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Event

Fairies, Elves and Goblins Trail

Meet at Shibden Hall to start an adventure through Cunnery Woods to find the magical woodland creatures. Each child will receive a trail sheet to record their findings (The woods are unsuitable for pushchairs).
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Shibden Hall
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Shibden Hall
Exhibition

Textile Art Group

We are a group of eleven textile artists who live in Kirklees, Calderdale and the surrounding area. We are a diverse and creative group working in a variety of ways in stitch and print to play to our individual strengths.
Event dates 1st May 2024 - 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Online exhibition

Costumes from Gentleman Jack

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.
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This exhibition takes place in your web browser
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Exhibition

Women Travellers

Focusing on the lives of four extraordinary women; Anne Lister, Edith Durham, Liz Humphries and Gertrude Bell. This exhibition will tell the story of the journeys they took, the objects they collected and the many people they met along the way.
Event dates 24th November 2018 - 25th May 2019
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Exhibition

Once Upon a Time

An exhibition of children’s books and favourite characters for all the family to enjoy. 
Event dates 2nd February 2019 - 2nd November 2019
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Child sat on a tree reading a book
Exhibition

'God's Own Country': Art and Artists inspired by West Yorkshire

An exhibition of works from Calderdale Museums' collections, celebrating West Yorkshire’s artistic talents and the region’s inspiring landscapes, history, people and architecture. This exhibition is in partnership with the four other West Yorkshire Local Authority Museum Services (Leeds, Bradford, Kirklees and Wakefield) as part of a celebration of our collections relating to the theme 'We are West Yorkshire: A Celebration of People and Place'.   Join us for a free drop-in family activity on the 1st August 11am to 3pm to create your own Yorkshire landscape.  Image shown is 'Mytholmroyd and Cragg valley from Ewood Hall' by John Holland, 1869.
Event dates 6th April 2019 - 12th October 2019
This event takes place at Smith Art Gallery
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Mytholmroyd and Cragg valley
Event

Fashion Gallery opening day

Join us for the opening day of our brand new Fashion Gallery at Bankfield Museum. Open from 10am to 4pm, be the first to see to new top floor gallery exhibition.
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Event

Sparks! Half Term Fun. Designing a T shirt.

Come and look at fashion through the ages and design your own t-shirt.
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Event

Sparks! Half Term Fun. Space Mobile.

Join our scientist to find out about space and create your own space mobile.
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Event

Sparks! Half Term Fun. Codes and diaries.

Join us on a trail of codes around the hall and then make your own diary to enter your coded text in. Please book your place on 01422 352246.
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Shibden Hall
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Exhibition

DON’T PANIC! Calderdale at War, 1939-1945

September 2019 is the 80th anniversary of the outbreak of the Second World War. Calderdale was directly affected: men and women were conscripted for military and industrial service; industry was placed on a war footing and many workers took on Civil Defence and Home Guard duties.
Event dates 8th June 2019 - 30th November 2019
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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The Auxiliary Fire Service Team 1944
Event

The Great Get Together

Join us for a day full of fun.  There will be arts and craft activities, circus skills, Indian dancing with Annapurna and storytelling with Eden Ballantyne. Best of all, completely free.
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Children

Hot Sparks! Dig Day

Take time to explore a dig and then create your own dinosaur fossil.
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Children

Hot Sparks! Creating an outfit for a puppet.

Explore our new fashion gallery, try on some new styles and create your own outfit for a puppet.
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Event

God's Own Country Family drop in activity

Join us for this free drop in family event on Yorkshire Day at Smith Art Gallery to create your own Yorkshire landscape, inspired by the paintings on display. 11am-3pm
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Smith Art Gallery
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Children

Hot Sparks! Pop up Toy

Try out some of our old toys and create your own pop up toy.
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Children

Hot Sparks! Create your own sea creature

Come and see what we might have from the seaside and create your own sea creature.
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Children

Hot Sparks! Design your own bag

Explore our range of bags and design your own artwork for your own canvas bag.
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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A bag with a design on it
Children

Hot Sparks! Junk Modelling

After the success of our robot junk modelling we have brought the session back with a focus on monsters. What will yours look like?
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Child hiding behind a monster creation
Children

Hot Sparks! Creating a Huey

Inspired by the story 'The Huey's in the new jumper' by Oliver Jeffers, create your own lunch bag Huey.
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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The Hueys in the new jumper
Children

