Stories that inspire: cities category

Read the fascinating stories of how and why artworks have been selected for show around the world.

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A Life Livelier: British art and diplomacy in Costa Rica

23 artworks from the Collection hang on the walls of the British Ambassador’s Residence in San José. From historical prints to modern and contemporary art, the new display gives us an insight into the cultural and diplomatic connections between the UK and Costa Rica.

‘Sentimental meanderings’: a new display in Berne

Diplomatic relations between the UK and Switzerland were established in the early 19th century.

Journeys of the heart: the UK and the Holy See

2022 marked 40 years of full diplomatic relations between the UK and The Holy See.

Eye of the Sultan: a new display for Ankara

During the 18th century, diplomatic relations between the UK and Turkey were formalised. A new display of works of art in the British Ambassador’s Residence in Ankara tells the story of this historic engagement, and follows the countries' shared histories.

Follow The Luck of Eden Hall

Explore the artworks throughout the Residence of the British High Commissioner to Singapore

A meeting of cultures

A new installation of art at the British Embassy in Tehran evokes the early days of the Embassy, and is a reminder of the longstanding relationship between Britain and Iran.

Coming home

The British Ambassador's Residence in Budapest, built in 1925, was originally home to Hanna Hódosi and her husband Tibor Scitovszky. Find out why this became significant for the Collection.

‘A canvas to depict the special relationship’

Works from the Collection are particularly well represented in New York City. Find out what the portrait in this picture tells us about Britain’s entangled history with the United States.

#KeenOnWien

The British Ambassador to Austria takes you on a guided tour of the Residence in Vienna to tell its fascinating story and why he is so #keenonWien.

Conversations with history

A glimpse of diplomatic relations between the UK and France in the 19th century, through a selection of works from the Collection, installed at the British Ambassador's Residence in Paris.

From Bonn to Berlin: the travels of an embassy

The British Embassy in Germany moved three times in the last century, before returning to the site of the first British Embassy established in 1876. This is the story of those moves and a peek at the art in those embassies.

How to make an entrance: rock, paper, scissors?

The British Ambassador's Residence in Beijing portrays a modern, sustainable and innovative Britain. Find out how the art on display echoes these values.

The art of diplomacy

An old map of Romania and a fire-damaged print of London: Britain's Head of Soft Power, who also served as Ambassador to Romania, speaks with our historical curator about the links between art and diplomacy.

A Very BIG Bean: the Collection in Japan

Between 2012 and 2016, the Collection worked with the British Ambassador to Japan on new displays of art for Tokyo. The former Ambassador reflects on the role that art played in diplomacy.