Business Details
50+ Years
experience
Discover Bradford's Heritage & Culture
Bolling Hall Museum have been dedicated to preserving and showcasing the rich cultural heritage of Bradford since the early 20th century. Our four venuesBolling Hall Museum, Bradford Industrial Museum, Cartwright Hall Art Gallery, and Cliffe Castle Museumoffer a diverse range of exhibitions, educational programs, and community-focused initiatives. We prioritise accessibility, ensuring free admission to all our sites while delivering curriculum-linked workshops for schools and interactive family activities. Our team of curators and volunteers work tirelessly to maintain extensive collections spanning natural science, industrial history, fine art, and social history.Through partnerships with local communities and organisations, we develop innovative projects that engage audiences of all ages. Our commitment to sustainability is reflected in initiatives like the Flourish Project, which supports refugees and residents through creative collaboration. With state-of-the-art virtual tours and downloadable learning resources, we extend our reach beyond physical locations. Regular eventsfrom fossil-hunting days to textile industry exhibitionsdemonstrate our ongoing dedication to cultural enrichment. As stewards of over 150 years of collected heritage, we strive to make history accessible, relevant, and engaging for future generations.
Services
Museum Exhibitions
Educational Workshops
Family Activities
Venue Hire
Community Projects
Photographic Archive
Virtual Tours
Collections Research
Volunteering Programs
Work Experience
Details
- Year established: 1915
Highlights and features
- We offer free admission to all four venues across Bradford District
- Our collections include designated worsted textile heritage and international botanical specimens
- We provide curriculum-linked educational workshops for all key stages
- We host the Turner Prize-winning contemporary art exhibitions
- Our community projects engage diverse audiences through creative partnerships
What people say
Free admission
Engaging workshops
Family-friendly
Historic venues
Knowledgeable staff
Services
Museum Exhibitions
Our venues host rotating exhibitions showcasing local history, industrial heritage, and contemporary art. From Victorian textile machinery to Turner Prize-winning works, displays combine original artifacts with modern interpretation. Each exhibition is supported by educational resources and public events.
Educational Workshops
Curriculum-linked workshops engage students through hands-on learning with museum objects. Sessions range from dinosaur fossil exploration for EYFS to Roman history investigations for Key Stage 2. All programs align with national education standards and include pre-visit resources.
Family Activities
Interactive family programs include Halloween craft workshops, fossil-hunting days, and seasonal festivals. Activities use museum collections as inspiration for creative play and learning. Special sessions cater to children under five with sensory-friendly experiences.
Venue Hire
Historic venues offer unique settings for weddings, conferences, and community gatherings. Locations include Baroque-style art galleries and Victorian industrial museums. All bookings include dedicated event support and access to onsite facilities.
Community Projects
Collaborative initiatives like the Flourish Project and Young Ambassadors program engage diverse communities. Projects focus on social inclusion through creative activities, oral history collection, and intergenerational partnerships using museum collections as engagement tools.
People
Heather Millard
Curator
With 15 years' experience in museum education, Heather leads community engagement projects and develops content for exhibitions and blogs. She specialises in making heritage accessible through creative programming.
Jill Iredale
Curator
Jill coordinates collaborative projects connecting local communities with museum collections. She has particular expertise in developing programs that address social inclusion and cultural heritage.
Questions
Are Bradford Museums & Galleries free to enter?
Yes, all four venues offer free general admission with no charge for entry to permanent collections or standard exhibitions.
Do you offer educational programs for schools?
We provide curriculum-linked workshops for all key stages, from Early Years Foundation Stage to Key Stage 3, with prices starting at £85 per session.
Can I host an event at your venues?
Our historic locations offer event spaces for weddings, conferences, and community gatherings with dedicated support staff available.
How can I get involved with volunteering?
We offer various volunteering opportunities with expense reimbursement, including roles in visitor engagement and collections management.
Are there family activities available?
We run regular family events including Halloween workshops, fossil-hunting days, and seasonal festivals suitable for all ages.
Videos
Reviews (4)
Martin Alexander
Jan 26, 2022
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Bolling Hall looks like it is in serious need of a funding injection from a cash strapped Bradford Council. So we know that's not going to happen, which is a great shame as it has such an interesting history, particularly regarding the Civil War. It's free to go in and wander through the various rooms and examine their contents - which includes the deathmask of Oliver Cromwell. Many of the areas of the Hall are closed to the public, due I suspect to a lack of money to carry out repairs and renovations. The outside also looks in serious need of some TLC as do the neglected gardens. I'd be happy
Cat Noise
Nov 13, 2021
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Was more than we expected loved to be able to walk around the hall and feel the history of the place just within the building you don't need to visualise thing or stare at pictures and read massive descriptions of the places like most museums you actually get to walk through and just enjoy seeing how it would used to have looked I enjoyed it and definitely would go back
There's plenty of staff about if you need help or information and a friendly receptionist
Only reason I've not given it 5* is because some of the rooms are closed and the third floor was also shut off it would of been nice to
There's plenty of staff about if you need help or information and a friendly receptionist
Only reason I've not given it 5* is because some of the rooms are closed and the third floor was also shut off it would of been nice to
Rebecca Chelsea
Sep 05, 2021
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Disabled access limited, you are unable to go upstairs without walking. However it was really interesting and well laid out
Molly Pinder
Jul 27, 2021
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Lovely and pretty museum and gardens nestled in Bradford. The hall is free admission and the parking, too, which was accessible via Brompton Ave. There is also a little shop at the end of the house tour with great memorabilia to purchase. The staff were super friendly, too. Highly recommended for a little day trip out.