Hot Sparks! Make your own kite

Explore more of our toys and make your own kite.  
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Different coloured kites in the design of a fish
Children

Hot Sparks! Creating a hat

Looking at our collection of hats, design and create your own.
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Different designed hats
Event

Heritage Open Days- Bankfield

As part of Heritage Open Days 2019, Bankfield Museum are offering free guided tours of the house on Friday 20 September. This tour will start on the ground floor, but will involve going upstairs to the first and second floors.
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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A room in the Bankfield Museum
Event

'I am not made like any other I have seen': Interpreting Anne Lister and the Brontës

The BBC's drama Gentleman Jack is the most recent interpretation of diarist Anne Lister, who recorded her life in great detail from 1806 to 1840. She was a remarkable scholar, traveller, business woman and property owner, and her diaries also reveal she was a lesbian who defied the norms of the time.
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Anne Lister of Shibden Hall
Event

Sparks! Half Term Fun - Lunch bag monster

Come and hear some spooky stories and make a lunch bag monster.
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Alien
Event

Sparks! Half Term Fun - Day of the Dead Skeleton

Join in with some spooky games and create your own skeleton from the Day of the Dead.
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Skeleton
Event

Shibden for kids- Spooky Shibden

Join us for a spooky trail around the hall and then make a spooky 3D Shibden.
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Shibden Hall
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Sppoky house
Exhibition

Calderdale Open Art Exhibition 2019

2019's Calderdale Open Art Exhibition will showcase 2D work by professional and amateur artists in any medium in our North Gallery at Bankfield Museum.  Exhibition opens on the 9th November with prize giving at 2pm. The £100 People’s Prize will be announced on Friday 20th December. Artwork submissions accepted at Bankfield Museum from 10am Tuesday 8th October 2019. Submissions close at 3.30pm on Saturday 26th October.
Event dates 9th November 2019 - 21st December 2019
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Calderdale Open Art Exhibition
Event

Bankfield Christmas Craft Fair

A selection of local crafts and produce on sale in just time for Christmas at Bankfield Museum. The perfect place for present buying or to treat yourself.
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Selection of local crafts
Event

Shibden for Kids- Cinderella Magic Wand

Meet Cinderella and Fairy Godmother in this magical costumed workshop. Help Cinderella with her chores and discover old toys.
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Shibden Hall
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Cinderella
Event

‘Heart Throbs and Heroines’ Evening

This special Valentine’s event will be celebrating the opening of the new ‘As Seen on TV’ exhibition. Get up close and personal with some of TV’s favourite costumes from the dashing Mr Darcy to the passionate Poldark.
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Mr-Darcy-Colin-Firth
Exhibition

As Seen on TV

This exhibition is currently closed until further notice.  An exhibition celebrating the costumes of some of Britain’s best loved TV dramas including Downton Abbey, Pride and Prejudice, Poldark, Victoria and many more. Alongside a new display of historic costumes from similar periods in the Fashion Gallery.
Event dates 15th February 2020 - 5th September 2020
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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As Seen on TV poster
Event

Sparks! Half Term Fun - Junk Modelling

Back by popular demand. Come and explore some of our amazing handling objects and then using our junk materials make your own sculpture, robot, monster, whatever your imagination decides.
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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robots
Event

Sparks! Half Term Fun - Landscape Picture.

As part of the Calderdale Photography exhibition come and create your own landscape picture. Suitable for 4-12 years old.
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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PieceHall
Event

Sparks! Half Term Fun - Glove Monster

Explore our puppets and make your own glove monster.   Suitable for 4-12 years olds.
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Monsters
Event

Anne Lister's birthday @ Shibden Hall- POSTPONED

Shibden will now be closed until further notice and our birthday plans for 2020 have been postponed until later in the year and 2021. In the interim, you can read extracts from Anne's diaries from her birthdays from 1818-1840 here.
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Shibden Hall
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Anne Lister of Shibden Hall
Online exhibition

Anne Lister's birthday diary entries

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.
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This exhibition takes place in your web browser
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DIARY PAGE
Event

Sparks! Easter Holiday Fun - Easter Pom Pom Creation

THIS EVENT IS NOW CANCELLED. Take part in our eggcellent trail and create an Easter themed pom pom creation.
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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pompom
Event

