Visitor and volunteer notice: Please note that Wigan Local Studies library will be closed to the public from 1:30pm on Friday 19th June. The ground floor of Wigan Museum will remain open as usual. We will be open as normal from Saturday 20th June. Thank you for your understanding.

'Jackson & Smith's Shop' & 'Street Scene' by Doreen Turton, 1976. Turton was a painter & model-maker, painting for up to eight hours a day until her passing. By the age 15, she became a pupil of the renowned local artist Theodore Major, & was the model for his 1948 painting 'A Lancashire Lass.'

Visitor notice: Wigan museum and local studies will be closing at 1pm on Tuesday 16th June for staff training. We will open as normal on Wednesday 17th June. Thank you for your understanding. #Wigan #Museum #LocalStudies

Created by a Wigan artist and illustrator Dave Kennedy, this book is a great introduction to Greek mythology for any young readers and a fantastic start on their journey into comic books! We have signed copies of 'Fetch' available to purchase in our museum shop 😍

If you’re in town, why not join us this Saturday for a free and uplifting poetry workshop with The Chubby Northerner! Afternoon POSITIVI-TEA invites visitors to slow down, share a brew, and explore the power of positive words 🤩 No writing experience needed. 📅 Sat 13th June ⏰12pm - 1pm 🚶Drop-in

Visitor notice: Wigan museum and local studies will be closing at 1pm on Tuesday 16th June for staff training. We will open as normal on Wednesday 17th June. Thank you for your understanding. #Wigan #Museum #LocalStudies

We have more tickets available for our Jacobite Treasures talk. Wigan played a crucial part in the Jacobite movement in the 18th century & this talk will look at our collections, stories, & legacy. Wed 10 June 11am-1pm Free, book via link below or 01942 828128. www.eventbrite.com/e/wigans-jac...

It's #VolunteersWeek and we want to say thank you! 🤩 We would not be able to do what we do without our amazing team of volunteers. So thank you to all our volunteers past and present, we acknowledge and appreciate everything that you do! ✨ #Wigan #Volunteers

Meet one of the characters from our Wigan’s Voice crowd scene. This is the Portrait of an Unknown Man by Joe Kiney Whitmore. Primarily a painter of oils, Joe is a Wigan artist with an interest in historical methods and techniques. #Wigan #Artist

Raaaaaaar! Tommy the T-Rex is back at the museum! Join us this Saturday and have your photograph taken with the world’s friendliest dinosaur, get crafty with themed activities, and solve the pterodactyl trail. We’d love to see your fancy dress! 🦖 Sat 30 May, 11am-1pm Free, no need to book

Happy Birthday to Sir Ian McKellen. Growing up opposite Mesnes Park in Wigan, this painting is a portrait painted for Sky Portrait Artist of the Year by finalist, Wigan-born artist Laura Quin Harris. This was the painting Sir Ian chose to keep after the final, two amazing local talents!

Today is #InternationalMuseumDay ! 🎉 The theme for 2026 is "Museums Uniting a Divided World" so we’re highlighting one of the works on display at Wigan’s Voice! 'Here We Found a Safe Place' is a collaborative banner made by more than 30 women from SWAP, the Support for Wigan Arrivals Project.

Wonderful presentation @wiganmuseum.bsky.social about the Golborne Pit disaster of 1979

Calling all #folk lovers! Join 'Gallows Pole' stars Jennifer Reid and Tom Kitching for an evening of song, stories, & skeletal horses. Steeped in culture and tradition, this show brings our industrial heritage to life like never before. Fri 10 July 7-9pm £10pp www.eventbrite.com/e/bitter-and...

This is a true Davy type lamp with a wind shield to stop strong currents of air extinguishing the flame. A small padlock or rivet could be used to stop the lamp being opened below ground. The second image shows Naylor (the maker) listed in a Wigan trade directory from 1872. #Wigan #Coal #Mining

Visitor notice: The museum and local studies will close today at 3:30pm. We apologise for any inconvenience and thank you for your understanding. We will reopen as normal tomorrow 10am-4pm.

Fancy something to do during your lunch break? Join our curators and explore art installations and themed displays highlighting our borough like never before. 📅 Wed 13 May ⏰ 12-12:45pm 💷 FREE Book via link below or ring 01942 828128. www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/wigan-muse...

Today marked the last day of the Bickershaw Festival in 1972. Organised by Chris Hewitt, Jeremy Beadle, and Harry 'The Count' Bilkus, the very wet three day festival was rumoured to have been attended by around 40,000 people and featured sets by The Grateful Dead, Kinks, and Captain Beefheart.

Looking for something to do for FREE during half term? We have crafts sessions on Sat 23 & Wed 27 May 11am-12:30pm. Raaaar! Tommy the TRex is back for Dinosaur Day on Sat 30th MAY 11am-1pm. Get involved with themed activities, trails, & more!🦖 No need to book, all events are drop in & FREE!

Have you heard of a toother? Or a walk flatter? These are examples of occupations taken from the 1881 census report, mentioned again in the Results of the Census in 1901 (photographed). Have you come across any unfamiliar occupations in your family history research? We would love to hear them 😍

Love being creative? Why not join Let's Shape Our Creativity here at the museum for a relaxed session with no rules, just the joy of creating something beautiful to take home. 🗓️ Mon 27 April ⌚ 6pm-8pm 💷 £13 pp inc all art materials Book via link below letsshapeourcreativity.co.uk/products/fro...

