Peace Doves is coming to the Painted Hall

Building on our legacy as a space where art continues to thrive, we’re thrilled to be working with Peter Walker once more as he brings Peace Doves to the Painted Hall this year.

For millennia, doves have been symbols of hope, peace and love across many cultures. Drawing inspiration from this, Peace Doves is a mass participation artwork which invites you to leave your mark in the Painted Hall, as we celebrate the 300th anniversary of this Baroque masterpiece.

In the lead up to the installation opening in November 2026, you are invited to create your own peace dove. Each dove will carry a personal message or reflection, becoming part of a collective expression of hope and shared humanity in the final artwork.

Peter Walker Sculptor, said: “Peace Doves is an exploration of collective expression through contemporary sculpture. Thousands of individual elements, each carrying a personal sentiment, combine to form a unified work that provokes contemplation and engagement. Presented beneath the celebrated ceiling of the Painted Hall, the installation is created to form a dialogue between historic artistry and a contemporary vision of peace, inviting visitors to become part of a shared aesthetic experience. It is a delight to bring this installation to the Old Royal Naval college for all to participate with.”

Kate Miners, Director of Public Engagement, added: “The Painted Hall has always been an evolving space – and this year, as we celebrate its 300th birthday, we’re thrilled to be bringing Peace Doves exclusively to the Painted Hall, building on our partnership with Peter Walker. Unlike typical art installations, Peace Doves invites members of the public to be a part of it. Throughout our history, our site has been shaped by the people who built it and who used it – and continues to be shaped by those who experience it today. So, in the spirit of this, from July until November, anyone who visits us will be given the opportunity to create their own dove to feature in the final artwork. We can’t wait to see how it unfolds.”

How can you get involved?

From July until November, we’re inviting people to make their own dove to feature in the final artwork, complete with messages of hope and peace.

Peace dove making stations will be situated in the Painted Hall and in The Chapel – as well as at events – to give as many people as possible the opportunity to participate. Alongside this, we will also be engaging with local schools and community groups.

If you make a peace dove, please share your creations on social media – tag @oldroyalnavalcollege and @pwalkersculptor, and use the hashtags #peacedoves #PaintedHall300

Painted Hall 300

This year marks the 300th birthday of the Painted Hall. Over the last three centuries, artists and storytellers have invited visitors to look up, pause, and imagine inside the Painted Hall.

Painted over the course of 19 years by Sir James Thornhill and his team, it remains one of the world’s most breathtaking Baroque interiors.

Join us as we celebrate this extraordinary milestone – and leave your mark in the Painted Hall by taking part in Peace Doves.