Moving Stories

Decorative poster for Moving Stories at Wakefield Museum. Features motif of packing boxes with the Wakefield Museum logo on, surrounded by speech bubbles and movement, with stories waiting to break out of the boxes!

Moving Stories

Wakefield Museum

Now Open until 27 April 2024

Free Entry

Wakefield Museum is getting ready to move! 

We are developing an exciting new Library & Museum in the former British Home Stores (BHS) building in the heart of Wakefield city centre. As we prepare for the big move, we want to celebrate our story so far and we need your help to write the next chapter.

Launching in the museum’s centenary year, Moving Stories is a vibrant, interactive exhibition. Join us for a look back at the stories we’ve told over the last 100 years. Discover the new stories that we’ve been hearing. And tell us your own story.

Take a peek behind the scenes and find out how we plan to turn an empty, old department store into awe-inspiring museum galleries. Let us know what you would like to see in the new venue. Be part of the story as we work together to create something special for the Wakefield district. 

Click here for visitor and access information at Wakefield Museum


Explore our 100 Years of Collecting

Discover local people's stories, brought to life by artist Tom Bailey

Go behind the scenes as we develop the New Library and Museum

Find out about the wide range of objects we collect today

Have your say and tell us your story

The new Library & Museum is funded by the government’s Levelling Up Fund and Wakefield Council. The project is part of the Wakefield City Masterplan, which aims to deliver improved facilities for residents.

Click here for a Plain Text version of this page.

Check out our video featuring Curator John Whitaker for an introduction to the exhibition:


Click here for more behind the scenes videos on our YouTube Channel

Moving Stories features exciting new illustrations by West Yorkshire artist, Tom Bailey.

Tom Bailey is an artist from Leeds who draws pictures to make things easier to understand. He often attends events, listens to people and draws what they say. Tom also illustrates books and makes murals. Have a look at more of Tom’s pictures on Instagram at @mrtombailey.

Here's a selection of Tom's drawings for the Moving Stories exhibition. Click the buttons to scroll through:

6 comments:

  1. Great to see the museum moved to the centre of Wakefield, will probably get loads more visitors

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  2. Looking forward to the new museum, I helped with some of the excavation on sandal castle, we had a day out from Manygates school as I was a pupil there in the 1970’s and our class were invited to walk the moat looking for artifacts . It’s a great idea to house the museum in the former BHS building, great access for everyone .

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  3. Hello I am writing from Oklahoma, USA. My materal grandparents and great-grandmother all worked at Heath Old Hall to raise money to come to America. My great-grandmother was the head cook, (think Mrs. Patmore from Downton Abbey), my grandmother was her assistant, (think Daisy). My grandfather worked as a groomsman in the sable. He met my grandmother on their day off as he was riding a horse into Wakefield and saw her ahead fall off her bike, (penny farthing). He helped her up but she wouldn't tell him her name as they had not been properly introduced. He had to go to the head butler and request an introduction. My grandmother was so impressed she said yes he could meet her. They married in Wakefield in 1912 and came to America in 1914. My great-grandfather was already in America for 4 years before they raised enought money to bring all of them over. My great-grandmother, my grandmother her two sibleys, and my grandfather. He never saw any of his family again. My grandfather's family name is Watson. My grandmother's maiden name was Moore.

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    Replies
    1. Hi, thanks for sharing your incredible story! We'd love to hear more, please contact us at museums@wakefield.gov.uk if you'd like to chat. We'd potentially like to feature your story in the Moving Stories exhibition in the future!

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    2. Fab u lous story. Thanks for sharing.

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  4. Great story was a pleasure to read thankyou .

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