Wakefield Museum

05/06/2026

This week is

We have a fantastic team of volunteers who work across our Wakefield Museums and Castles sites; here at Wakefield Museum and close-by at our Stores facility in Ossett (and even remotely!) you might find our volunteers:

- Supporting our popular Home Education workshops
- Auditing objects on display
- Cleaning objects with our handy Museum-vac
- Sewing Tyvek covers to help protect our objects
- Updating our Accession Register with newly acquired objects
- Transcribing our oral history recordings

Let's all say a big thank you to our volunteers - without them, things just wouldn't be the same. We appreciate everything that they do to help us care for our visitors, sites and collections 💙

04/06/2026

Life in plastic, it's fantastic..?

In our most recent sessions, our group have been focusing on a contribution to the upcoming Plastic Fantastic? exhibition at Wakefield Museum. We've been working alongside the Curator and the Exhibitions Officer.

We gave feedback on the exhibition plans and designs. We also discussed what contribution we could make to the exhibition.

We wanted to make something to address the problem of single use plastic and plastic waste. We pledged to use our creativity to give plastic a second life.

Look out for our creations when the exhibition opens in July!

Photos by Nick Singleton

04/06/2026

"They think it's all over... it is now!"

We're manifesting World Cup success like 60 years ago with our new atrium case ⚽️🏆

Did you know that the ball Geoff Hurst scored his competition-winning hattrick with was made in Horbury?

The football was a Slazenger Challenge 4-star. 100 years of refined craftsmanship went into the balls. In 1866 16-year-old William Sykes was tasked with making two footballs. Sykes later founded his own leather working and sports manufacturing company.

Football manufacturing in Horbury continued after Sykes merged with Slazenger in 1942. It peaked with the 1966 World Cup.

See stunning examples of our sporting heritage for yourself - now on display at Wakefield One!
Wakefield Council Experience Wakefield Wakefield Libraries

26/05/2026

Yes, that really is a giant worm hanging around by the museum! 🪱

26/05/2026

Pop in and pop up with us today!

Join us from 10am to create Hidden nature worlds from paper! 🦊

- Get crafty making your own paper pop-up nature reserve
- Make animals and plants to live in your nature reserve
- Use different pop-up techniques to bring your creation to life

Whilst you're here, discover the story of Waterton's Wall, the first nature reserve in the world!

🕙 10am to 3pm; free and drop-in

23/05/2026

May half term starts today! We've got something for all the family across our sites.

Plan your next adventure with our handy half term guide: https://museumsandcastles.wakefield.gov.uk/discover/news-and-blog/school-holidays-guide/

Featuring:
🔍 Pontefract pollinators trail at Pontefract Castle (official)
🌍 Hidden nature worlds and Eco arts (ages 6 to 11) here at Wakefield Museum
🏺 Roman games and pastimes at Castleford Museum
🧩 Puzzling Pontefract at Pontefract Museum

Tag and share with your fellow adventure seekers and thrifty families!

18/05/2026

In a week's time we'll be getting ready for our half-term activities! This May, you can:

- Create pop up nature reserves in Hidden nature worlds 🦊
Tuesday 26 May | 10am to 3pm | Free and drop-in

- Make a kokedama moss ball to take home in Kokedama moss kingdoms (ages 12-16) 🌱
Thursday 28 May, 11am and 1:30pm | £3 per teen, booking required

- Experiment using flowers and leaves as artist tools in Eco arts (ages 6 to 11) 🌸
Friday 29 May, 10:30am and 1pm | £3 per child, booking required

More info on our website: https://wmandc.co/home

Video description: A pop up card opening and closing in front of the A World of Good display at Wakefield Museum. As the card is opened, a natural landscape is visible, with a heron, a fox and some pink flowers popping up. Bird song plays in the background.


Experience Wakefield Wakefield Libraries Yorkshire Tots to Teens Wakefield Mumbler

14/05/2026

Calling all teens with a green thumb: come along to Kokedama moss kingdoms (ages 12-16) this May half-term! 🌱

- Discover how ageing stones can host hidden nature kingdoms
- Find out how moss can support ecosystems
- Make your own kokedama moss ball to take home

Get stuck into nature in the place that boasts the world's first nature reserve!

📅 Thursday 28 May, 11am and 1:30pm
🎫 £3 per teen (ages 12 to 16), accompanying adults free (but not required)
Book online at: https://www.ticketsource.com/wakefield-museums-castles/e-dlmerq

14/05/2026

Waterton's Wall and are national news!

Check out this article in The Guardian with our curator John Whitaker: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/may/13/yorkshire-wallfest-wall-world-first-nature-reserve-charles-waterton

Wakefield Council Waterton Park Hotel & Spa Friends of Waterton's Wall

Pioneering environmentalist Charles Waterton enclosed his parkland and lake near Wakefield in the 1820s

12/05/2026

Fancy getting arty with an environmental twist this half-term? 🌸

Come along to our Eco arts (ages 6 to 11) sessions!

- Discover the influence of plants and flowers on designs from bricks to shoes
- Experiment with using flowers and leaves to print, sketch and paint
- Turn your designs into a gift card or stationery set

Fun for all the family to get creative with nature!

📅 Friday 29 May, 10:30am and 1pm
🎫 Booking required: £3 per child, accompanying adults free
Book online at: https://www.ticketsource.com/wakefield-museums-castles/e-vrrzay