Wakefield Museums and Castles

An old photograph of seven women and girls of varying ages sat on a step in a street, and a young child on a toy bike

Social history

Our social history collection reveals the lived experiences of local people's everyday lives. It explores the past and the present day. Read amazing stories of ordinary people at home, at work and at play. Discover world firsts and quirky community traditions. Meet local sports stars and drag legends! (More content coming soon.)

A cartoon of a crowd of people carrying a coffin and others holding placards that say 'equal representation' and 'universal suffrage'

The first secret ballot

Explore the murky world of elections in the 1800s. Find out about scandal in Wakefield. Discover Pontefract’s pivotal place in political history.
A vintage photograph of a rugby league game

Rugby League

Rugby League is born and bred in West Yorkshire. It's an important part of our local identity today. Discover some of our star rugby objects.
A display case containing rainbow pride memorabilia

LGBTQ+

Discover drag superstars and inspirational artists. Explore the history of Wakefield Pride told by the people who made it happen.
A mum sat stroking the face of her baby, who is sat on her knee

BaBi Wakefield

Meet the mums and babies taking part in the Born and Bred in Wakefield project. Find out what it’s like to have a baby in Wakefield in the 2020s.
Two women and two young boys, all very smartly dressed, viewing a photography exhibition. Lots of framed photographs are hung together very closely, completely covering the walls. We do things a bit differently today!

100 Years of Collecting

2023 marked the centenary of the Wakefield Museums and Castles collection. We have been collecting objects and telling stories for over 100 years!

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