What date did the 'This is Tomorrow' exhibition open in 1956?

The “This Is Tomorrow” exhibition opened on 9 August 1956.

The landmark exhibition was held at the Whitechapel Art Gallery in London and ran until 9 September 1956. Architect and writer Theo Crosby helped develop the project, which brought together artists, architects, designers, and theorists to explore modern life and the visual culture of the future.

Rather than presenting isolated artworks in conventional galleries, the show was organised into 12 collaborative environments. Participants included Richard Hamilton, Eduardo Paolozzi, Nigel Henderson, and Alison and Peter Smithson. Their installations combined architecture, painting, sculpture, graphic design, found objects, and popular imagery.

The exhibition is closely associated with the Independent Group and the early development of British Pop Art. A common mix-up concerns Richard Hamilton’s famous collage Just What Is It That Makes Today’s Homes So Different, So Appealing? It was designed as a poster for the exhibition and reproduced in its catalogue, but the original colour collage was not actually displayed in the show.