The Pump House Gallery is an art gallery in Battersea Park. It is located in an old Victorian pumping station, that was built to pump water into the adjacent boating lake. It is the only grade II listed building in Battersea Park, and a popular venue for weddings and private events.
This post tells you everything you need to know about the Pump House Gallery in Battersea Park.
What is the Pump House Gallery?
The Pump House Gallery is a Victorian building in the heart of Battersea Park. It has four art galleries, over four floors, with exhibitions of contemporary art.
The gallery is sometimes used for talks, exhibitions and workshops, but mainly it is a venue that can be hired for weddings, civil partnerships, dinners and private drinks receptions.
History
The pump house was built in 1861, to supply water to the 15-acre boating lake in Battersea Park. It had a coal-fired steam engine and pump, which circulated the water.
In the 1950s, the roof of the tower and the windows were destroyed by a fire, and the building was left derelict. After this time, locals began referring to it as the haunted house, due to its secluded location in the park.
A temporary roof was added, so the building could be used as a storage facility, but over time it became disused and overgrown.
In the 1980s, Wandsworth Council restored the pump house to its Victorian splendour, with a grant from English Heritage. It was initially opened in 1992 as a visitor centre with an education room, where people could learn about the history of the park.
In 1999, the building was transformed again, into a gallery and exhibition space.
Hiring the Space for Weddings
The venue is mostly used for private events and civil marriages, with only a few occasions throughout the year when it is open to the public.
The entire gallery can accommodate up to 150 people standing, and up to 150 seated. It is a blank canvas across all four floors, which allows people to turn it into their own space. In the past the different floors have been used as bars, cloakrooms, dance areas, or children’s areas.
The venue provides a beautiful view over both the lake and the pump house lawn. The photograph below shows the outside of the venue set up for a wedding.
Location
The Pump House Gallery is located next to Battersea Park lake. The exact location is shown on the map below.
Please note, although there are opening times advertised on Google, every time I have been to the Pump House Galley, it has been closed. I don’t believe it is open to the public anymore, apart from when there are specific events, advertised by Enable.
Places to Visit in Battersea Park
If you are looking for things to do in Battersea Park, check out the links below for ideas.
- Visit the Children’s Zoo
- Visit Go Ape Battersea Park
- Go and see the London Peace Pagoda
- Rent a boat on the Boating Lake
- Rent a banana bike
- Play tennis on the Battersea Park Tennis Courts
- Visit Battersea Power Station (next to Battersea Park)
This post was about the Pump House Gallery in Battersea Park
Thank you for reading my post about the Pump House Gallery in Battersea Park, south London. If you have visited the venue, please feel free to leave a comment below.
