The Making of a Modern City

Celebrate the 70th anniversary of Professor Sir Patrick Abercrombie and James Paton-Watson's 'Plan for Plymouth' - an ambitious scheme designed to raise the city out of the rubble of the Blitz.

Plymouth's city centre and a number of its suburbs were virtually destroyed by incendiary bombs during World War Two.

Abercrombie and Paton-Watson's designs set the tone for a modern city, with clearly defined communities filled with churches, schools, community centres and houses, alongside well-preserved historic areas such as the Barbican.

This exhibition delves into the archives to reveal documents, plans and images that record the people, politics and places that shaped the Plymouth we know today.

Regardless of whether you're from Plymouth or not, The Making of a Modern City' will give you a sense of pride in the resilience of a place that had the ambition to completely rebuild itself, and expand far beyond its pre-war boundaries, in a remarkably short period of time.

Related events

We will be offering a family-friendly holiday workshop on 30 May and an Art Bite on 19 June. There are a number of other events connected to this exhibition taking place at the Central Library, Plympton Library and Plymouth University as part of the Plymouth History Festival. Visit the Festival Plymouth History Festival website for full details: www.plymhistoryfest.wordpress.com

www.plymouth.gov.uk/makingofamoderncity