A celebrated art museum and library situated in the heart of the historic city of Canterbury, The Beaney House of Art and Knowledge provides state-of-the-art exhibition galleries, a brand new and extended library, excellent educational facilities, and a varied programme of interactive events for all ages. Here are just a few of the fabulous upcoming exhibitions taking place this summer.

Teddy Bear Story

10 May – 27 July // Special Exhibitions Room

Teddy bear, Chad Valley Company Limited, England, c1955, © Victoria and Albert Museum

A heart-warming exhibition including nearly 100 teddy bears, Teddy Bear Story celebrates the special toys that have been childhood companions to millions of people. The exhibition traces the history of teddy bears, and investigates the worldwide production and success of everyone’s favourite toy. Well-known bears feature, from folk and fairy stories to picture books, film and television, along with some teddies that have their own personal stories to tell. This exhibition is organised by the V&A Museum of Childhood, London. Rather than charging admission, The Beaney asks that visitors pay what they can – a contribution that will go towards programming further special exhibitions in the future.

Documentarium – Opening up Kent’s archives

7 June – 6 July // Front Room

Curated by Alan Kane, and inspired by Kent’s rich and varied archives, Documentarium is a new art exhibition touring to each of the county’s 12 districts. Designed to give visitors an artist’s view of the county’s history, the show features copies of some of Kent’s more unusual archive material. Long-worn letters, strange photos, documents and sketches, are among the items carefully selected by a team of visitors to the archives, working closely with the artist. Free entry.

Project Conway: A Game of Lights, Life and Death

12-20 July // Front Room

Developed by Deeson Online and University of Kent’s School of Computer Science, Project Conway is an innovative interactive computer game and art installation. The idea is pretty simple: a player ‘creates’ a life via special website, www.projectconway.com, then, following the rules of Jon Conway’s Game of Life, the creation ‘lives’, reproducing and thriving in the form of LEDs on a large display panel. The aim of Project Conway is to help people learn through experimentation, problem solving, collaboration, development, education, electronics…and fun. www.projectconway.com. Free entry.

Robert Jarvis: aroundNorth

12 July – 24 August // Drawing Room

If the stars were a musical instrument, how would they sound? Inspired by a visit to Armagh Observatory, Robert Jarvis created this sound installation. Stars were given different notes according to their colours, and sounds are generated by changing patterns of stars moving in the sky. Complementing this sound piece is a selection of museum objects and images relating to stars, space, navigation and journeys. www.youtube.com/watch?v=24kAfeBl0mo. Free entry.

Display Space

26 July – 24 August // Front Room

The Beaney Front Room takes you on a journey into the infinite void with a group exhibition by local artists that interprets the great unknown, exploring planets, stars, alien landscapes and black holes. The images and ideas complement the celestial sound installation, aroundNorth, by Robert Jarvis, which is in concurrently in the Drawing Room. Free entry.

Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 2013

9 August – 2 November // Special Exhibitions Room

Choir Master by Rosie Hallam, 2012 © Rosie Hallam. Financial Times

This event provides a unique opportunity to see 60 new portraits by some of the most exciting contemporary photographers from around the world. Through editorial, advertising and fine art prints, the exhibition explores the a range of themes, styles and approaches to the photographic portrait, from formal commissioned images of famous faces, to more spontaneous and intimate moments capturing friends and family. This exhibition is organised by the National Portrait Gallery, London. Rather than charging admission, The Beaney asks that visitors pay what they can – a contribution that will go towards programming further special exhibitions in the future.

Diane Smalley

30 August – 28 September // Front Room

This exhibition is an artist’s response to The Beaney House of Art and Knowledge. The paintings and drawings will all have connections to both the Beaney’s art and artefacts displayed in the Garden Room and upstairs galleries. Diane Smalley intertwines various elements of the Beaney in a playful way to entice the viewer to spend just a little more time searching for what could be secreted within the work, and more importantly, in the Beaney itself. Free entry.

For a full listing and further details of upcoming exhibitions and events at The Beaney, visit www.thebeaney.co.uk.

Opening hours: Mon-Weds 9am-5pm; Thurs 9am – 7pm; Fri-Sat 9am-5pm; Sun 10am-5pm.

The Beaney House of Art & Knowledge, 18 High Street, Canterbury CT1 2RA

01227 862162 / www.thebeaney.co.uk