Jointly curated by Art of, Added Time Club, Crystal Palace Parks Trust and Crystal Palace F.C., the exhibition – titled The Art of Waiting – will be on show at Crystal Palace Park Subway between Friday, 9th January 2026 and Sunday, 11th January 2026.
As a club, Crystal Palace have deep connections with the FA Cup, having been instrumental in the competition’s founding just 10 years after forming ourselves as a club in 1861.
The Art of Waiting aims to take members of the South London community on the club’s journey through that illustrious history: from the origins of the FA Cup in South London, through to our two previous appearances in the Final in 1990 and 2016, and culminating in the lifting of the trophy on an unforgettable afternoon at Wembley in May 2025.
There will also be an opportunity for fans to have their photo taken with the FA Cup trophy.
Supporters will also have the opportunity to contribute to the exhibition by submitting their memories, stories and historical items, such as merchandise and retro memorabilia from Palace history. To contribute, please email marketing@art-of-football.com
How to Book
The event will be free of charge, but ticketed.
Tickets will be available to book via Palace’s ticketing website from 10:00 GMT on Monday, 15th December. Supporters can book up to four tickets per transaction.
Arrivals slots will be staggered every 15 minutes between 10:00 and 16:00 on all three days, with the exhibition taking approximately 45 minutes.
Please note: Regretfully, this event is not suitable for those with additional accessibility requirements. The exhibition will be recreated at the CPFC Academy at a later date for supporters with accessibility requirements – please click here to register your interest.
This event is supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Our association with the FA Cup
In 1871, Palace captain Douglas Allport was closely involved in the inauguration of the FA Cup, proposing an FA sub-committee that drafted the rules for the cup competition; he was also one of three FA members who selected and bought the first trophy.
Crystal Palace played in the first ever round of the FA Cup – the only surviving league club to have done so – and went on to reach the semi-finals in 1872.
The club weren’t just founder members as, between 1895 and 1914, the competition’s final was played at the original Crystal Palace football stadium, in the shadow of the stunning glass structure.
The Art of Waiting exhibition therefore represents a remarkable homecoming for the competition, returning to the Crystal Palace Park in celebration of our modern-day team’s historic first-ever victory in the competition earlier this year.
Click here to find out more about our role in the FA Cup's formation.
Event Details
- The Art of Waiting
- An FA Cup Winners Exhibition by Art of, Added Time Club, Crystal Palace Parks Trust & Crystal Palace F.C.
- Crystal Palace Park Subway, Crystal Palace Parade, SE19 2BA
- Friday, 9th January 2026 – Sunday, 11th January 2026
- Arrivals slots available to book (free-of-charge) from 10:00 GMT on Monday, 15th December