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Museum Details

Pontefract Museum

Salter Row
Pontefract
WF8 1BA
West Yorkshire
England

Collection details
Archaeology
Archives
Decorative and Applied Art
Fine Art
Social History

Facilities

Shop: yes
Baby changing facilities: yes
Library: yes
Study area: yes
Wheelchair access: yes
Visual disability facilities: yes

Contact details
Museum office (Tel) : 01977 722 741
Reception (Tel) : 01977 722 740
General information (Fax) : 01977 722 742
E-mail : museumsandarts@wakefield.gov.uk
Website : www.wakefield.gov.uk/CultureAndLeisure/Museums

Open
Mon-Fri 10.00-16.30
Sat 10.30-16.30
Open Bank holidays

Closed
Christmas and New Year

Admission charges
Admission free

Description
Pontefract Museum is in a flamboyant Art Nouveau building with a wondeful tiled entrance hall and many original 1904 furnishings. Situated in the centre of town, the Museum has new displays on the archaeology and history of Pontefract. Visitors can find out about the historic events that took place at Pontefract Castle, why the town is so well known for its Pontefract Cakes of liquorice and how Britain's first secret ballot came to be held at the Town Hall. There is a room dedicated to domestic coloured glass made at Knottingley, much of it from the 1930s. The Museum has a lively programme of temporary exhibitions and a resource room full of local history information and a digital archive of 8,000 photographs.

Collections description
The archaeology, social history and decorative art collections include finds from Pontefract Castle and St. John's Priory, siege coins from the English Civil War, packaging from the Pontefract liquorice factories, Bagley's glass and a major archive of locally printed material. Most of the collection has strong associations with Pontefract, including the town's mining history.

General Information
Pre-booking service for groups Collections
Object identification and/or written enquiry service
Object study facilities available (enquire in advance) Disability Access
Events/teaching/resources for people with disabilities
Toilets for disabled
Touch exhibits and/or handling sessions
Wheelchair access to some public areas Children and Families
Baby changing facilities
Events and resources for children and families General Education
Adult lectures and courses held
Education facilities available Schools Education
Direct teaching services for schools
Primary school education service available
Printed/audio-visual information available for schools
Secondary school education service available Facilities
Library with public access
Meeting room available
Object study facilities available (enquire in advance)
Research facilities for academics
Shop
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Information published here was believed to be correct at the time it was prepared. Welsh language pages developed with CYMAL: Museums Archives and Libraries Wales, funded by the Welsh Assembly Government.

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