The Whitaker Museum & Art Gallery

The Whitaker Museum & Art Gallery Explore. Meet. Create. CHARITY NUMBER: 1202807

FREE TO ENTER MUSEUM AND ART GALLERY
The Whitaker is more than a museum and art gallery – it’s a dynamic cultural space that blends history, art, education, and community in a fresh, accessible way.

Join us for our Mini Makers Make Your Own Mini Museum workshop this weekend on Saturday! 🏛️In this Mini Makers session, ...
01/06/2026

Join us for our Mini Makers Make Your Own Mini Museum workshop this weekend on Saturday! 🏛️

In this Mini Makers session, you’ll become a museum creator and design your very own mini museum! You can decide what amazing things to put inside, tiny artworks, interesting objects, magical creatures, or special treasures you’ve invented yourself. You’ll build, decorate, and arrange your museum so it tells a story!

🗓️ Saturday 6th June 2026
📍The Whitaker Museum & Art Gallery, Rawtenstall, BB4 6RE
🕚 11am or 1pm
🎟️ https://www.ticketsource.com/the-whitaker-museum-and-art-gallery/mini-makers-make-your-own-mini-museum/e-dlmarv

Join us for a fascinating heritage talk exploring how the tea trade shaped global economies, the temperance movement, an...
31/05/2026

Join us for a fascinating heritage talk exploring how the tea trade shaped global economies, the temperance movement, and the complex links to the transatlantic slave trade. Discover how a simple everyday ritual became intertwined with social reform, exploitation, and moral debates that still resonate today.

📅 Thursday 4th June 2026
📍 The Whitaker Museum & Art Gallery, Rawtenstall (BB4 6RE)
🎟️ Tickets: https://www.ticketsource.com/the-whitaker-museum-and-art-gallery/heritage-talk-the-history-of-tea/e-jzkamj

⭐️ Early Years Studio at The Whitaker Review ⭐️Full Review:"The Earlybird Project at the Whitaker has been our favourite...
30/05/2026

⭐️ Early Years Studio at The Whitaker Review ⭐️

Full Review:
"The Earlybird Project at the Whitaker has been our favourite place since Evelyn was a very tiny baby. The drop in worked for us as there’s absolutely no pressure to get out the door on time.

Each play station is eye-catching, exciting and interesting for curious babies, waddlers and toddlers to interact however they choose! We started by showing Evelyn lots of noise makers and now she’s crawling from station to station making as much noise as she can.

Thank you Natalie for the warm welcome and for creating a space where parents and grandparents can feel relaxed whilst enjoying playing freely with their little humans. It’s been a blast!"

Danielle
25th February 2026

Thank you so much for the lovely feedback Danielle! Natalie at .project will be thrilled 🙏

Rossendale Art Trail Paint Jam this weekend! As part of , The Whitaker Museum and Gallery and will be hosting a vibran...
29/05/2026

Rossendale Art Trail Paint Jam this weekend!

As part of , The Whitaker Museum and Gallery and will be hosting a vibrant Street Art Paint Jam on Saturday and Sunday, from 10am to 4pm.

Taking place at The Whitaker and the Waterfoot Square, you’ll be able to watch talented artists bring their own original designs to life right before your eyes, transforming blank surfaces into bold, dynamic works of art. This is a unique chance to see the creative process up close, chat with the artists, and experience the energy of live street art in action.

Supported by Rossendale Borough Council and UK Government funding.

Join artist Jamie Holman as he discusses his newly commissioned work created for The Weaver’s Uprising Bicentenary Comme...
29/05/2026

Join artist Jamie Holman as he discusses his newly commissioned work created for The Weaver’s Uprising Bicentenary Commemoration.

Commissioned by the Weaver’s Uprising Bicentenary Committee, with support from the Heritage Lottery Fund and The Whitaker, this powerful new piece casts fresh light on the historic Powerloom Riots. In this talk, Jamie shares insights into his creative process and discusses how he reinterprets the story of the Uprising through a contemporary lens, reframing heritage narratives to connect past struggles with present-day perspectives.

IG:
📍 The Whitaker Museum & Art Gallery, Rawtenstall, BB4 6RE
🗓️ Thursday 18th June 2026 at 6.30pm
🎟️ https://www.ticketsource.com/the-whitaker-museum-and-art-gallery/artist-talk-jamie-holman/e-mjekxb

Commissioned by Weaver’s Uprising Bicentenary Committee & Supported by Heritage Lottery Fund.

28/05/2026

Have you explored our 5 incredible new installations at The Whitaker, running now until 27th September! ✨

From powerful community storytelling to striking contemporary portraiture, here is a first look at what’s on:

🌟 Spectacle by Jude Wainwright – A major, interactive solo exhibition exploring identity and memory.


⚽ Level Playing Field by Marge Bradshaw – Amplifying the voices of trans and non-binary grassroots footballers.

