Wakefield Museum - Wakefield One
Wakefield Museum is a stimulating and vibrant part of the new and prestigious Wakefield One building in the heart of Wakefield. The museum is located on the lower ground floor along with Local Studies where you are invited to explore and engage with the history of the people of Wakefield.
Highlights to exploreDiscover the extraordinary, the oldest, the first, and the one and only in the Welcome to Wakefield display. See our local cultural treasures and learn surprising facts about the city. Explore the history of Wakefield in the Main Gallery and hear stories of wealth and power, hardship and hope, love and war, and passion and belief through the eyes of the people involved in shaping the city. You will also be inspired by the amazing and beautiful objects that help to tell this fascinating story.
History comes to life in The Front Room with a Victorian Kitchen and a 1940s living room. Here children can become characters from the past by trying on our dressing-up collection inspired by the costumes on display in the museum, whilst adults can take a trip down memory lane with our 1950s display.
Visit , the Wakefield-born pioneering Victorian eco-warrior and explorer, and view his collection of preserved animals including Charles Waterton's creations made up from bits of animals. You can also stand on the back of the fierce caiman crocodile that he famously captured on one of his trips to South America. The Waterton Collection is on loan from Stonyhurst College.
The Special Exhibition Gallery showcases a varied programme of displays inspired by the museum's collections along with loans from other people and places, and is a space to share our work with local groups