Blithe Spirit: Pauline's yellow dress in focus

James Gunn’s wartime portrait of his wife Pauline in the Yellow Dress is one of the museum’s most popular paintings. The yellow dress itself was recently donated to the museum and reunited with the painting for the first time in over 50 years. In this exhibition discover how the dress illustrates 1930s styles, American influence on fashion, developments in fabrics and observe the sharp contrast with rationed fashion during the Second World War.

Dates

Blithe Spirit 21 Sep 2007 - 30 Sep 2008

Road Directions

Follow M6 to Junction 31 (signposted Preston)

Follow signs for A59 Preston

Continue up steep hill (Brockholes Brow) and beware speed camera at top (just inside the 30mph zone) and speed cameras further down this road.

At small roundabout carry straight on towards city centre (New Hall Lane)

Continue until you reach a T-junction at traffic lights (opposite Sainsbury's Homebase) and turn right.

Carry straight on through a Pelican crossing and another major set of traffic lights.

Get in left hand lane and turn left for Bus Station car park down Percy Street. Entrance to car park is up a ramp about 3/4 of the way down this road. You are close to ramp entrance when you see the ramp going across the road above you.

If you miss the left turn onto Percy Street there is another one for the same car park at the next set of traffic lights (by Holiday Inn).
Turn left at lights and second left up ramp into car park.

Car park is pay and display.

From car park on foot:

Follow signs to Guild Hall/City Centre.

You will go down an escalator (or use lift)

At bottom of escalator turn 180 degrees and proceed through
Guild Hall shopping arcade (past news kiosk under escalator).

When you reach the Guild Hall exit, you will see the back of the Harris Museum directly in front of you. There are entrances on the right and left hand sides of the building on Harris Street and Jacson Street. When inside, you will find the Museum Office on the first floor. A lift is available.

How to get here from the railway station

There are regular trains to Preston from London, Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Liverpool, East Lancashire and Lancaster etc.

The Harris is a ten minute walk from the station.

Leave the station at the main exit (next to ticket office) and walk up the concourse.

Turn right onto Fishergate.

Carry on straight ahead, crossing Butler Street on your right at the traffic lights.

Continue straight along Fishergate past the shops (Woolworth’s, HMV, M&S etc.) until you reach Boots on the right hand side.

Turn left on to the Market Square and the Harris is straight opposite you.

 Facilities

Provider Preferences

• In town/city centre