The Artful Teapot

The Artful Teapot was a major museum exhibition of the Kamm Teapot Collection that toured North America from 2002 to 2006. Curated by noted ceramics scholar Garth Clark, the exhibition included 250 teapots, tea sets and sculptures. It presented the teapot as an art form across cultures and time.

The Artful Teapot was a successful museum exhibition. It was extraordinarily popular and set attendance records at six of the nine museum venues. It enjoyed repeat visitation, attracted non-traditional museum audiences, and appealed to children and families. Many exhibition visitors returned because there was so much to see, and on each visit, they saw new things. They also brought friends and family along to share their experiences.

The Artful Teapot attracted new audiences. Many visitors had never been to an art museum. However, they were intrigued by the idea of a teapot show. The exhibition also won over men who had grudgingly attended with their wives. Expecting a show of china or tableware, these husbands were amazed by the craftsmanship, materials, and imagery of the sculptural teapots. Those that did come for teapots, the “tea people”, comprise a specialty audience of tea enthusiasts. One local tearoom was responsible for hundreds of new visitors due to its publicity for The Artful Teapot.

The exhibition’s fanciful and colorful teapots were most appealing to children. Every host museum had engaging activities and programs for children and families, including a treasure hunt-style Family Activity Guide. The Artful Teapot was a favorite outing for grandparents and their grandchildren.

Produced by the Long Beach Museum in California, this award-winning guide for children was used throughout the exhibition tour.