For centuries, the strength, fragility and resilience of birds have captured our collective imagination. They play a central symbolic role in our mythology, religion and folklore and have inspired our desire to fly – from science to poetry, art and music. Yet could birds have inspired the origins of our textile crafts?

Birds weave, felt, stitch and sculpt their nests using only beak and breast, yet from splitting, stripping and shaping, to coiling and random weaving, these techniques are all echoed in human crafting tradition.

This exhibition explores the complexity of nest forms honouring birds as artists and architects.