Sparks! Easter Holiday Fun - Woven Easter Egg

UNFORTUNATELY THIS EVENT IS NOW CANCELLED. Take part in our eggcellent trail and make a woven Easter egg.  Suitable for 4-12 year olds.
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
Find out more
eggs
Event

Sparks! Easter Holiday Fun - Fashion Models

UNFORTUNATELY THIS EVENT IS NOW CANCELLED. Take part in our eggcellent trail and create your own fashion model.   
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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plate
Event

Sparks! Easter Holiday Fun - Moving Pictures

UNFORTUNATELY THIS EVENT IS NOW CANCELLED. Take part in our eggcellent trail and create your own moving picture.  Suitable for 4-12 year olds.
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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chick
Online exhibition

Waterloo

An online exhibition to commemorate the anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo on the 18th June 1815.
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This exhibition takes place in your web browser
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Event

Heritage weekend at Shibden Hall

Shibden Hall will be free entry to Celebrate Heritage Weekend on Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th September 2020. These tickets are offered to enable people to visit who can not afford the entry fees. (See our Visit Shibden page for details).
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Shibden Hall
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Shibden Hall
Online exhibition

Shibden Hall - Virtual Tour

Join us on a journey through 600 years of history and discover the secrets of Shibden Hall from the comfort of your home. 
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This exhibition takes place in your web browser
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Explore the gardens of shibden hall and then venture inside the halls.
Exhibition

A Town Through Time

A selection of images from this exhibition are available online, please see: Brighouse: A Town Through Time. An exhibition capturing a century of Brighouse, West Yorkshire on canvas and camera.
Event dates 17th May 2021 - 25th September 2021
This event takes place at Smith Art Gallery
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Bridge End by Miles Sharp
Exhibition

The Fashion Gallery

Showcasing Calderdale Museums’ fashion and textile collections from ancient Egypt to modern day. Calderdale Museums has one of the best but little known textile collections in the country.
Event dates 3rd June 2021 - 4th September 2021
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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The Fashion Gallery
Exhibition

Photographic Memories

Explore the history of photography from the first permanent image made in 1826, to the estimated 14 trillion we take each year across the world today. With a click and a flash, photographs allow us to capture the world around us.
Event dates 3rd June 2021 - 18th December 2021
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Three men pose for a photo
Online exhibition

A letter by Anne Lister and Ann Walker 1st August, 1834

Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This exhibition takes place in your web browser
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Event

Family Paper Craft Session

Try your hand at a variety of crafts including puppet making and origami.  Entrance to the museum included. Please note due to limited space we can only admit 1 adult with each child.
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Calderdale Museums
Event

Dig Day

We will be exploring the role of an archaeologist and try to find some buried artefacts. Can you work out what they are?
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Shibden Hall
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Shibden Hall
Event

Come and Play!

Find out what children played with in the past, you will have an opportunity to play with a range of Victorian toys and create your own toy - perhaps a marble run, a zoetrope or a puppet. Suitable for children aged 5-10 years.
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Calderdale Museums
Event

Explore the Fashion Gallery

Find out about the clothes on display in our gallery and make your own hat. Calderdale Museums has one of the best but little known textile collections in the country.
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Calderdale Museums
Event

Come and Play!

Discover toys from the past and create your own toy Find out what children played with in the past, you will have an opportunity to play with a range of Victorian toys and create your own toy - perhaps a marble run, a zoetrope or a puppet. Due to limited space we can only allow 1 adult per child.
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Shibden Hall
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Event

Family Art Workshop

Create a mandala using natural materials, followed by a mandala collage to take home. Entry into the museum included.
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Calderdale Museums
Event

Dig Day

We will be exploring the role of an archaeologist and try to find some buried artefacts. Can you work out what they are?
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Shibden Hall
Find out more
Shibden Hall
Exhibition

Belonging: Fashion & A Sense of Place

Exploring the influence of the West Riding of Yorkshire on contemporary fashion, this exhibition brings together works from a range of fashion designers and creatives who have been inspired by the many elements that make the area unique. Drawing on themes such as landscape, community spirit, wit and humour and the enduring influence of the textile industry, this multi-disciplinary showcase celebrates the distinctive character of the place and the creative people connected to it.
Event dates 18th September 2021 - 5th March 2022
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Exhibition

