Bankfield Museum

22/05/2026

🎨 On this day in 1907, Smith Art Gallery was opened by Queen Victoria’s daughter Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll.

The gallery was built by then Mayor of Brighouse Alderman William Smith and donated, along with his collection of artwork, to the people of Brighouse. This purpose-built Art Gallery and public library remains free to all.

The rear gallery hosts changing displays, covering a wide variety of themes from local artists to touring exhibitions, including photography, mixed media and sculpture.

Currently on display is ‘Industrial Evolution’ by David R. Williams, a photographic record of the vast and often majestic buildings of Calderdale’s industrial past which still loom over the region.

The front gallery hosts an exhibition of oil paintings and highlights from the Smith collection, including works by Atkinson Grimshaw, Marcus Stone and Thomas Sydney Cooper.

📷 Black and white photograph of Smith Art Gallery, date unknown
📷 The front gallery as it appears today
📷 Photograph of Bailey Hall Mill, Halifax by David R. Williams

20/05/2026

'From Hell, Hull and Halifax, good Lord deliver us.'

The Halifax gibbet, a gruesome part of Calderdale's history, dates back to the 13th century. Back then the Lords of the Manor of Wakefield governed Halifax and were granted the right to execute thieves caught on their land. The law stated that any thief caught with goods over 13 and a half pence could be killed by means of the gibbet.

Executions would occur on a market day with spectators gathered to watch and took place up until 1650, after which the gibbet was dismantled.

In 1974 a non-working replica was built at Gibbet Street. Now in need of repair, Calderdale Council has recently announced plans to carefully replace it with an identical structure.

If you'd like to learn more about this grisly part of Halifax history, you can find the blade from 1650 on permanent display here at Bankfield Museum.

🎨 The Halifax Gibbet, 1829. An artist's impression by Nathaniel Whittock, after Wenceslaus Hollar. Engraving by John Rodgers.

19/05/2026

16/05/2026

May is National Walking Month so why not step back in time with the Boothtown Heritage Trail?

📜 The Heritage Trail starts and finishes here at Bankfield Museum with Colonel Edward Akroyd as your guide to the 9 stops along the way.

Whether you’re local to Calderdale or just visiting, the trail is an excellent way to discover fascinating local stories, grand architecture and hidden histories from around Boothtown, Akroydon and Haley Hill.

Free trail maps are available from Bankfield’s welcome desk and little ones can also pick up an activity pack.

💙 This trail was launched by the Halifax Opportunities Trust in collaboration with Halifax Historian David Glover and Creative Designer Tim Ingram.

15/05/2026

Charles Horner (1837-1896) started his jewellery business in 1860s Halifax at a time of rapid expansion of manufactured products and increased spending power of the middle classes.

💠 Designs were inspired by the Arts and Crafts Movement, Art Nouveau and Art Deco styles. The company was successful at anticipating trends and fashions and adapting them to larger scale production so they could be sold at an affordable price.

Calderdale Museums has one of the largest collections of Horner’s products in the world including the patent for his world famous ‘Dorcas’ thimble and an extensive collection of his hatpins, buttons, cufflinks and brooches.

📷 You can find a selection of pieces, including these hat pins with intricate pin heads and Dorcas thimbles on display in our Oak Gallery.

13/05/2026

Join us in celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Royal Yorkshire Regiment through 300 years of military history.

📍 Bankfield Museum Army Fun Day
📆 Saturday 20 June, 10am to 3pm, free entry

June 2026 marks the date when the regiment was formed through amalgamating the Duke of Wellington's Regiment, Green Howards and The Prince of Wales’s Own Regiment of Yorkshire. These regiments had a history dating back to the seventeenth century.

🪖 There will be lots to see including historical re-enactments, live firing, talks and military displays covering 1702, the American Revolutionary War, the Napoleonic Wars, Crimean War, Second World War and the British Army in the 1960s to 80s.

🗺️ There will also be a children’s trail and art and crafts, and stalls with object handling and opportunities for family research.

All are welcome at this free family-friendly event.

🔗 https://fb.me/e/3PXYBmaqA

Please note there will be no onsite parking on the day except for limited Blue Badge parking.

