The Royal Kennel Club Art Gallery is a world-class collection of art and artefacts about dogs. Situated in Mayfair, London, The Royal Kennel Club Art Gallery is open by appointment to all art lovers with an interest in dogs, and we welcome visitors from all over the world. Get in touch to arrange your visit.
Our collection
Our Collection includes paintings, drawings, prints, trophies sculptures, ceramics and much more. Our artefacts date from the 1st century up to the present day with special focus on works from the 19th and 20th centuries.
Our oldest item is a Celtic coin dating from AD 8 – AD 41, which is decorated with the image of a Hound. One of the most well-known dog paintings we have is entitled ‘An Early Canine Meeting’, dated 1855, which shows the very early beginnings of dog showing. We also hold the world famous Keddell Memorial Trophy for Best in Show at Crufts.
Leaders of the Pack: The Women of the Royal Kennel Club Art Collection
Until 26th March 2027
This exhibition tells the surprising story of how, across three centuries, women found an unlikely route to professional independence: painting dogs.
The Royal Kennel Club Art Gallery has brought together over 120 works by more than 100 female artists, women who largely faced exclusion from formal art training and gallery representation, yet built remarkable professional careers regardless. Spanning painting, sculpture, drawing, printmaking and medals, the works trace both how women turned to canine portraiture to carve a professional path, and the arc of female emancipation in Britain from the Victorian era to the present day.
At a moment when institutions across the cultural arts are actively reappraising the women written out of art history, the Royal Kennel Club Art Gallery has been proudly preserving their work for decades. With a fifty-fifty split of male to female artists in the collection, the gallery is leading the way for gender parity compared to others in the field.
Featured here are artworks by masters in their field, such as Maud Earl, Lilian Cheviot and Fanny Moody. These artists supported themselves entirely through dog art commissions, speaking to the appetite for canine portraiture in that era and to the determination of women who built careers entirely on their own terms.
The exhibition is not exclusively a historical survey. A number of practising artists are also featured including Anne Zoutsos, Deirdre Ashdown and Jo Van Kampen; proof that the tradition these women established is very much alive
To make a booking to see the exhibition or for more information please contact us:
‘Cultured Canines’ brings together a capsule exhibition featuring 12 ceramic works and drawings by contemporary artist Allison Ksiazkiewicz, inspired by the ceramics of the ancient Mediterranean world and the cultural meaning attached to twelve different dog breeds. From the ancient world to modern Britain, the exhibition explores the many ways dogs have become intertwined with human history as companions, working animals, symbols of status and figures within the stories and cultures of the people who lived alongside them.
The twelve different dog breeds include the Chihuahua, Saluki, King Charles Spaniel, Newfoundland, Norwegian Lundehund and Skye Terrier.
Allison combines ancient ceramic techniques and manufacturing processes with original contemporary designs.
Each piece is named after a person who was influential to that breed of dog historically, with their story told across the surface of each distinctive Attic-style ceramic vessel.
Ksiazkiewicz’s practice is inspired by natural history, archaeology and landscape to explore the ways we connect to each other and the natural world.
Ksiazkiewicz has exhibited work in the UK and across Canada, including at the Museum of Classical Archaeology (Cambridge), Ashmolean Museum (Oxford) and Open Studio (Toronto).
On the art gallery contemporary dog photography wall
Elena Marchi (Pawtique)
Until 26th March 2027
Copyright Elena Marchi
A photographic capsule exhibition by London-based photographer Elena Marchi is featured, presenting her acclaimed series of fine art canine portraits set against London's architectural landmarks. Widely recognised for pioneering this distinctive photographic approach, Marchi's striking black-and-white images explore the enduring relationship between dogs and the urban environment, creating timeless portraits that are both elegant and emotionally resonant. The exhibition also highlights her commitment to Greyhound and Galgo welfare charities through her published photographic work
To make a booking to see the exhibition or for more information please contact us.
Our guided tours at The Royal Kennel Club are delivered by our expert curators, who lead visitors through our world-class Royal Kennel Club Art Gallery and Library, and the full Royal Kennel Club art collection. The Royal Kennel Club is an unparalleled source of information on dog welfare, dog training and dog breeding, and visitors also learn more about The Royal Kennel Club's efforts to improve the health and welfare of thousands of dogs in the UK. If you are interested in organising a tour of the collection, please email
The temperatures inside the gallery are set to protect our collection and may feel cool, so we suggest bringing an extra layer for your comfort.
Private tours for groups
For a small charge of £15 per person, we can organise private tours of The Royal Kennel Club Collections and Heritage on a date to suit you. In addition, we can also offer lunch in The Royal Kennel Club Dining Room as part of a pre-booked tour, subject to availability. If you would like to know more or book a tour please contact artgallery@royalkennelclub.com
Donations and legacies for The Royal Kennel Club Library or Art Gallery
The Royal Kennel Club is proactive in its search for special collections, paintings, trophies and memorabilia. We are always interested to learn of new collections, artefacts or publications of substantial historical importance that might be suitable for donation. Accepted donations become part of 'Treasures of The Royal Kennel Club', a collection that forms the most comprehensive archive of canine material in Europe.
What happens to my donation?
Artefacts donated to the Royal Kennel Club can be assured of playing a significant role in the importance of the collection. Many of the special collections donated to the club are the result of years of personal research by the donor, which gives researchers access to a wide array of information, often unique in its content.
Paintings, trophies and other memorabilia are currently housed throughout the Royal Kennel Club. We have an art gallery at Clarges Street in London, which provides a more permanent display of our artwork and memorabilia and allows greater access to researchers and the general public.
All artefacts are protected by an active conservation policy, including humidity and temperature controlled vaults and the advice of a team of experts.
If you wish to make a donation, or leave artefacts to the Royal Kennel Club in your will, please contact The Royal Kennel Club's Library and Collections Manager or the Royal Kennel Club Secretary, in writing. They can be reached by emailing the library or by writing to: The Royal Kennel Club Library, 10 Clarges Street, London. W1J 8AB.
What information should I include in my letter?
Where possible, your letter should include details of the artefact(s) you wish to bestow. Any information supporting the importance of the artefact(s) – such as its historical significance, an analysis of its condition and measurements – are most welcome as they assist the selection process.
Donations will be assessed for suitability. In some cases it might be necessary to view these items before making a final judgement. In all occasions where artefacts cannot be accepted, we will endeavour to provide details of an alternative collection where it would receive the care, attention and enjoyment a donor would wish.
Contact us
Opening hours by appointment: Monday to Friday 9.30am - 4.30pm
