Wakefield Museums and Castles

A curly grey dog looking into the distance standing on an old castle wall on a windy day with moody grey skies

A man in raincoat and bobble hat walking a dog towards the camera with the ruins of Sandal Castle in the background

A small black and white dog in a red harness stood in the archway of part of the ruins at Sandal Castle

A small white terrier dog on a lead walking around Sandal Castle

We hope these pawesome photos of our four-legged visitors put a spring in your step 🐾🐕

Sandal Castle is the perfect spot for walkies as we march into the spring season!

Photo credits (all via Instagram):
1 - lowe_cp
2 - davidsmart26
3 - itchy_feet_restless_soul
4 - arthur_bibbidy_bob

A black and white photograph of an elephant walking down a street. A large crowd is following while police officers keep watch.

🐘 It's not every day you see an elephant crossing the street!

This is a picture of an elephant in Pontefract in the 1950s.

View the picture and more like it here: www.twixtaireandcalder.org.uk

#Animals #Elephants

@wakefieldmuseums.bsky.social @wfdhistsoc.bsky.social @handhyorkshire.bsky.social

We know - who knew a knitted receding hairline could look so cute?!

Waterton's nature reserve is recreated in intricate paper sculptures by local artist Andy Singleton.

You can experience them for yourself in our A World of Good gallery at Wakefield Museum!

Find out more about Waterton's life and legacy: wmandc.co/waterton

A stone wall with a gap in it showing a lush woodland beyond, part of Charles Waterton's famous Waterton's Wall

Waterton's nature reserve recreated in intricate paper sculptures

A paper sculpture of Charles Waterton, a wealthy Victorian man, looking through a telescope on his nature reserve

Two adult foxes and a fox cub in their den recreated in intricate paper sculptures

Happy #WorldWildlifeDay! Did you know the world's first nature reserve was created here, in Wakefield, 200 years ago? 🌍💚

Charles Waterton built his famous 'Waterton's Wall' around his home at Walton Hall in 1826.

This was considered strange in the 1800s. Today we recognise how important it was.

A vintage booklet of knitting pattern for 'boys' helmets', one showing a baby with a grey knitted widow's peak

want to knit a receding hairline for your baby? we've got just the pattern

A paper ticket giving entry to Pontefract Castle grounds in 1881 for £1, with faded handwritten parts, and fixed to a piece of cardboard for safe keeping

Pontefract Castle is free entry, for all! But it hasn't always been that way... 🏰

In the 1800s, the ruins were reworked into a Victorian 'pleasure park'. Entry was by subscription.

This ticket, giving a family entry for a year from August 1881 cost £1. That's around £70 today! 🤯

Museum display case featuring a costume and props from the computer game worms. The costume is the most striking part of the display. It is a pink, person-sized worm with thin black arms, large cartoonish eyes and a smiling mouth.

A museum panel that says '30 years of worms, a Wakefield game changer' There are silhouettes of computer games controllers and a floppy disk, and the Team 17 logo at the bottom of the panel.

Worms, worms, WORMS!! Love the new @wakefieldmuseums.bsky.social display celebrating 30 years since the launch of worms, the classic game by Wakefield-based @team17.bsky.social How is it 30 years since it came out?? #Worms #Wakefield #Gaming #nineties #Yorkshire #Museums

Pfft only copyright to blame there! Unless we'd got the Curator to do a voiceover (don't encourage him)

Worm your way to Wakefield Museum to meet our new not-so-little friend! 🪱

This giant Worms costume has kindly been lent to us by Team17. We're celebrating 30 years of Worms!

The worm is on display with a Banana Bomb, Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch, and of course, a Concrete Donkey. 🪱🎮

#VideoGames

black and white photo of a large horse being rowed across a river on a rowing boat by two men. It is presumably a pit pony as there is a colliery in the background.

peter, the (year of the) horse is here

we feel you might appreciate this @themerl.bsky.social 🐴

black and white photo of a large horse being rowed across a river on a rowing boat by two men. It is presumably a pit pony as there is a colliery in the background.

peter, the (year of the) horse is here

A gilded portrait of Richard II sat on his throne at Pontefract Castle

Happy #ValentinesDay... unless you're Richard II 😬

Did you know that Richard II died on (or around) 14 February 1400 at Pontefract Castle?

He likely died of starvation - either self-inflicted, or a cruel punishment.

Shakespeare over-dramatised this (of course).

More info: wmandc.co/richard-ii

it's very cool! It'll be going on display with a bunch of other wonderful Worms memorabilia next week!

