Pontefract Museum

Creative Tourist
Wakefield Council

Step inside a beautiful Art Nouveau building to discover a world where liquorice and voting collide. Explore the captivating stories of Pontefract, its people, and the history of its once mighty castle. Find lots of fun for families with regular craft activities, colourful costumes to try on and a vibrant play market.

Other highlights at the museum include The Ackworth Hoard (made up of 52 gold coins, 539 silver coins and a gold ring, all dating from the Civil War), Bagley’s Glass Room (exploring the history of glass-making in the area from Roman times to the present day, with many items from the museum’s large collection of Bagley’s Glass on display) and The Pontefract Gallery (telling the story of Pontefract and its people, revealing the area’s outstanding history and bringing to life an exciting and often surprising past) which boasts the world’s first secret ballot box and a unique display of objects related to liquorice.

5 Salter RowPontefractWF8 1BA View map
Telephone: 01977722740 Visit Now

Opening Hours

  • Monday10:00am - 4:30pm
  • Tuesday10:00am - 4:30pm
  • Wednesday10:00am - 4:30pm
  • Thursday10:00am - 4:30pm
  • Friday10:00am - 4:30pm
  • Saturday10:30am - 4:30pm

Always double check opening hours with the venue before making a special visit.

What's on near Pontefract Museum

Where to go near Pontefract Museum

Pontefract Castle
Wakefield
Tourist Attraction
Pontefract Castle

A valuable heritage site and visitor attraction, the ruins of Pontefract Castle occupy a commanding position overlooking the historic market town of Pontefract.

Wakefield Museum
Wakefield
Museum
Wakefield Museum

The Wakefield Museum is home to both local treasures and myriad stories of people’s lives through history.

Museum
Castleford Museum

Step back in time and explore the history of Castleford from the Bronze Age to the present day.

Welcome to Yorkshire and Oulton Hall & Spa. Perfectly located to explore the whole of Yorkshire, situated only 2 miles from junction 30 off the M62 or Junction 44 off the M1. Standing within the beautiful Yorkshire countryside close to Leeds, Oulton Hall combines all the elegance of a mid 18th century mansion with the modern facilities you would expect for business and leisure, including, Champagne Bar, Drawing Room serving traditional afternoon tea, 2 restaurants, not to mention the 7 individually designed suites and the conference and banqueting facilities for up to 350 guests.

An incredible, mid 18th century mansion with breathtaking gardens, that has been lovingly restored and extended to create a hotel with a traditional character and unique charm offering everything a guest needs to ease the stresses of everyday life. Golfers will relish the challenge of the championship Calverley course, or why not treat yourself to a relaxing health and beauty treatment in the Spa at the Oul
Leeds
Hotel
Oulton Hall and Spa

Welcome to Yorkshire and Oulton Hall & Spa. Perfectly located to explore the whole of Yorkshire, standing within the beautiful Yorkshire countryside close to Leeds.

The Hepworth Wakefield
Wakefield
Gallery
The Hepworth Wakefield

Winner of the 2017 Art Fund Museum of the Year Award, The Hepworth in Wakefield is easily one of the leading cultural highlights of the North.

Wakefield
Restaurant
Hi Sushi

Hi Sushi is a new Japanese sushi restaurant, located at the site of the former Hokkaido Teppanyaki restaurant.

The Mental Health Museum
Wakefield
Museum
The Mental Health Museum

The Mental Health Museum in Wakefield is home to a variety of mental health–related artefacts from the 19th century to the present day.

Culture Guides

A woman sits in a car with hands holding the steering wheel.
Cinema in the North

Vintage Alfred Hitchcock and a family friendly film festival are amongst our highlights this May.

Image by Jonathan Schofield.
Tours and Activities in the North

We've got many a good time in store this month as we round up the best walking tours, cultural classes and makers markets in the land.

Sextile
Music in the North

The outsiders, the oddities and the outrageous – we’re keeping it weird with a hot new batch of underground gigs about to hit Manchester, Leeds, and Liverpool.

Theatre in Manchester and the North
Theatre in the North

Dynamic dance, party-performance, high-energy stand-up and a site-specific show set in a pub. All this and more in our newest theatre guide.

A large sphere floats in a dark room with an ornate wall pattern, flanked by two arched windows and a checkered floor.
Exhibitions in the North

From precarious ceramics to photography festivals, spring is here and brings with it a breath of fresh air in visual art and exhibitions.

Okechukwu Nzelu
Literature Events in the North

If it's inspiring, inclusive events and avant-garde, experimental afternoons you're after, look no further than live literature this spring – we've got you covered.