The Lockdown Banners

Discover inspiring stories and uplifting poetry in this new exhibition by artist Ian Beesley, designer Martyn Hall, cartoonist Tony Husband and poet Ian McMillan. During lockdown this collective created a series of large scale, colourful banners celebrating the NHS, carers, keyworkers and volunteers.
Event dates 28th September 2021 - 8th January 2022
This event takes place at Smith Art Gallery
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NHS-Banner
Exhibition

Shibden 600

Calderdale Museums is marking the 600th birthday of one of the most important buildings in the region, a building of international renown. The first mention of Shibden Hall was in 1420.
Event dates 8th January 2022 - 25th February 2023
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Event

Celebration Event - Fashion in Anne Lister’s Time (1791-1840)

Join us as we celebrate the opening of the new ‘Fashion in Anne Lister’s Time (1791-1840)’ exhibition, exploring the many different styles of fashion popular in her lifetime. The ‘Shibden 600’ exhibition is also open and tells the story of 600 years of history at Shibden Hall.
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Fashion in Anne Lister's Time
Exhibition

Fashion in Anne Lister’s Time (1791-1840)

Anne Lister had her own unique style that contrasted with what women were expected to wear. This exhibition explores the many different styles of fashion during her lifetime.
Event dates 26th March 2022 - 24th December 2022
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Event

Come and be a code breaker!

Be inspired by famous diarist Anne Lister in this family event where we will be creating our own code, making diaries, and deciphering historic codes around the museum. This activity is aimed at 6-12 year olds.
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Exhibition

The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee

A new exhibition at Bankfield Museum to mark 70 years of Queen Elizabeth II and her relationship with the people of Calderdale. Featuring some of the most colourful objects in the museum collection; a bright and uplifting celebration of our longest-reigning monarch.
Event dates 14th May 2022 - 16th July 2022
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Exhibition

Costumes from the BBC TV Series ‘Gentleman Jack’

A world exclusive exhibition of costumes by renowned designer Tom Pye for the BBC One TV Series ‘Gentleman Jack’. The programme written by Sally Wainwright tells the story of Anne Lister (1791-1840) of Shibden Hall and her relationship with local landowner Ann Walker (1803-1854).
Event dates 31st May 2022 - 24th December 2022
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Exhibition

The Calderdale Grid

An Exhibition by the Halifax Photographic Society in collaboration with creative writers from the area. Over forty creative writers and photographers have come together to take part in the Calderdale Grid Project.
Event dates 2nd July 2022 - 27th February 2023
This event takes place at Smith Art Gallery
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Online exhibition

Photographic Memories

Taking highlights from our Photographic Memories exhibition at Bankfield Museum, this online exhibit takes you on a journey through the history of photography. Using images from our collection, we will tell the story of our love for photos, from the first permanent image made in 1826, to the estimated 14 trillion we take each year across the world today.
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This exhibition takes place in your web browser
Find out more
Three men during the construction of halifax railstation
Online exhibition

A Grand Tour

Join us on The Grand Tour, as we visit some of Europe’s most famous landscapes through paintings in our collection. Artists, aristocrats and the affluent flocked to mainland Europe from England between 1660 and 1840.
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This exhibition takes place in your web browser
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Amalfi by Albert Goodwin
Online exhibition

Shibden Hall Paintings

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.
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This exhibition takes place in your web browser
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Shibden Dale
Online exhibition

Victory in Europe Day

This online exhibition has been created to commemorate Victory in Europe Day 2020 (VE Day). John Spencer, Military Curator for Calderdale Museums has curated this exhibition using several objects from the Museums collection.
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This exhibition takes place in your web browser
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VE Dat halifax photos
Online exhibition

Brighouse: A Town Through Time

An online exhibition exploring change in the town of Brighouse over the last century through local art and artists.
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This exhibition takes place in your web browser
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West riding homes of toil
Exhibition

South Asian Heritage Month

Saturday 16th July marks the beginning of South Asian Heritage Month. A celebration of the ongoing cultural legacy of the region and the lives of the people of South Asian heritage in Britain today, many of whom live in Calderdale.   Bankfield Museum are marking the occasion with a display of some of the highlights of its collection of South Asian art and cultural objects.
Event dates 16th July 2022 - 25th March 2023
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Online exhibition

