Wakefield Museum is a stimulating and vibrant part of the new and prestigious Wakefield One building in the heart of Wakefield. Sharing space with Local Studies and library services, it forms part of a wider council initiative bringing services and facilities together for the benefit of local people and to attract new visitors to the district.

The new museum, located on the lower ground floor with Local Studies, will encourage connections and links to the district's local studies material.

In the museum's space you will be invited to explore and engage with the history of the people of Wakefield in fresh new ways. You will then have the opportunity to make your own discoveries via exploring a full range of local history resources in the neighbouring space.

The move to Wakefield One has given the museum’s collections a new lease of life with a fresh approach to how they are displayed and the stories they tell.

There are a number of highlights for you to explore:

• Welcome to Wakefield – a display which includes local cultural treasures and surprising facts about the city.
  
  
• The main displays tell the story of Wakefield’s history and that of the people who shaped it. No boring chronology here!  Themes such as love, war, play, crime, and even rhubarb are represented by fascinating objects from Wakefield’s past and are seen through the eyes of the very people involved in shaping this history.
  
  
• Wakefield museum would not be Wakefield Museum without a display devoted to the world’s first eco- warrior Charles Waterton, the 19th century naturalist and explorer born locally at Walton Hall. This is your chance to stand on the back of the fierce (if now stuffed) caiman crocodile that he famously captured on one of his trips to South America.
  
• The new museum also includes a temporary exhibition gallery. It will showcase a varied programme of displays inspired by the museum’s collections, loans from other people and places and it will be a space to share our work with local groups.
  

Current exhibition - Men In the Mirror 26 October 2013 - 31 May 2014

Men in the Mirror will explore men’s hair in all its glory! The exhibition will look at the roots of the barber’s profession; untangle the history of shaving equipment; look at the changing face of men’s hair fashion; and of course will feature some of the most resplendent moustaches you have ever seen.

To find out more about our current exhibitions follow the Wakefield Museum Temporary Exhibition Programme link below.

For further information about the new museum, the collections and learning opportunities please click on the following links: