50 per child, drop-in (no need to book).
Happy Pride Exeter! 🌈
If you're looking to escape the crowds and take a breather today, drop into RAMM and join @scotty.gillespie for a fab, hands-on zine making workshop.
Come any time between 11am and 3pm - it's free! 😊
Pictured: An Exeter Pride bear from the RAMM collection, which will be on display in 'Colour', opening 23 May. Find out more at rammuseum.org.uk/whats-on/colour
Today, we celebrate the remarkable art, vision and legacy of Aubrey Williams.
Born in Guyana in 1926, Williams developed a powerful visual language that moved between abstraction and figuration, grounded in a profound awareness of humanity’s relationship to the environment, history and the cosmos. After arriving in London in 1952, he became a founding member of the Caribbean Artists Movement – a pivotal network of artists and intellectuals who reshaped the city’s cultural landscape. Spanning ecology, cosmology and pre-colonial histories, his influential work remains persistently relevant.
We honour an artist whose vision continues to resonate.
You can see Aubrey Williams’ 'Bonampak 17' on display in RAMM’s Fine Art Gallery. The piece will be showing until 9 August 2026. Don’t miss the opportunity to experience an Aubrey Williams work in Exeter and celebrate his legacy with RAMM - entry is free.
Read more about Aubrey Williams and his time in Exeter at the link in our bio.
#AubreyWilliamsCentenary @octobergallerylondon
Are you fascinated by colour? 🖍️💚🎨🟠🌈🦄☀️
Join artist Lumi Centurión @lumicenturions at RAMM on 20 June to delve into the world of colour in a creative workshop.
Spend some time looking at pieces in the museum’s collection, whilst exploring art history and cultural influences, and then with Lumi’s guidance create your own creative response to those pieces you have felt a connection with.
Find out more and book at ramm.uk/lumi
Hey everyone! Anyone attending @exeterpride this year?
Well if you wanted a nice cozy time away from the busy crowds. I’m going to be hosting a free drop in style zine making workshop at the @rammuseum all day. It’ll be very chill 😎
Anyone can attend, all materials provided and a little badge for you*
See you there!!!
* 1x badge per person till they are all gone, first come get first dibs x
📍 Where’s your favourite place in Exeter?
Recently we hosted a series of creative workshops where community members and museum visitors teamed up with artist Aga Wanowicz @element.aga to stitch a textile map of Exeter, celebrating the places they love most.
From natural scenes like the River Exe to iconic landmarks like the Cathedral, Exeter Phoenix (and of course RAMM 😉), each piece tells a personal story. One participant even recreated Exeter’s legendary crêpe man in incredible stitched detail!
Together, these artworks form the Stitched Stories Trail 🧵 Follow it around the city at swcollectionsexplorer.org.uk or head to the link in our bio.
Leave a comment and let us know which Exeter spot you'd stitch into the map 💭
Tomorrow is the last day to see Grayson Perry: Aspects of Myself at RAMM - if you haven't made it in yet, don't miss your very last chance!
You'll need to book in advance at /grayson
