He was the heroic abolitionist who escaped slavery on a US plantation and came to Leeds to spread a message of freedom and equality. Now a thought-provoking new display paying tribute to the extraordinary life of Fredrick Douglass has been unveiled at Leeds City Museum as the city marks Black History Month. Telling the…
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Black History Month is a very important time where we celebrate the history and achievements of black contributions to the UK. Iconic buildings were illuminated to mark the start of activities to celebrate Black History Month in Leeds. Leeds Civic Hall, Leeds Town Hall, and Leeds City Museum were lit up as the city…
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A group of older people in Leeds will form a flock of budding birdwatchers this winter thanks to a heart-warming new community project. Through an innovative partnership between Leeds Museums and Galleries, arts organisation Skippko and older people’s support network Armley Helping Hands, the group is being encouraged to spot and identify the…
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A life-changing learning project giving young people with additional educational needs the chance to work with a spectacular collection of historic museum exhibits has scooped a prestigious national award. Careers for All, run by Leeds Museums and Galleries was named Museums and Heritage Award Learning Programme of the Year 2020 for providing young people…
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Singers and performers from Leeds are being asked to help capture the sound of a city as they collaborate on a beautiful new series of musical mosaics. The imaginative idea will see submissions by musicians, choirs and spoken word artists from all around the city synchronised as part of a stunning soundscape at Leeds…
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Museum-lovers in Leeds can rediscover millions of years of history now council-run venues across the city have officially reopened. Leeds Museums and Galleries sites closed earlier this year as part of a city-wide effort to control the spread of Covid-19. Over the past few months, the team has continued to engage tens of thousands…
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VJ Day will be recognised on 15 August 2020 commemorating the end of the Second World War. 15 August marks 75 years since Victory in Japan (VJ) Day when the Second World War finally came to an end in Japan. Whilst VE Day (Victory in Europe) marked the end of the war in Europe…
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Residents across the city are urged to play their part in the 75th anniversary celebrations of VE Day from home. Next Friday (8 May) marks 75 years since Victory in Europe (VE) Day when the Second World War came to an end in Europe. On this day in 1945, the Allied forces celebrated victory…
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A stylish online exhibition is giving fashionistas in Leeds a chance to go back in time and rediscover the history of some of the city’s top shopping hotspots. Leeds City Museum’s Fast x Slow Fashion explores the evolution of retail and clothing over the past 300 years through a spectacular array of outfits,…
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It was the weekly wartime showcase that put centuries of Leeds history in the frame. Now Leeds City Museum is giving local residents the chance to put their own curatorial talents to the test and create a city-wide network of wonderful windows inspired by the museum’s remarkable collection. With council-run museums and galleries currently…
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A group of young history-lovers are calling on people across the city to share their experiences and help tell the story of lockdown in Leeds. Leeds City Museum’s Preservative Party wants to hear about the different ways residents have been coping with isolation as they look to create a new animated film documenting…
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An ancient Egyptian priest who spoke his final words more than 3,000 years ago has been given a new voice thanks to a ground-breaking research project. The sound of Nesyamun, whose mummified remains are on display at Leeds City Museum, has been recreated following seven years of work by academics at Royal Holloway, University…
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Fans will get the chance to relive some epic nights in Elland Road history thanks to a new display celebrating 100 years of Leeds United. Cherished memorabilia harkening back to some of The Whites’ unforgettable Champions League clashes will take pride of place at Leeds City Museum alongside photos, programmes and souvenirs from key…
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Historic documents revealing how a Leeds market town embraced refugees fleeing the horrors of war-torn Europe will go on display in a new exhibition this month. The century-old collection, which will be displayed for the first time at Leeds City Museum, paints a heart-warming picture of how the residents of Otley rallied round to…
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This Father’s Day, Leeds Dads will be hosting a free ‘Dadtastic’ event to support dads to engage with their children. Dadtastic Day takes place on Sunday 16 June 2019 from 11am – 3pm at Leeds City Museum, Millennium Square, LS2 8BH. In 2017, Dadstastic saw over 1500 people attending and enjoying the free fun…
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The skeleton of a majestic whale cruelly killed by fishermen 152 years ago will be reconstructed for a new display highlighting the plight of our planet’s oceans. Leeds Museums and Galleries’ long-finned pilot whale is being painstakingly pieced together over the next few months before it is hung from the ceiling of Leeds City…
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It’s a tradition which began 40,000 years ago with an artistic Stone Age human and a spare piece of mammoth tusk. Now a new museum display in Leeds is bringing visitors face-to-face with some of the ancient effigies created by cultures around the world across aeons of human history. The new display case at…
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Descendants of a Jewish family who fled from Vienna to Leeds to escape the Nazis are searching for more details about the local businessman who saved their lives. The family’s fascinating journey has been rediscovered during research for an upcoming exhibition at Leeds City Museum, which will explore the heritage of the thousands of…
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Captivating tales penned by one of the nation’s best-loved children’s storytellers have come to life in a new exhibition in Leeds. Curated by Seven Stories, the National Centre for Children’s Books, Michael Morpurgo: A Lifetime in Stories opens on February 8 at Leeds City Museum, and takes families on a playful journey through hugely…
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This eye-catching flag was made more than a century ago by an excited Leeds teenager eager to celebrate the end of war. Madge Howdill, who was 15 when the First World War came to a close, joined the huge crowds which took to the city’s streets, carrying with her a handmade flag pennant. Afterwards,…
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