Buxton Museum and Art Gallery

Buxton Museum and Art Gallery 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.

🔎 Museum Mystery ObjectAt first glance, this white porcelain vessel looks a little unusual. Recorded in our collection a...
27/08/2026

🔎 Museum Mystery Object

At first glance, this white porcelain vessel looks a little unusual. Recorded in our collection as a to***co pipe or "hubble-bubble", it may have functioned as a miniature water pipe.

Historically, users believed that passing smoke through water cooled it and removed impurities. The nickname "hubble-bubble" is thought to come from the bubbling sound produced during use.

Although we can't be certain of its full history, objects like this offer a fascinating glimpse into changing smoking habits and beliefs about health.

(Yet) another We Found This Whilst Looking for Something Else.We hadn't any recollection of seeing this before and it to...
26/08/2026

(Yet) another We Found This Whilst Looking for Something Else.

We hadn't any recollection of seeing this before and it took a little bit of solving but we have found some information to share:

This picture from our collection dates from around 1946 and shows the Lounge Bar, a garage and the Salvation Army Hall.

An internet search told us that the Salvation Army Barracks was situated on Torr Street, founded before 1895 and was able to accommodate 400 people.

We turned next to our trusty copy of Kelly's Directory of Buxton, conveniently the 1942 edition and picture 2 shows all the businesses shown on the photograph. The Lounge Bar may have been connected to the Spa Hotel, later Buxton Hydropathic, on Broad Walk) and in the 1950s there was a Spa Bar Café in this area.

This theatre handbill from our collection dates from this day in 1792, an amazing 234 years ago.It almost reads like som...
25/08/2026

This theatre handbill from our collection dates from this day in 1792, an amazing 234 years ago.

It almost reads like something from the credits of Blackadder but if we read further down to the cast list below the word Romp, we see Old Cockney - Mr Kane. This could be John Kane, a comic actor who died after mistaking aconite for horseradish and whose grave is at St. Anne's Church on Bath Road in Buxton. It is said that his grave faces towards all the others as though they are his eternal audience.

Buxton's first theatre was thought to have been a simple thatched building on Spring Gardens, possibly close to the site of the Argos shop today. It is also possible that the former Shakespeare Hotel was so named because of its proximity to this first theatre.

This picture is from our museum's Board Collection and dates from 1927.We can see Bugsworth (that was the spelling in th...
24/08/2026

This picture is from our museum's Board Collection and dates from 1927.

We can see Bugsworth (that was the spelling in the notes of the picture, today it would be spelled Buxworth.)

Did you know that the canal basin was once the largest and busiest inland port on the British narrow canal system? At a point where the Peak Forest Tramway met the Peak Forest Canal, it enabled lime from local quarries to be moved to the industrial markets of the north west.

You can still visit Buxworth or Bugsworth canal basin today and see what survives of its incredible heritage.

23/08/2026

We had lots of visitors join us last week to make these beautiful butterflies and crazy caterpillars! and we are doing it all again this Wednesday 26th August. So drop in anytime between 10am and 3.30pm, meet new friends and get crafty !! and better still its FREE!

Buxton Library 10am - 3.30pm, Kents Bank Rd, Buxton

Memory is a strange thing - old pictures can bring back memories of people, shopping, entertainment and work as though t...
23/08/2026

Memory is a strange thing - old pictures can bring back memories of people, shopping, entertainment and work as though they were yesterday. This picture from 1955 shows Spring Gardens in Buxton and the shops which many might remember fondly.

What will a picture of Spring Gardens 70 years into the future look like? Will there be robots and flying delivery drones? A Greggs pasty teleported straight into your tummy? Marks and Spencer makes a triumphant return to the high street? We can only dare to speculate. Leave your predictions below 👇

Behind the scenes at Buxton Museum & Art Gallery... 👀We're working hard behind the scenes to get the museum ready to wel...
22/08/2026

Behind the scenes at Buxton Museum & Art Gallery... 👀

We're working hard behind the scenes to get the museum ready to welcome visitors back.

There's still plenty to do, but the display cases are in place, objects are starting to move in, and two photography exhibitions are ready to be hung.

We're getting closer every day!

Art historians call these portraits. We call them moods. 🎭From "I've got everything under control" to "absolutely not to...
21/08/2026

Art historians call these portraits. We call them moods. 🎭
From "I've got everything under control" to "absolutely not today", which portrait are you? 👇

All of these portraits and photographs have been exhibited at Buxton Museum & Art Gallery.

Artists and photographers (left to right):

Alan Swindell, Penny Kealey, Wyndham Lewis, Hans Theo Richter, Veronica Saunders, Veronica Snook, Chapel Camera Club, Peter Scholey, Joanne Morley, Broadcast Brothers (Radio Buxton) and Laura Critchlow.

🖼️ Thursday Night QuizWe've zoomed in on a small section of a print from our collection.Can you work out which famous Br...
20/08/2026

🖼️ Thursday Night Quiz

We've zoomed in on a small section of a print from our collection.

Can you work out which famous British artist created it?

Who was the champion receiving this trophy in Buxton over 110 years ago? 🎾This striking postcard records the presentatio...
19/08/2026

Who was the champion receiving this trophy in Buxton over 110 years ago? 🎾

This striking postcard records the presentation of the Championship of Derbyshire tennis cup to Mrs Larcombe in August 1913.

The occasion marked one of several successes for Mrs Larcombe, who also claimed the All England Championship doubles title with Miss Longhurst during the same tournament.

More than just a photograph, this postcard captures a moment when Buxton stood at the heart of competitive tennis.

Address

Based At Buxton Library, Kents Bank Road
Buxton
SK179HW

Telephone

+441629533540

Website

,

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Buxton Museum and 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 Buxton Museum and Art Gallery:

Shortcuts

Share

Category