Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration

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What is recorded here

Quentin Blake founded the House of Illustration in 2002. After operating at Granary Square from 2014 to 2020, it restored the eighteenth- and nineteenth-century engine house and coal stores at New River Head for a permanent home. The £12.5 million Quentin Blake Centre opened on 5 June 2026 with three galleries, a public library of more than 1,000 books and a five-metre drawing Blake made for its café.

What this place is

The Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration is a public gallery and museum in London dedicated to illustration.

People and events

Illustrator Quentin Blake founded the organisation in 2002. It ran exhibitions at Granary Square from 2014 until closing there in 2020, then raised £12.5 million from Blake, public funds and trusts to restore New River Head. The new centre opened on 5 June 2026.

How it was used

From 2014 to 2020, the House of Illustration showcased a diverse range of illustrations, including advertisements, animation, comic books, children's literature, and more. The new centre features three exhibition galleries, a public library, and a café.

What survives

The 18th- and 19th-century buildings at New River Head have been restored as part of the £12m capital campaign. The centre also preserves more than 1,000 books, graphic novels, and zines in its public library.

Why it mattered

Restoring the engine house and coal stores gave Britain's only public organisation devoted solely to illustration a permanent home after six years without galleries. Separate Blake and changing-exhibition rooms let one artist's gift support advertising, comics, science, fashion and children's art rather than becoming only a personal museum.