What's on

In 2022 Bankfield Museum in Halifax hosted ‘Costumes from Gentleman Jack’ exhibition. To share the exhibition further, the exhibition and content have been recorded in a film and slideshow.

For Anne Lister's 229th birthday on the 3rd April 2020 we wanted to share her diary entries from her journals 1818 to 1840. Here we have the extracts from Anne's birthdays, with transcriptions kindly provided by members of the #AnneListerCodeBreaker team.

Shibden Hall has 15 unique oil paintings, that are mostly portraits, on permanent display; some have been on site for centuries. We do not have much information on these paintings and would love to find out more.

Calderdale is celebrating its Year of Culture in 2024 to mark the 50th anniversary of its founding as a Borough, a period which has seen a profound transformation of the area from a major manufacturing centre unto a thriving, multicultural area. As part of these celebrations, Bankfield Museum is launching a new exhibition which explores the history of the Borough, from archaeological discoveries that have cast new light on the region’s prehistoric past, to the repurposing of former industrial buildings by businesses, filmmakers, and cultural bodies to create a dynamic future.    

Mary Edith Durham (1863-1944) was a British explorer and collector who extensively documented the Balkans from 1900 to 1921. Her journeys took her through present-day Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro, and Macedonia, where she navigated challenging landscapes and harsh weather.

A Celebration of the Borough, by Roger Davies This exhibition of new paintings is a celebration of locality, community and culture as seen through Roger’s idiosyncratic vision and informed by his love of life in Calderdale. As seen on the BBC One TV programme Home Is Where the Art Is, Roger Davies is a modern British painter from Brighouse, West Yorkshire. His unique paintings have delighted art lovers since his first sold-out exhibition at the Harrison Lord Gallery in 2018.  In his work, perspectives, colours, shapes, and situations are exaggerated, resulting in dynamic compositions populated by figures which animate the paintings. As he explains: “There should be something of visual interest in every part of the picture, from top to bottom, side to side and in all four corners. My job is to make your eyes dance!”   Roger will be carrying out a number of workshops to accompany the exhibition.

Graphic art from the illustrator of The Iron Man and War of the Worlds. Chris Mould is an award-winning illustrator from West Yorkshire who has worked on some of the best-known works in the English language.

Take the path less travelled with Story-telling photography from local creative Mirko Jovanovic and discover hidden landscapes, unknown history, and tales from the wood. Uncover pastoral views and stories forgotten.

Bankfield Museum Fashion Gallery brings together a host of costumes from the world of TV and film costume drama. This is your chance to see iconic screen costumes from Pride and Prejudice (1995), Emma (2020), The King’s Speech (2010), Downton Abbey (Season 1, 2010), Gentleman Jack (2019-22) and many others.

The Calderdale Open Art Competition is returning in 2025. This competition is open to all amateur and professional artists who are invited to submit original artwork in any 2D format (e.g. paintings, drawings, photography, textiles).

A nostalgic look at the Halifax shopping streets of yesteryear for the whole family to enjoy. Reminisce about some of your favourite shops and products, with a selection of photos and objects from the Museum collection and a pop-up mini market for children to enjoy.

Join Bankfield Museum’s Curator and Collections & Exhibitions Manager for a talk about 1830s fashion and textiles. This will include a demonstration of how a lady got dressed in the 1830s and original garments from the Bankfield collection to view.

After making your own way to Anne Lister’s former home of Shibden Hall, you will have private entry into the Hall with exclusive, rare access to go up to the Library Tower that Anne Lister had designed before she went on her ill-fated trip to Russia. A visit to the gardener’s tunnel outside in the Hall’s grounds will be included exclusively in the 2025 tour! This area is not normally accessible to the general public.

Once all the visitors have gone and as night begins to fall, we invite you to visit Shibden Hall after hours. See the costumes from Gentleman Jack on display, wander around the rooms that Anne Lister and Ann Walker once lived in and join us in the barn for food.

Discover your inner artist by joining our learning team for some creative family fun and produce your own masterpiece to take home each time. Our artists will be running creative making sessions on the first Saturday of the month, using a range of materials and techniques - every session will be different! Suitable for children from 5 to 12 years.

Can you find the missing chicks hiding on the ground floor at Bankfield? A flock of cheeky chicks have escaped around the museum, and we need your help to find them! Find them all and learn the meaning behind common Easter symbols as you go.

A fantastic opportunity for keen artists of all levels. Come and join artist Roger Davies for a hands-on, creative workshop where you will learn all about the techniques he uses in his work and be guided step by step to create your own colourful creation that celebrates life in Calderdale.

Hop into creativity this Easter with our craft workshops! Perfect for young artists, these hour-long session are filled with Easter-themed crafts. In each session, all materials are provided for you to make 3 different decorations to take home.

Have a go at making your own ‘rag rug’ badge! Rag rugging is an old British craft using recycled fabrics pushed in small pieces through hessian backing to create a shaggy or loop pile effect. Traditionally used to make rugs, it can be used to make wearable jewellery and art.

Join us for a special concert with the Calderdale based songwriter and painter Roger Davies where he will be performing the best of his back catalogue, along with a selection of brand-new songs. The writer of Brighouse On Saturday Night, The Ghost Of Lily Fogg, Peter Brook’s Paintings, Into The Sun, Judy Woods and Time Goes By, Roger has been recording his music and performing live since 2004.

Come along to our free Easter-themed colouring sessions and unleash your creativity, perfect for little artists to enjoy a moment of calm. Open to all ages, all resources provided! Please note, all children must be accompanied by an adult.

Come and join local children's author, Sophie Edgar, for a fun packed workshop. Sophie will be reading her book, The Magical Kite Ride, which has been illustrated by Roger Davies.

Explore the exciting world of puppets in these creative workshops and be inspired by examples from our fabulous collection of puppets from around the world. Design and create your own hand puppets using a variety of materials and your imagination to bring a character to life.

Come along and explore parts of historic Shibden Hall that so may visitors rarely get to see. This exclusive tour allows us to show you the ornate wall paintings hidden behind the wood panelling in the Dining Room, you can marvel at the craftsmanship of the Tower Library and enjoy a venture underground along the Gardener’s Tunnel.

In this full day workshop, you will learn the art of rag rugging, a traditional technique that turns rags into beautiful, textural homewares. With a rich history, rag rugging is a skill that allows you to upcycle scraps into tactile pieces of art.

Discover a selection of hats, bonnets and fascinators from across the centuries. This session will allow you to get up close to view collections will include the opportunity to carefully handle objects with our curator at Bankfield Museum.

Music provided by The Pemberley Players. Experience is not required as all dances will be called.

Book onto this extra special event to explore Shibden by candlelight, meet some of our resident friendly ghosts and hear their tales of Shibden in days gone by! Tours begin at the Lister Lion next to Shibden Hall and end at the barn. Suitable for children, those under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

What dark and macabre secrets does Shibden Hall hold? What phantoms and beasts hide in the dark woods?

Join us to celebrate the spirit of Christmas at Shibden Hall. Explore the Hall by candlelight and enjoy storytelling and traditional festive decorations on the way.

For one very special weekend you can come and see the Hall decked out with traditional Christmas decorations and learn about how Christmas was celebrated in past times.