A Trip to Toffee Town

An online exhibition exploring the history of Mackintosh toffee, Quality Street and how Halifax became 'Toffee Town'.
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This exhibition takes place in your web browser
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tins
Event

Heritage Open Days - Bankfield Museum

Bankfield Museum will be open Sunday 11th September for Heritage Weekend from 10am to 4pm. Bankfield is also open Tuesdays to Saturday each week, 10am to 4pm and is free entry.
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Exhibition

John Holland’s Local Landscapes

During 2023 the main hall at Bankfield will be hung with several works by John Holland (1829-1886), held in Calderdale Museums Service’s collection. Holland was born in Nottingham and painted landscapes and coastal scenes.
Event dates 7th January 2023 - 4th November 2023
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Exhibition

Opening the Wardrobe - The History Wardrobe Collection of Lucy Adlington

A unique exhibition celebrating women’s clothes and the stories they tell. This exclusive exhibition features highlights from the private collection of dress historian Lucy Adlington.
Event dates 4th February 2023 - 23rd December 2023
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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History Wardrobe Presents - Opening the Wardrobe - The Collection of Lucy Adlington
Event

Hat Day

Wear your best hat to Bankfield Museum to celebrate the launch of our new exhibition “A Hat for all Seasons”. There will be prizes for the best hats and lots of different hats to see and try on, as well as children’s trails, hat designing and other hat-related activities for all the family.
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Top hat on a statue
Exhibition

A Hat for all Seasons

Celebrating all things hats! This new exhibition examines the style, function, and symbolism of headwear in British society. Showcasing highlights from the Museum collection and contemporary examples from Yorkshire milliners, the exhibition traces the evolution of the hat from the bonnet and topper of the Nineteenth Century to Royal Ascot and catwalk showstoppers of the present day.
Event dates 11th March 2023 - 30th September 2023
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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A burgundy hat with roses attached to the front
Event

Vintage Rose workshop

Create your own special little piece of luxury making a vintage silk rose headpiece to take home using traditional millinery skills. Perfect for the summer, all you need to bring is enthusiasm! No experience is needed although basic sewing skills are an advantage.
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Event

Children's hat making workshop

As part of the Hat Day celebrations, our special workshop will teach children to construct their very own classic beret to take home. The workshop teaches children to use simple sewing techniques in an effective way.
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Berets in the hat making workshop
Event

Costumes from Gentleman Jack

Join costume and textiles curator Elinor Camille-Wood for a closer look at some of the costumes from Gentleman Jack by costume designer Tom Pye. An exclusive chance to get up close to a selection of costumes from the series and see their fabric, construction and inspiration from the 1830s.
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Event

Anne Lister Ball

An Anne Lister themed Ball with music provided by The Pemberley Players. Experience is not required as all dances will be called.
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Todmorden Town Hall
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Surrane Jones as Anne Lister. Dressed in a fancy ball gown.
Exhibition

Highlights from the Smith Collection

Both galleries at the Smith Art Gallery in Brighouse will showcase highlights of the art collection of William and Susannah Smith. Alderman William Smith (1839-1922), who was Mayor of Brighouse from 1893-1895 and 1904-1907, and his wife Susannah (1838-1916) began collecting paintings in the 1870s from exhibitions around the UK.
Event dates 1st April 2023 - 16th September 2023
This event takes place at Smith Art Gallery
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Event

The Helena Whitbread Story

Join Collections Manager Angela Clare in conversation with Anne Lister biographer Helena Whitbread as they discuss Helena’s life and work sharing Anne’s story. The event will take place on Anne Lister’s birthday followed by the launch of a new documentary filmed with Helena at Shibden as part of Anne Lister’s birthday celebrations.
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Helena Whitbread at Shibden
Event

History Wardrobe presents - 'The Frock Shop, Fashion Shopping in the Sixties’'

To tie in with our new exhibition: Opening the Wardrobe, we're hosting four History Wardrobe evening presentations. Up first is 'The Frock Shop, Fashion Shopping in the Sixties'.
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Event

The Art of Millinery

Join Milliner Sherry Richardson to explore the Art of Millinery and the inspiration around our everyday lives when creating headwear. Sherry’s Millinery journey starts from the point of being "hooked" to create hats, to delivering headpieces for the catwalk.
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Event

