Leeds Museums and Galleries

Sounds of Our City
17th January 2020
2 mins read

Museum’s unusual instrument is a real glass act

For Georgian virtuosos, it was the ideal instrument for showing audiences they were in a glass of their own. And this month, Leeds’s own incredible glass harp is set to strike a chord with visitors to a new exhibition celebrating hundreds of years of the city’s musical memories. Made in 1820 by Leeds craftsman…
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16th July 2018
1 min read

West Yorkshire’s museums contribute millions to regional economy

West Yorkshire’s local authority museums contributed over £34 million to the regional economy last year and attracted over 1.7 million visitors through their doors. The information has been released on a new video highlighting the amazing attractions across the county and encouraging people to take pride in their local museums and galleries. Senior councillors…
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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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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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Alan Hinkes OBE braves a blizzard on one of his daredevil climbs
19th March 2018
2 mins read

Himalayan exhibition scales spectacular heights of fashion

A new exhibition will reach the pinnacle of sartorial style by exploring flamboyant fashions from the home of the world’s highest mountains. Lotherton’s new Himalayan Fashions exhibition, which opens later this week, will see incredible clothes and outfits collected from Tibet, Bhutan and Nepal go on display in the house’s stunning fashion galleries. Among…
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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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Mary Gawthorpe
19th January 2018
3 mins read

Empowering exhibition celebrates women’s place in history

Inspirational women who have blazed a trail through history are being celebrated in an empowering new exhibition in Leeds. A Woman’s Place? opens at Kirkstall’s Abbey House Museum this weekend and marks the centenary of the first British women getting the right to vote as well as celebrating the quiet heroism of ordinary women.…
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Queens of Industry
10th January 2018
1 min read

Object of the week- Railway Queen’s gown

For the hard-working women once chosen to represent some of the country’s most prominent industries, suitably regal attire was an absolute must. This glamourous gown, for example, was once worn by the country’s Railway Queens, who would be the face of the rail industry at all manner of events and functions and even international…
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Buddhist Faith
8th December 2017
1 min read

Buddhist monks attend captivating new display

A fascinating collection of items has gone on display in Leeds as part of a new exhibition exploring the ancient history of the Buddhist faith. Monks from Headingley Thai Temple visited Leeds City Museum’s Voices of Asia gallery today (Friday) where the items are being shown as part an ongoing project looking at the…
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Temple Newsam Christmas
6th December 2017
1 min read

A visit to house’s wonderful workshop is good for your elf

Hidden away, deep inside Temple Newsam House is a fantastically festive creation worthy of Santa’s most enterprising elves. The wonderful workshop will be the latest addition to the beautiful mansion’s spectacular 500 years of Christmas celebrations, which take place this Saturday and Sunday. Crafted entirely from leftover parts taken from previous exhibitions and installations,…
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Queens of Industry
15th November 2017
1 min read

Object of the week- Cotton Queen’s tiara

A dazzling reminder of a fascinating chapter in British industrial history, this beautiful tiara is truly fit for a Queen. Although not made of real precious metals and jewels, the tiara is no less prestigious, as it was once worn by the country’s very last reigning Cotton Queen. Elsie Kearsley, who was crowned in…
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Leeds-Industrial-Museum
9th November 2017
1 min read

Object of the week- Demob suit on loan

For a Yorkshireman returning home after the Second World War, it was tailor made to help him take his first sartorial steps back into civilian life. And a dapper demob suit from Leeds has also proved to be the perfect fit for a celebration of fabulous fashion at one of the world’s biggest arts…
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Queens of Industry
3rd November 2017
2 mins read

Crowning glory for Queens of Industry as new exhibition opens

Plucked from the factory floor, their lives were quickly transformed into a glitzy whirlwind of international jet-setting, glamorous film roles and exciting photoshoots. But the hard-working women chosen to represent some of the UK’s most prominent economic powerhouses were also pioneers, who put female workers at the forefront of an industrial golden age. Now…
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