Bagshaw Museum

Bagshaw Museum

Located in a picturesque park setting, the Bagshaw Museum houses exhibitions of local social history, and objects from Egypt, Asia and Africa, as well as displays of taxidermy.

The Bagshaw Museum has a little bit of everything! There are two galleries on the history of the Batley area, including a look at some of the famous industry names that grew up around Batley. Lear about Fox's Biscuits, and trace the history of the Batley Variety Club.

Permanent exhibits include a South Asia gallery, an Egyptology display that recreates the interior of an historic tomb, and a gallery displaying decorative arts from the Orient. Look for a display on the life of local scientist Joseph Priestly, known for his role in identifying oxygen.

The museum is set in a Victorian Gothic house built for mill owner George Sheard in 1875. The house cost £25,000 to complete; a staggering figure for the time. In 1909 the Batley Corporation purchased the house at auction for a token £5.

Local businessman Walter Bagshaw created a one-room museum inside the decaying mansion, then in 1911 it opened to the public as the Wilton Park Museum, with three rooms of exhibits. The museum was renamed in Bagshaw's honour after his death in 1927.

The mansion interiors are as much an attraction here as the actual museum displays; polished wood panelling covers the walls, the original painted shutters cover the Drawing Room windows, while a gilded ceiling looks down from above.

The exhibition cases have been made to reflect the Victorian Gothic decor, and Bagshaw family portraits hang upon the walls. There is a picture gallery housed in the former billiard room, decorated with a painted frieze and still featuring a pair of ornate, original fireplaces.

Surrounding the museum are 36 acres of park and ancient woodland, with attractive walking trails to enjoy.