🖼️ An Intervention by Nahem Shoa – Challenging representation and asking crucial questions of our own collection. .shoa

🕊️ Benjamin Hemmati – Deeply moving portraits exploring the quiet resilience of women living under the shadow of conflict and restriction.

👤 Faces of Rossendale by Amy Callaghan – A vibrant, modern mural celebrating the real, everyday community of the valley today.

👉 Click the link for artist talk dates and full details. Which one are you visiting first?👇
www.ticketsource.com/the-whitaker-museum-and-art-gallery

Join us TOMORROW for a Heritage Talk: Weaver's Uprising - Chatterton with Dr. David Scott!In April 1826, the "Lancashire...
27/05/2026

Join us TOMORROW for a Heritage Talk: Weaver's Uprising - Chatterton with Dr. David Scott!

In April 1826, the "Lancashire Rising" reached a tragic peak at Aitkens Mill, where at least six people were killed by state violence. For nearly 200 years, this story was hidden in plain sight.

Dr. David Scott (The Open University) will share with us:
▪️ New findings from collaborative research with The National Archives.
▪️ First-hand eyewitness testimonies from the 1826 archives.
▪️ How we are finally establishing a dignified public memory for those who lost their lives.

📅 Date: Tomorrow - Thursday 28th May 2026
📍 Location: The Whitaker, Rawtenstall, BB4 6RE
🎟️ Price: £6
🔗 https://www.ticketsource.com/the-whitaker-museum-and-art-gallery/heritage-talk-weavers-uprising-with-dr-david-scott/e-yzedde

Join us for a Heritage Walk and Talk: Lost Village of Gambleside 🚶🏻‍♀️Come and join this guided heritage walk and listen...
27/05/2026

Join us for a Heritage Walk and Talk: Lost Village of Gambleside 🚶🏻‍♀️

Come and join this guided heritage walk and listen to the forgotten story of Gambleside, a once-thriving rural village that has all but vanished from the Lancashire landscape. Join us for a talk that uncovers the history of this lost village, exploring who lived there, how the community survived for centuries, and why it ultimately disappeared. Discover the traces that remain today and reconnect with a remarkable piece of local heritage that time nearly erased.

🗓️ Sunday 14th June 2026
🕚 10am Start
📍 MEET at Clowbridge Reservoir public car park on A682 Burnley road. Please turn right at the Beijing restaurant
🎟️ https://www.ticketsource.com/the-whitaker-museum-and-art-gallery/heritage-walk-and-talk-lost-village-of-gambleside/e-bgvjmy

Join us for our Mini Makers Make Your Own Mini Museum workshop next week! 🏛️In this Mini Makers session, you’ll become a...
26/05/2026

Join us for our Mini Makers Make Your Own Mini Museum workshop next week! 🏛️

In this Mini Makers session, you’ll become a museum creator and design your very own mini museum! You can decide what amazing things to put inside, tiny artworks, interesting objects, magical creatures, or special treasures you’ve invented yourself. You’ll build, decorate, and arrange your museum so it tells a story!

🗓️ Saturday 6th June 2026
📍The Whitaker Museum & Art Gallery, Rawtenstall, BB4 6RE
🕚 11am or 1pm
🎟️ https://www.ticketsource.com/the-whitaker-museum-and-art-gallery/mini-makers-make-your-own-mini-museum/e-dlmarv

What’s really in your afternoon cuppa? ☕ 🫖Join us for a fascinating heritage talk exploring the tea trade, the temperanc...
25/05/2026

What’s really in your afternoon cuppa? ☕ 🫖

Join us for a fascinating heritage talk exploring the tea trade, the temperance movement, and the complex links to the transatlantic slave trade. From bustling docks and global commerce to social reform and everyday rituals, this engaging talk reveals how tea shaped communities, economies, and moral debates that still resonate today.

The talk will highlight how tea became intertwined with campaigns for social improvement, with temperance advocates championing it as a respectable and unifying alternative to alcohol, while also examining the broader economic systems including exploitation and enslaved labour that underpinned global trade.

📅 Thursday 4th June 2026
📍 The Whitaker Museum & Art Gallery, Rawtenstall (BB4 6RE)
🎟️ Tickets: https://www.ticketsource.com/the-whitaker-museum-and-art-gallery/heritage-talk-the-history-of-tea/e-jzkamj

We hope you can make it!

Address

The Whitaker Museum And Art Gallery
Newchurch
BB46RE

Opening Hours

Wednesday 10am - 4pm
Thursday 10am - 8pm
Friday 10am - 4pm
Saturday 10am - 4pm
Sunday 10am - 4pm

Telephone

+441706260785

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when The Whitaker Museum & Art Gallery posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Museum

Send a message to The Whitaker Museum & Art Gallery:

Shortcuts

Share

Category