Welcome

Dales Countryside Museum tells the fascinating story of the Yorkshire Dales and the people who have lived and worked here and shaped the landscape for thousands of years.

With loads of fun and interesting things for visitors of all ages to see and do, the Museum offers the chance to discover what is so unique about the Yorkshire Dales and make your visit to the area really special.

 

Upcoming events

26-03-2019 | 12:00 to 16:00

Printmaker at Work

Watch artist Hester Cox making prints from the stunning woodblocks created to illustrate her many books, by historian and founder of the museum, Marie Hartley. The prints created will be placed in the Museum archive and Hester, inspired by her experience and on-going research into the career of Marie Hartley as an artist, printmaker and historian, will create a new body of work to be exhibited at the Museum in 2020. Included in museum admission.
02-04-2019 | 12:00 to 16:00

Printmaker at Work

Watch artist Hester Cox making prints from the stunning woodblocks created to illustrate her many books, by historian and founder of the museum, Marie Hartley. The prints created will be placed in the Museum archive and Hester, inspired by her experience and on-going research into the career of Marie Hartley as an artist, printmaker and historian, will create a new body of work to be exhibited at the Museum in 2020. Included in museum admission.
09-04-2019 | 12:00 to 16:00

Printmaker at Work

Watch artist Hester Cox making prints from the stunning woodblocks created to illustrate her many books, by historian and founder of the museum, Marie Hartley. The prints created will be placed in the Museum archive and Hester, inspired by her experience and on-going research into the career of Marie Hartley as an artist, printmaker and historian, will create a new body of work to be exhibited at the Museum in 2020. Included in museum admission.
More events

Exhibitions

01-02-2019 to 08-05-2019 | 10:00 to 17:00

Colour and Comfort – a collaborative exhibition with the Quilters Guild exploring rural quilts and quilting

01 February to 08 May

An exhibition 19th and 20th century rural quilts and quilted clothing from the Yorkshire Dales, including examples of frame, mosaic, applique, wholecloth, patchwork, recycled and repaired quilts. See those made for richer households alongside those created and used in traditional Dales cottages. (more…)

22-05-2019 to 08-09-2019 | 10:00 to 17:00

Shepherdess – One Woman Farm

22 May to 08 September

A tough and tender portrait of a ‘true-to-life’, born and bred shepherdess, Alison O’Neill . In a special corner of the Yorkshire Dales, there is deep gratitude and spiritual fulfilment to be found in the essential work of a Shepherdess. Documented in heartfelt photographs and personal words, this exhibition portrays the growing intimacy between a woman, her flock and her love affair with life on a small hill farm, and the intractable realities of this traditional existence.

Photographer Ian Lawson produced a book Shepherdess – One Woman Farm here

 

 

12-09-2019 to 31-12-2019 | 10:00 to 17:00

Dairy Days

12 September to 31 December

Dairying has been at the heart of the Wensleydale economy since records began and still thrives today.This exhibition is the culmination of a two year project to research and share the story of this unbroken thread. The local community has shared personal stories and collections helping to bring the wonderful historic dairying artefacts and archive photographs in the Museum collection to life. Supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

More exhibitions