12/05/2026

Join Opera North soloists Dean Robinson and Claire Pascoe, accompanied by pianist Philip Voldman, in a celebration of Songs From The Golden Age of Broadway! Featuring hit songs from My Fair Lady and Kiss Me Kate, through to Stephen Sondheim's heartbreaking Send In The Clowns, and many other memorable numbers.

🎵 Songs From The Golden Age of Broadway
📍 Smith Art Gallery, Brighouse
📅 Friday 29 May, 7.30pm
🎟️ https://www.ticketsource.com/calderdale-culturedale

This intimate one hour concert is part of Calderale's musical programme, leading to Stage At The Lake at Shibden Park in August - four unforgettable days of world-class music, theatre and comedy.

The Smith Art Gallery is on the ground floor of Brighouse Library and is fully accessible. If you need help booking please call the Library on 01422 288065.

We are so excited to host a prelude to Stage at the Lake at Brighouse Library! Join musicians from Opera North and pianist Philip Voldman in a celebration of Songs From The Golden Age Broadway! If you love a musical make sure you head to www.ticketsource.com/calderdale-culturedale/ to book your tickets. We can't wait to see you there!

09/05/2026

Exhibitions may change around him, but the bust of Colonel Edward Akroyd (1890) by Albert Bruce-Joy (1842-1924) still has pride of place above the grand fireplace of the Oak Gallery.

Today, Bruce-Joy's sculpture is in fine company alongside The Veiled Lady by Niccolo Bazzanti (1802-1869) and William Wordsworth (1861) by Marshall Wood (1834–1882).

📷 The Oak Gallery fireplace, date unknown
📷 The fireplace in 2026

Akroyd was one of Halifax's foremost woollen and worsted manufacturers, and he and his wife Elizabeth called Bankfield home for 50 years until it was sold to Halifax Corporation in 1887. It was then converted into, and remains, a museum and public library.

Our current Oak Gallery exhibition celebrates the history of Calderdale and the stories of the landscape, industries and people that make our region unique.

05/05/2026

Spring into creativity this May half term with our children’s workshops and activities!

🌈 Children’s Screen Printing - NOW SOLD OUT
📆 Tuesday 26 May
Roll up your sleeves and get ready for a burst of colour as we dive into the exciting world of screen printing.
🎟 https://www.ticketsource.com/calderdale-museums/e-pdbxpz

🏮 Paper Lanterns
📆 Wednesday 27 May
Light up your half term with a creative adventure! Join us for a brilliantly bright children’s craft workshop where young makers will design and build their very own paper lantern.
🎟 https://www.ticketsource.com/calderdale-museums/e-jzzyzz

🫟 All workshops are led by our brilliant Learning Team. £5.00 per child, children must be accompanied by an adult. Accompanying adults do not need tickets. Suitable for ages 4+.

🕵️‍♀️ Detective Trail
📆 Free throughout May and June
Can you find nine objects hidden around the museum that match the mystery clues?
No need to book, simply collect your free children's trail from the front desk and claim your prize at the end!

03/05/2026

Don’t forget Bankfield Museum is open every bank holiday Monday!

Join us from 10am to 4pm and as always, entry is free.

We have a range of art, fashion and local and military history exhibitions with free children’s trails available from the welcome desk.

Some of our current exhibitions include:

👗 Fashion Extremes! - discover 250 years of fashion trends that go beyond the practical and make a bold statement.

🎖 Britain’s War in the Far East 1941-45 - explore some of the key features of Britain’s war against Japan and the roles of the men who fought in it

🧵 Pieced Stories - visually inspiring patchwork and quilted pieces from Calderdale Museums' collection

We hope to see you soon!

📷 Bold 1970s fashions including a yellow fluffy 'teddy bear' unisex Danimac coat and a pink Indian block-printed outfit by Anokhi.

📷 Sergeant Hanson Victor Turner (1910–1944), VC by
J. J. Mulroy (active 1944–1948) Image credit: Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council.

📷 Detail from a silk mosaic patchwork with stars attributed to Elizabeth Sagar (1862-1933).

30/04/2026

👠 Shoes! From clogs to kittens heels to platform stilettos. Discover 250 years of every-day fashion trends that go beyond the practical and make a bold statement in Fashion Extremes!

On display now at Bankfield Museum.