MUSEUMS AND GALLERIES - Page 4

Leeds City Museum
27th March 2026
1 min read

Leeds museums welcome more than a million visitors

Council-run museums in Leeds have welcomed more than a million visitors in a year, new figures show. The city’s eight Leeds Museums and Galleries sites attracted a combined 1,046,372 people during 2025, marking a 16 per cent increase on the previous year and highlighting the continuing strength of Leeds’s cultural offer. Statistics released by…
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Summer of Sculpture
27th March 2026
2 mins read

Summer of Sculpture brings global stars to Leeds

Leeds Art Gallery is set to bring some of the biggest names in contemporary and modern sculpture to the city this summer with the launch of its ambitious new Summer of Sculpture programme. The major seasonal showcase will feature a series of exhibitions and installations by internationally renowned artists, cementing Leeds’ reputation as a…
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Leeds Industrial Museum
11th May 2019
1 min read

Full steam ahead as Fiona gets fired up for mills weekend

After a lifetime toiling at the beating heart of British industry, she’s certainly earned a rest. But this weekend, Leeds Industrial Museum’s magnificent mill engine will be letting off some steam as she comes out of retirement to celebrate National Mills Weekend. The mesmerising machine, named Fiona Elizabeth, will be in full working order…
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Temple Newsam House
11th December 2018
2 mins read

A nostalgic collection of classic toys at Temple Newsam House for their brilliant Christmas celebrations

Nestling under the tree or carefully placed inside a stocking, they were the must-have toys and games which delighted generations of eager Leeds children on Christmas morning. The nostalgic collection of festive favourites has been brought together for the first time at Temple Newsam House and includes some of the most popular and sought-after…
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A Woman's Place
9th August 2018
1 min read

Object of the week- Ivy Benson ceramic

At a time when war raged across Europe, Ivy Benson was calling her own tune. The pioneering musician and band leader, who was born in Holbeck, became something of a celebrity when war gave her a chance to break into the world of big bands. In fact her All Girls Orchestra became the BBC’s…
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Beavers to Weavers
25th July 2018
1 min read

Object of the week- Pearl Buddha statues

Beautifully rendered in perfect pearl, these tiny statues illustrate one of the many ways nature’s unparalleled creativity has been utilised by humans. Currently on display at Leeds City Museum, the gently shimmering effigies are contained within a large, freshwater oyster shell. Originally inserted into the molluscs by oyster farmers, the miniature statues of Buddha…
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Leeds City Museum
6th June 2018
1 min read

Object of the week- Eurasian beaver

Hunted into extinction for their fur and meat, beavers had not been seen in the UK for more than 400 years. But now small populations are slowly but surely beginning to flourish in parts of England and Scotland. And at Leeds City Museum, visitors can learn more about the Eurasian beaver in a thought-provoking…
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Waddingtons collection
23rd May 2018
2 mins read

Weird and wonderful vintage games are all above board

For generations, board games have been a tried and tested family favourite in homes all over the world. Classics like Cluedo and Monopoly, both originally made in Leeds, have become a staple at Christmases and family gatherings and remain among the best-selling games each and every year. But curators delving a little deeper into…
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Leeds Discovery Centre Tasmanian tiger
9th May 2018
1 min read

Object of the week- Tasmanian wolf specimens

Researchers may have finally laid to rest the age-old question of whether the mysterious Tasmanian wolf might still be alive somewhere. But one place you definitely can still find a rather splendid example of the elusive marsupial is at the Leeds Discovery Centre. The centre’s extremely well-preserved specimen of the curious creature is one…
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Teenage Kicks
1st May 2018
1 min read

Young volunteers get a kick out of bridging generation gap

Memories of The Beatles, Bowie, football and festivals have been brought together in a new display celebrating growing up in Leeds. Young history buffs at Leeds City Museum bridged the generation gap to create the new Teenage Kicks exhibition, visiting older people at Age UK’s Arch Café to compare notes on their different experiences…
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Beer at Temple Newsam
11th April 2018
1 min read

Object of the week- Puzzle jug

A puzzling pub peculiarity, this dainty-looking jug was once a popular way for landlords to keep their punters entertained. Known as a puzzle jug, the ceramic receptacle is a fine example of a type that was a regular feature in homes and taverns in the 18th and 19th centuries. This particular jug was made…
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Harrison Clock
4th April 2018
1 min read

Object of the week- The Harrison clock

At first glance, this long case clock may look like nothing more than a rather ornate antique timepiece. But delve a little further into the history of John Harrison’s creation and you’ll find it helped to solve a mystery that had baffled scientists and seafarers for centuries. The 18th century Precision-pendulum Clock No 2,…
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Thomas Chippendale Leeds City Museums
21st February 2018
1 min read

Object of the week- Original Chippendale drawings

In the 18th Century, a furniture maker from Leeds came up with a revolutionary new idea to sell his fabulous designs to potential customers. In a ground-breaking stroke of marketing genius, he produced the first “furniture catalogue”, filled with hand-drawn images of the beautiful pieces he could craft to order. The book was called…
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Thomas Chippendale exhibition
8th February 2018
4 mins read

Exhibition celebrates stunning craftsmanship of Thomas Chippendale

Thomas Chippendale, 1718-1779: a celebration of British craftsmanship and design launches a nationwide programme to mark the tercentenary in 2018 of the birth of Thomas Chippendale senior, celebrating his life as furniture maker, designer and entrepreneur. The exhibition will show key pieces from the Royal Collection, Paxton House, Newby Hall, and Dumfries House displayed…
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Eggs at the Leeds Discovery Centre
7th February 2018
1 min read

Object of the week- Elephant bird egg

It’s a hard to imagine exactly how the gigantic bid that laid this colossal egg would have looked. But it’s clear that the Madagascan elephant bird, a huge, three metre tall giant, must have been one of the largest birds that ever lived. Related to modern kiwis, elephant birds disappeared around 1200 AD and…
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Roman coins
1st February 2018
2 mins read

Copper load of museum’s ancient Roman coin hoard

A remarkable Roman stash made up of hundreds of ancient coins has gone on display in Leeds this week. Part of the famous Cridling Stubbs hoard, which lay buried in a North Yorkshire field for more than 1,600 years, can now be seen in Leeds City Museum’s Ancient Worlds gallery until July. Experts believe…
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Chippendale
31st January 2018
1 min read

Object of the week- Chippendale lady’s secretaire

A beautifully elaborate example work by a word famous Leeds master craftsman, this beautiful lady’s secretaire will be going on display at Leeds City Museum next month. Made by none other than Thomas Chippendale, the stunning cabinet was created in 1773 and fashioned from specially-imported Chinese lacquer panels. Originally made for the State Bedroom…
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