Yorkshire Coiners Book Signing

Come and join Steve Hartley who will be signing copies of his new book The Yorkshire Coiners: The True Story of the Cragg Vale Gang. The Coiners were a powerful local presence in the Eighteenth Century and the dramatic story of their rise and fall has attracted widespread attention.
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Event

Armed Forces Day 2023

To celebrate Armed Forces Day 2023, join us for a range of military talks and demonstrations aimed at all ages. This will include a display of Eighteenth Century military drill by historical reenactors, a chance to handle military kit from throughout history, and see modern-day armed vehicles used by the Royal Yorkshire Regiment.
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Event

History Wardrobe presents - Monday is Washday

To tie in with our new exhibition: Opening the Wardrobe, we're hosting four History Wardrobe evening presentations. The second evening event is ‘Monday is Washday’, a hilarious new show featuring pinnies, poshers and washtubs galore, as the Two Lucys plunge into the suds and stains of historical laundry and discover how to get your toga, petticoats or collars white-than-white! 
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Event

Meet the Author: Lucy Adlington

Join writer and historian Lucy Adlington at Bankfield Museum in Halifax where her exhibition ‘Opening the Wardrobe’ is currently on show. Lucy is the author of 7 novels and 5 fascinating history books, including the New York Times bestseller The Dressmakers of Auschwitz - The True Story of the Women who Sewed to Survive.
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Event

Regency Summer Ball

Music provided by The Pemberley Players. Experience is not required as all dances will be called.
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Event

Summer 2023 Family Events

As part of our summer holiday offer for families, we will be holding four object handling opportunities for children on Fridays throughout August. Children will be offered the chance to handle a range of objects from our vast handling collection in the Education Room at Bankfield Museum.
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Event

History Wardrobe presents - Divine Deco, The Art of the Dressmaker

To tie in with our new exhibition: Opening the Wardrobe, we're hosting four History Wardrobe evening presentations. The third evening event is ‘Divine Deco, The Art of the Dressmaker’.
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Event

Opening and Prizegiving Ceremony, Calderdale Open 2023

The official launch of the Calderdale Open Art Exhibition 2023. Successful entrants to the Open Art Competition and members of the public are invited to attend the opening ceremony.
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Smith Art Gallery
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Calderdale Open Art Exhibition 2023 logo
Exhibition

Calderdale Open Art Exhibition 2023

The Calderdale Open Art Exhibition returns for its 10th year, showcasing the best paintings, photos, textiles, and drawings as chosen by our panel of judges, all submitted by artists from the region and beyond.  To mark Calderdale’s Year of Culture in 2024, the theme of this year’s exhibition is the landscape, people, history, and heritage of Calderdale, with entries ranging from landscapes of stunning local scenery, to notable buildings and figures from the region.  To see an online exhibition of the works on display, view: The Calderdale Open Art Exhibition 2023.
Event dates 30th September 2023 - 9th April 2024
This event takes place at Smith Art Gallery
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Online exhibition

The Calderdale Open Art Exhibition 2023

Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This exhibition takes place in your web browser
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Exhibition

October Pumpkin Trail

During October, have a go at our free pumpkin trail. Find ten Halloween themed pumpkins hidden in our galleries at Bankfield Museum and discover their spooky stories.
Event dates 1st October 2023 - 4th November 2023
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Exhibition

Three Miles from Home

The watercolours of Jane Austin A special collection from watercolour artist Jane Austin that explores both the famous views and the hidden wonders to be found within three miles of her Halifax home. Jane’s work explores the effects of light and the changing of the seasons on architecture and the natural world, creating a deeply personal celebration of the local area.    Jane will be appearing in Bankfield Museum throughout the exhibition to give demonstrations of her painting.
Event dates 7th October 2023 - 24th February 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Exhibition

Rajasthani Textiles

A unique selling exhibition of vibrant textiles and accessories by Rajinder Ajiz, supporting young people starting up businesses in Rajasthan. The exhibition is within our shop and café space at Bankfield Museum.
Event dates 21st October 2023 - 24th February 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Event

Supernatural Shibden

What dark and macabre secrets does Shibden Hall hold? What phantoms and beasts hide in the dark woods?
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Shibden Hall
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Exhibition