Did you guess? 👀

If you guessed a giant cartoon worm, well, you'd be correct! 🪱🎮

Thanks to Team17 for loaning us this cheeky chap and a bunch of other Worms memorabilia!

Find out more about Wakefield's gamechangers and 30 years of Worms on our website: wmandc.co/worms

we've had a dalek made out of liquorice before at Pontefract Museum... but no, not a dalek this time!

Well there might just be a point then 👀

Our Curator John and Exhibitions Officer Clare stood either side of a person-sized object underneath a black cover. They are stood in the Team17 office lobby.

We've been to local video game legends Team17 to collect a special loan today...

but what's under the cover 👀

It's one of our favourite times of the year - a time to celebrate our #SuperbOwl s! 🦉🥳

These frosted glass bookends were made by local manufacturer Bagley's and Co in the 1930s.

Thanks for joining us on our recent Museum Store Tour!

The Victorians really were a sassy bunch...

We think of 'Love hearts' as a predominantly 70s/80s thing but they originate from the 1840s as 'Conversation Lozenges'. Today I saw some originals at @wakefieldmuseums.bsky.social store tour
A favourite being the one engraved with the simple phrase 'I will not'

A vintage silver bowl with two handles, floral engravings around the exterior, and resting on three small ball-shaped feet, set against a plain light background.

📢 Help us spread the word and bring back the #MuseumSuperbowl

On Monday morning let's flood Bluesky with bowl and owls 🍜🦉

@wakefieldmuseums.bsky.social
@maryrosemuseum.bsky.social
@romanpalace.bsky.social
@merchantshallyork.org
@roystonmuseum.bsky.social
@penleehousegallery.bsky.social

The rainbow Pride flag with a chevron of Trans and racial equality colours flying at Pontefract Castle

Happy LGBTQ+ history month! 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

We'll be flying the Pride Flag at Pontefract Castle throughout February.

You can also explore local LGBTQ+ stories on our website: museumsandcastles.wakefield.gov.uk/discover/col...

#LGBTQIA #LGBTHistoryMonth #LGBTQ

Thanks, so do we! 🤩

A soft, romantic oil painting of All Saints Church in the day. It shows the remains of the original medieval structure and the new chapel built within the ruins.

The historic church of All Saints stands under a moonlit sky, with illuminated windows and bare trees surrounding its stone structure. The scene evokes a serene, atmospheric setting.

Today's @artukdotorg.bsky.social #OnlineArtExchange theme is light and dark 💡

We've got the perfect pair of paintings - 'All Saints' Church' [day] (1908) and 'All Saints' Church' [night] (1910).

Both are by H.E. Hebdon, inspired by J.M.W. Turner.

On display in Picturing Pontefract from 2 Feb!

Where is the 'Rhubarb Triangle'? Where exactly is the rhubarb triangle? And is it even a triangle? What is Wakefield's link to the rhubarb triangle? Find this out and more!

What a throwback! The reality is a bit less colourful... but a lot tastier!

The 'rhubarb triangle' is the area commonly known to grow Yorkshire Forced Rhubarb (aka the best rhubarb). But it's actually a bit more complicated than it first seems...
museumsandcastles.wakefield.gov.uk/discover/col...

Where is the 'Rhubarb Triangle'? Where exactly is the rhubarb triangle? And is it even a triangle? What is Wakefield's link to the rhubarb triangle? Find this out and more!

The reality is a bit less colourful... but a whole lot tastier!

The 'rhubarb triangle' is the area commonly known to grow Yorkshire Forced Rhubarb (aka the best rhubarb). But it's actually a bit more complicated than it first seems... museumsandcastles.wakefield.gov.uk/discover/col...

A man stood proudly next to a tractor load of forced rhubarb - the pile is taller than he is!

A person crouched over picking forced rhubarb in a low-roofed rhubarb shed, 1980s

Bright pink stalks of forced rhubarb

Rhubarb lovers rejoice - the Rhubarb Festival is back 20 - 22 Feb! 😋

To celebrate, we've got lots of tasty new content on our website. Dig into the history of the rhubarb industry in Wakefield. Discover the many uses of this powerful pink plant.

Fill your boots at https://wmandc.co/rhubarb

Freelancer opportunity: Museum Hubs evaluation Wakefield Museums and Castles are looking for a museum specialist to evaluate the impact of our Museum Hubs.

Museum and evaluation specialists - we need you!

We're looking for a #freelance consultant to evaluate the impact of our Museum Hubs and to make recommendations for their future programming and management.

Budget: Up to £10,000
Closing date: midday Mon 9 Feb

More info: wmandc.co/hubs-evaluation