Exhibition

Unfinished Business: The Mystery of Margate and Turner's Bequest

23 April - 25 October 2026
12:00 - 16:00

With a National Art Pass you get

50% off entry

This exhibition explores the history of J.M.W. Turner’s painting Margate(?), from the Sea, and the legacy of his Bequest

Initially, many works in Turner’s Bequest, including Margate (?), from the Sea, were considered unfinished and unsuitable for display, and consequently remained hidden for decades. Their reassessment in the early twentieth century, culminating in a landmark 1966 exhibition, transformed Turner’s reputation, particularly as his atmospheric style came to be seen as anticipating Impressionism. The exhibition also highlights Turner’s influence on later artists, featuring artworks showing "copyists" at work, by Henry Tidmarsh and Bertha Mary Garnett, and raises broader questions about what it means for a work to be “finished” in the context of Turner’s evolving artistic vision. In addition, a copy of Turner's will is on display, to tell the complex yet fascinating story of his bequest. Unfinished Business is an exhibition well worth seeing for anyone wishing to learn more about J. M. W. Turner’s legacy.

This listing is supplied by one of our museum partners and is not moderated by Art Fund.

Get a National Art Pass and explore Turner's House

You'll see more art and your membership will help museums across the UK

National Art Pass offers available at Turner's House

50% off entry
£12  £6 Standard entry price
IndividualTiana Clarke Please note this is an example card and not a reflection of the final product

Visitor information

Address

Turner's House

40 Sandycoombe Road, Twickenham, TW1 2LR
020 8892 5485

Opening times

Wed – Sun 12:00 to 16:00

Visitor information