Halifax Country Potteries

This display shows the highlights from Calderdale Museum Service’s country pottery collection from potteries that were established in Halifax and the surrounding areas. 
Event dates 25th October 2023 - 30th April 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Event

Free artist demonstration of drawing animals through shade

Join watercolour artist Jane Austin in the Bankfield Museum gallery for a free demonstration observing how animals in the wild can blend into their background using tone. The way that light passes over an animal can describe their bone structure through shadows, which can be simplified in a drawing allowing the eye of the observer to complete the unseen outlines.
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Event

Drawing animals through shade

Join watercolour artist Jane Austin for a workshop to learn how to draw animals through shade with lost and found outlines. The way that light passes over an animal can describe their bone structure through shadows, once simplified in a drawing this can allow the eye of the observer to complete the unseen outlines.
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Event

Free artist demonstration of creating a Watercolour nest

Join watercolour artist Jane Austin in the Bankfield Museum gallery for a free demonstration on mark making with both watercolour paint, the freedom of brushstrokes, laying colour on colour and the use of masking fluid – liquid latex used to retain white paper. Using the image of a bird’s nest and the random, circular movement there are multiple painting techniques which can be used to build the construction of the nest, reflecting nature itself.
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Event

Creating a Watercolour nest

Join watercolour artist Jane Austin for a workshop to learn the many ways in which to layer watercolour paint, masking fluid and mark making to create the image of a bird’s nest. Jane will explain the pitfalls commonly experienced with these techniques and provide guidance which will make their application easy and very helpful when painting in the future.
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Event

History Wardrobe presents - Top of the Frocks - a 1980s Christmas

To tie in with our new exhibition: Opening the Wardrobe, we're hosting four History Wardrobe evening presentations. The last of our events for the year is ‘Top of the Frocks - a 1980s Christmas!’ Two Lucys revisit the amazing Eighties for power-dressing, ultra-glamour and even fitness kit for after the festive feasting. Roll up your stonewash jeans, flick your perm and grab your plastic bangles...
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Event

Creating a Christmas image

Join watercolour artist Jane Austin for a workshop creating your own Christmas image of a natural wreath, either as a painting or small personal cards. Jane will show you several watercolour techniques which suit the different elements of a Christmas wreath including the use of shadow to bring depth.
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Exhibition

50 Years of Calderdale

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.    
Event dates 2nd January 2024 - 21st December 2025
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Event

Free artist demonstration of Painting a Hawk

Join watercolor artist Jane Austin in the Bankfield Museum gallery for a free demonstration of the watercolour techniques she applies to painting feathers. Birds of prey are particularly wonderful to observe closely as the complex layers can be seen clearly to give depth to a painting.
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Event

Watercolour day class - Painting a Hawk

Join watercolour artist Jane Austin for a full-day workshop painting the detailed head and body of a hawk. Learn how to work with layers of colour over fine detail with masking fluid to build the body of feathers, using different sizes of brush and implement as needed.
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Exhibition

INSPIRED: The Art of Making Historical Fashion

This exciting new exhibition showcases fashion makers from across the country who design and make clothing based on historical dress. It explores the process of how you go from a museum garment or fashion plate to producing an item of historically inspired dress that is ready to wear.
Event dates 27th January 2024 - 21st December 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Exhibition

‘In Her Words’- the Anne Lister Archives in Halifax

For two months Bankfield Museum will be home to some key archives of Anne Lister’s past, exploring themes of her travels, study, relationships, family and managing Shibden Hall. The exhibition is based on the 2022 exhibition at Wakefield’s West Yorkshire History Centre, but is expanded to feature even more items, including Anne’s first and last diary entries and never displayed before collections.
Event dates 1st March 2024 - 30th April 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Event

Curating Anne Lister’s legacy

A behind the scenes discussion with Ruth Cummins and Shirley Jones from Calderdale Archives and Angela Clare from Calderdale Museums. They will discuss putting the ‘Anne Lister, In Her Words’ exhibition together and their work sharing Anne’s legacy through her home and archives.
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Event

Submitting Artworks to Galleries/Calderdale Open Prizegiving

Join Paul and Alison Bartram, owners of the Yorkshire Gallery and the Heart Gallery, for an insight into the process of applying to galleries, and what they are looking for in the artworks they select for display. This event will also see the awarding of the People’s Prize for the most popular work of art in the 2023-24 Calderdale Open Art Exhibition, as voted for by members of the public.
Event dates Wednesday 1st May 2024
This event takes place at Smith Art Gallery
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Exhibition

Highlights from the Calderdale Collection

For Calderdale’s Year of Culture 2024, this exhibition will showcase some of the Museum Service’s collections of art across different media and ages. Featuring some of the best-known artists from the region and beyond, alongside hidden gems from within the museum collection.
Event dates 20th April 2024 - 19th October 2024
This event takes place at Smith Art Gallery
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Exhibition

TOYS!

