Museum to become college arts venue

Council bosses have said the museum has been hit by falling visitor numbers and they said the Grade II-star listed building in Wood Street needed considerable investment to stop its long-term decline.

The museum collection, housed in Wood Street since 1955, is moving to Wakefield One, Wakefield Council’s new civic building in the Merchant Gate development which will serve as single point for council services.

Wakefield One, opening next year, will be home both to the new city centre museum and library.

The museum service currently provided in Wood Street will be suspended from the end of November to allow staff to start the job of preparing the collections ready for the move to the new site.

Before the building closes as a museum there will be a celebratory event on Thursday November 24, starting at 6.30pm, with a dance performance by college students and an illustrated talk by John Whittaker, curator, about the building’s colourful history.

A small display of objects from the collections will be provided at Drury Lane Library in Wakefield and displays and exhibitions will continue as normal at Pontefract Museum.

Coun David Dagger, the council’s Cabinet member with responsibility for culture, said: “This is a new exciting step for our Museum, moving to a new, fully-accessible building which will provide a modern exhibition space.”

Wakefield College Principal, Sam Wright said: “Wakefield College is delighted to be taking over the running of the historic Wood Street building. Governors at the College have approved a one million pound refurbishment that will retain the unique character of the existing building allowing it to become a recognised Performing Arts venue in the heart of Wakefield.”