Buxton Museum and Art Gallery

Name: Buxton Museum and Art Gallery
Address: Based at Buxton Library, Kents Bank Road, Buxton, SK179HW, GB
Telephone: +441629533540
Price range: $

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Buxton Museum and Art Gallery

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Buxton Museum and Art Gallery is currently preparing a temporary home on Kents Bank Road, next to Buxton Library. Follow this page to stay updated!

In the meantime, we continue to run an enquiry service, contact details below. Buxton Museum and Art Gallery is temporarily closed for structural investigations. Follow us to stay updated and discover the geology, archeology, art and history of the Peak District.

13/10/2026

Before superheroes, there were escapologists...🦸🪄

Long before cinema brought us daring escape scenes, audiences flocked to theatres and music halls to watch performers free themselves from chains, handcuffs and locked restraints.

This photograph from the Randolph Douglas Collection captures one such performer preparing for an escape act. Although their identity has been lost to time, the image offers a fascinating glimpse into the world of popular entertainment over a century ago.

What do you think: clever skill, hidden tricks, or a bit of both?

12/10/2026

🥚 The Victorian souvenir that could only come from Derbyshire

Long before fridge magnets and postcards, visitors to Buxton often took home beautifully crafted Blue John ornaments. This polished Blue John egg is a reminder of a time when Derbyshire's famous mineral was one of the region's most prized treasures.

From our collection is pictured a Blue John Egg
accession number DERSB 1979.2816

11/10/2026

Which is your favourite?
Do you prefer a modern pub, or a traditional?
Some change, some don't.
The back of the Cheshire Cheese hasn't changed much over the years.

10/10/2026

Looking to go walking this weekend?

There's a great footpath in Buxton that runs from Kents Bank Road over Dukes Drive towards Staden and Cowdale where you can get get to see the view that Lamorna Birch used for his London, Midland, Scottish Railway Company poster.

09/10/2026

This is an early one!

Buxton's King's Head Inn on the Market Place, 1865!

You can see the old market hall beyond, which 20 years later was destroyed by fire.
An extension to the right of the pub was added later . It filled the gap between the pub and the town hall that replaced it.

The proprietor at the time was B Brown, and it says the inn was licensed for post horses.
Horses were kept at inns along main routes to carry government mail, messengers and officials or enabled wealthy citizens to hire fast carriages.

05/10/2026

🌋 Did Derbyshire once have volcanoes?

The answer is hidden in rocks like this one. Accession number DERSB 2017.57

This specimen of dolerite from Waterswallows Quarry, Green Fairfield, formed during a period of volcanic activity around 312 million years ago. At the time, Derbyshire lay beneath a shallow tropical sea, where lava erupted through the seabed and became trapped between layers of limestone.

For centuries, Derbyshire miners called these dark volcanic rocks "toadstone", believing they possessed magical properties and were linked to mythical toads. Today, geologists recognise them as evidence of the Peak District's dramatic volcanic past.

This unassuming rock is a reminder that long before the hills and dales we know today existed, Derbyshire was shaped by fire beneath an ancient sea.

04/10/2026

🐘🦒 Happy World Animal Day! 🦊🐦

Animals feature prominently throughout the life's work of artist Clifford Webb, and we are fortunate to hold more than 40 of his linocut and woodcut prints in our collection.

From towering giraffes and majestic elephants to elegant servals and native British wildlife, Webb captured animals with remarkable skill and character. His interest in the natural world accompanied him throughout his life and career. As a war artist, traveller and illustrator, he sketched and studied animals wherever he went, making them a recurring theme across his work.

Many will also know Webb for his illustrations for Swallows and Amazons, but throughout his prints, drawings and illustrations, his fascination with the animal kingdom is never far away.

Today, on World Animal Day, we're celebrating some of the remarkable creatures that inspired one of Derbyshire's most talented artists.

03/10/2026

🤝Why do we loan objects to other museums?

Our sculpture Nigerian Ancestor by Ben Enwonwu was recently loaned to the Barbican's major exhibition Project a Black Planet: The Art and Culture of Panafrica, where it was seen by more than 29,000 visitors. By sharing works from our collection, we can tell important stories to new audiences far beyond Buxton.

While we're delighted that thousands of people have had the chance to see Nigerian Ancestor in London, we can't wait to share more treasures from our collections with you here in Buxton soon. Watch this space!"

01/10/2026

⚠️ Urgent: Several Sabre-Toothed Cats Need Homes!

As the museum prepares to reopen, our shop is getting ready too.

We're clearing out some old favourites to make way for new discoveries, so keep an eye out for fantastic bargains on:

💎 Rocks and minerals
📚 Books
🧸 Toys and games
🎁 Gifts

Most importantly, a small herd of surprisingly cuddly sabre-toothed cats are looking for adoption. They're soft, friendly, and much less bitey than the originals!

Come and explore the museum, pick up a bargain, and maybe take home a prehistoric friend.

Address

Based At Buxton Library, Kents Bank Road
Buxton
SK179HW

Telephone

+441629533540

Website

https://www.derbyshire.gov.uk/leisure/buxton-museum/buxton-museum-and-art-gallery.aspx, https://buxtonmuseumandartgaller

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