A celebration of all things fun in this family friendly exhibition showcasing a wide range of Museum Collections including teddy bears, trains, boardgames and rocking horses. This exhibition will be filled with nostalgia and have something for all ages to enjoy.
Event dates 11th May 2024 - 31st August 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Event

Boothtown Fun Fest

Event dates Saturday 18th May 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Exhibition

Mr. Darcy’s ‘Wet Shirt’

The iconic ‘wet shirt’ worn by Colin Firth in the BBC adaptation of Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen will be on display. The classic 1995 television scene saw Mr. Darcy dive into a lake and emerge with his shirt wet and clinging to him, only to be unexpectedly confronted by the presence of Miss Elizabeth Bennet; the lady who had rejected his marriage proposal.
Event dates 25th May 2024 - 24th December 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Exhibition

Colours Of Calderdale: Textile Art Group’s 30th Anniversary Exhibition

Founded in 1994 and meeting monthly in Bankfield Museum, the Textile Art Group celebrates its 30th anniversary with the exhibition Colours of Calderdale. This links in with Calderdale’s 50th Anniversary Celebration, Culturedale, which celebrates the huge diversity of cultural attractions, diverse groups and many celebratory events being held throughout the Calder Valley during the year.
Event dates 8th June 2024 - 28th September 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Exhibition

Engineers & Chocolatiers

A celebration of Calderdale. The hills and architecture, and the people that shaped it, by local artist Kate Lycett.
Event dates 29th June 2024 - 21st December 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Event

History Wardrobe presents - Bumps, Babbies & Bairns

The Two Lucys take you on a journey into historical motherhood, from maternity clothes to baby layettes. With one Lucy in the family way (only acting, don’t worry) the other Lucy plays Expert, giving sound advice from bygone times on what to wear with a bun in the oven and how to dress your little darlings.
Event dates Saturday 6th July 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Event

A Regency Summer Ball at Bankfield

A Regency Summer Ball at Bankfield Museum, 7pm - 11pm. No dancing experience required, all dances will be called.
Event dates Saturday 27th July 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Exhibition

Wild Words

Ted Hughes and the Poetry of Calderdale The rugged and beautiful landscape of Calderdale has inspired poets for generations, most famously, the Poet Laureate Ted Hughes (1930-1998). This new exhibition celebrates the poets and poetry of the region, including rare examples of Hughes’ work from the archives of the University of Huddersfield, and photographs from Fay Godwin (1931-2005), whose images accompanied Hughes’ words in Remains of Elmet.   The exhibition will be accompanied by a series of poetry workshops and live events by current Calder poets.
Event dates 7th September 2024 - 1st March 2025
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Event

Heritage Open Days at Shibden Hall

*/ Celebrate Heritage Weekend with us with free entry to Shibden Hall on Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th September 2024. Advance booking is required. 
Event dates Saturday 7th September 2024 (1 more date available)
This event takes place at Shibden Hall
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Event

Heritage Open Day

Bankfield Museum will be open especially for Heritage Open Days on Sunday 8th September 2024.
Event dates Sunday 8th September 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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Event

Shibden Winter Craft Fair

Shibden Hall’s Winter Craft Fair will be returning for 2024. Join traders from across the region for a weekend of shopping and festive fun.
Event dates Saturday 16th November 2024 (1 more date available)
This event takes place at Shibden Hall
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Event

Bankfield Christmas Craft Fair

Bankfield Museum’s Christmas Craft Fair will be returning on Saturday 9th December 2023 with the venue welcoming a range of traders from across the region for a day of shopping and festive fun.  The Museum will be filled with stalls selling a range of local produce including artisan crafts, just in time for buying those special Christmas gifts and treats. No booking required and free admission to the event.
Event dates Saturday 7th December 2024
This event takes place at Bankfield Museum
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