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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Get up close to fashions of the 1910s to 1920s from Bankfield Museum’s collection. 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.

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.

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.

Immerse yourself in colour and creativity at our acrylic painting workshop, inspired by the wonderful gardens around Shibden Hall. We’ll experiment with paint application, tone and colour, explore our beautiful, natural surroundings through sketch and use everything we’ve learned to create a painting inspired by the garden’s seasonal beauty.

Join us for a fun and hands-on book-making workshop, where your child can explore items from our shopping past and craft their very own catalogue book design to celebrate our new ‘Let’s Go Shopping!’ exhibition. We will use items from our handling collections to take a closer look at peoples’ favourite shops and products from the past, before creating your own backed catalogue book to take home.

Following the success of our Vintage Sewing Machine Demonstration in March, we are delighted to offer you this follow on event. Have you wondered what those interesting looking attachments that came with your vintage sewing machine can do?

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 Bankfield Museum’s lace collection with Exhibitions and Collections Manager, Rachel Terry. 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.

Get up close to a selection of shoes 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.

Come and join award-winning children’s author and illustrator, Chris Mould, in this creative draw-along session. From playful pets to moody monsters, learn how to draw your own fantastic creature in this exciting workshop.

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.

Join us for a fun and creative, wet felting workshop, where you’ll learn how to transform soft, natural wool fibres into a beautiful and functional 3D bowl! Using an array of colourful fibres, we’ll get hands-on (and a little soapy!) as we explore the magic of this traditional craft and how it can be adapted for modern home décor. Whether you’re a total beginner or have some felting experience, you’ll be guided in a friendly environment to create a unique, handmade piece to use, gift, or display with pride.

Marking the 75th Anniversary of the Korean War Dr Robert Barnes, Senior Lecturer in History at York St John University, explores Britain's role in the Korean War: a tragic conflict which has long been overshadowed by the Second World War but in which over 1000 British soldiers died.  As well as the wider conflict, he will examine the role played by the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment that played a memorable part in some of the most significant actions in the final year of fighting.

Get ready for the Bankfield Museum regency ball with a talk all about Regency fashions! Join Museums Manager, Richard MacFarlane and Curator, Gemma Esvelt for a talk about men’s and women’s fashions from the Regency period plus a chance to look at some original pieces from the collection.

Join us for a talk with BAFTA and EMMY award-winning costume designer, Susannah Buxton. Hear about her extensive career, including being the costume designer for the first season of the TV series Downton Abbey.

Jewellery, hat pins, thimbles and buttons! Discover Bankfield Museum's collection of Charles Horner pieces 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. Please note this event will be held in our Education Room, which is located on the first floor of Bankfield Museum.

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

Get an up close to a selection of shoes 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.

Look closely at mourning clothes and jewellery plus a sneak peek at our new exhibition ‘In Loving Memory’. 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.

Examine the costumes from the hit TV series Gentleman Jack. This session will allow you to get up close to view collections will include the opportunity to carefully handle objects with our curator at Shibden Hall.

Discover a selection of Victorian corsets and 20th century undergarments. 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.

Discover part of the Edith Durham collection and learn about our ongoing auditing project. 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.

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?

Get up close in this handling session to fashions from the 1830s to the 1860s. 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.

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.

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.

Join us on Jane Austen’s 250th birthday for a talk with Collections and Exhibitions Manager, Rachel Terry.