Museums And Archives

Opening up the Saltaire Collection: The pathway to accreditation, access and engagement for all.

This project will unlock public access to the internationally significant Saltaire Collection by creating permanent, community-led exhibition spaces and secure storage. The project will transform how people engage with Saltaire’s heritage, increase participation by collaborating with local communities to co-create inspiring spaces, share diverse stories and create fit-for-purpose storage to safeguard the collection. The project marks a major step-change in our journey towards achieving accreditation, enabling wider access, learning, and connection to Saltaire’s UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Collection holds over 7,000 objects telling the powerful story of Saltaire’s founding in 1853 by Sir Titus Salt and its continuing social, industrial and cultural legacy. Currently, this heritage is inaccessible and at risk due to inadequate storage. By relocating the Collection into new publicly accessible spaces at Shipley College, the project will deliver free public access, community-led exhibitions, volunteering opportunities, learning programmes, and will improve our long-term organisational resilience