Peterborough’s streets, parks, and galleries are alive with art – from centuries-old masterpieces to bold, contemporary creations.

In the heart of Peterborough Cathedral, Frank Roper’s shimmering aluminium Crucifixion hovers above the nave altar, its modern, weightless form a powerful counterpoint to the medieval stonework around it. It’s one of the city’s most striking pieces of 20th-century sacred art.

The city’s artistic heritage is richly represented at Peterborough Museum and Art Gallery, where the permanent collection spans from the 1600s to today. Highlights include landscapes by the Dutch master Van Huysum, the atmospheric View of Port St Denis by British Impressionist Walter Sickert, and the Ealand Warwick Bequest – a remarkable selection of works by leading British artists of the 1960s. There are also strong local connections, with watercolours of Peterborough Cathedral by J. M. W. Turner and David Cox, alongside portraits, landscapes, and prints telling the city’s own story.

Out in the open air, the Nene Park Sculpture Collection brings together an ever-growing array of works in wood, stone, steel, and bronze, set among meadows, woodland, and lakes. Each piece is chosen to complement the landscape, inviting discovery along footpaths and cycleways.

Adding even more colour, Peterborough’s growing number of murals – from vibrant street art in the city centre to community-led projects in neighbourhoods – reflect the creativity and diversity of the people who live here.

From hallowed spaces to riverside trails, Peterborough offers art at every turn – ready to surprise, inspire, and connect you to the city in new ways.