From mining talks and museum tours, to artist makers sessions we have a programme of events that are available to book, many of them FREE of charge 😍 Book via the link below or ring 01942 828128. #Wigan #GolborneMiningDisaster #Events #Museum www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/76968080343

Today we are sharing our volumes of Mining Deaths compiled by Ian Winstanley. They hold details of all the men, women, & children who lost their lives in the mines of Great Britain between 1850-1914. Names are in chronological order, with information covering the full details of each accident.

On 18 March 1979, an explosion at Golborne Colliery profoundly impacted the local community & defined its mining history. Meet miners who were working that day & hear first-hand accounts of the tragedy that changed the town forever. Sat 16 May 12-1pm £3.50 www.eventbrite.com/e/golborne-m...

Join us for curator tours of our latest exhibition 'Wigan's Voice' and our building, Egypt, and Roman displays. Wigan's Voice: Wed 13 May 12-12:45pm Wed 8 July 12-12:45pm Permanent displays & building: Wed 3 June 12-12:45pm Booking via link or 01942 828128 www.eventbrite.com/cc/wigan-mus...

We are looking for a Freelance Project Manager to help deliver our new NLHF funded project - 'Wigan Museum: Our Northern Soul'. For more information about the role, please click on the link below or email Ben Whittaker at [email protected]. www.artsjobs.org.uk/jobs/search/...

On #NationalPetDay we are posting one of our favourites. During a walk in 1939, Peggy the dog saved the life of a 12 year old boy called Tom Brown who had fallen into #Wigan canal. She jumped in after him, kept him afloat until help arrived, and was awarded the VC equivalent for animal bravery 🥰

Wigan Cult Film are at the museum tomorrow with the cult classic 'Plan 9 from Outer Space'. Reviewed as the "sci-fi horror that's so gloriously bad, it's become one of the most beloved cult films of all time"... 🗓️ Sat 11 April ⏰ 6pm-8:30pm 💷 FREE Book via link 👇 www.eventbrite.com/e/movie-in-t...

Have you used our newspaper card index before? They are an amazing catalogue resource for our Wigan Observer newspaper collection, as well as biographical & local cutting books. Have you or someone you know ever been in the newspaper? Why not come in & see what you can find! #Wigan #LocalStudies

It's here! Come see us at Wigan History Festival 2026! ⛪ Wigan Parish Church 📆 Fri 10th & Sat 11th April ⏰ 10am-4pm We can't wait to join all the amazing groups involved and look forward to seeing you today and tomorrow.

#OnThisDay in 1917 local artist James Lawrence Isherwood was born. To mark the occasion, we are posting one of the many paintings by Isherwood that we hold in our collection. We chose this one as it is a self portrait, and feels fitting for his birthday. #art #wigan #LocalArtist #Isherwood

Join 'Wigan's Voice' commissioned artist Alex Shaw for a hands-on workshop exploring the hidden connections between water, soil, & landscape through simple demonstrations & creative activities. Saturday 9th May 11am-12pm FREE Book via link below or 01942 828128 www.eventbrite.com/e/from-bog-t...

We are closed today, Good Friday, but open as normal tomorrow (Saturday) 10am-2pm. We hope you have a lovely Bank Holiday weekend. Our opening hours are: Tues-Fri 10am-4pm Sat 10-2pm

We have many different art mediums on display in Wigan’s Voice, including two embroidered panels by Beryl Patton, and a framed piece of feltwork by an unknown artist. Embroidery and felting are some of the oldest forms of textile art and a great way to relax and get creative.

Come see us at the Wigan History Festival 2026! ⛪ Wigan Parish Church 📆 Fri 10th & Sat 11th April ⏰ 10am-4pm We are excited to join all the amazing groups involved and look forward to seeing you there. #wigan #localhistory #museum #history

As the clocks have gone forward, we wanted to share these wonderful long case clocks on display in the museum. Wigan is well known for clockmaking and these two examples were made by local craftsmen John Burges (left) and Archibald Coats (right). #wigan #museum #clocks

Something different this week before World Puppetry Day tomorrow. 'Puppets through Lancashire' is a personal narrative of a travelling puppet show, published in 1936, capturing the journey and its many pit-stops including Wigan. #wigan #localstudies #localhistory #puppets

There are still a few places available for Goofus Theatre's magical FREE puppet show 'All in a Mouse's Night' this Saturday. 🗓️ Saturday 21 March ⌚ 11-11:30am 💷 FREE Recommended for mouses aged 2-8 years. Book via link below or ring 01942 828128. #Wigan #Puppet www.eventbrite.com/e/all-in-a-m...

Take a moment to relax and reflect in our slow looking space. Sit down, get comfortable, breathe, and take your time. You don’t need any prior art history knowledge, just let your eyes do the work and you will notice more features and details. The two paintings are by local artist Max Ayres.

Today's #exhibition highlight is wonderful! For Light Night 2025, local children sent in designs of their heroes. Alongside submissions of footballers & musicians, 7 yr old Hallie sent in artwork of Angela, her school cook. We love that regular people are immortalised as the heroes they are! ❤️

Come and explore the interaction between coal, canals, & steam power on textile manufacture. This talk combines historical narrative, images, songs, & poems, many in the old dialect. 🗓️ Sat 18 April 🕙 12-1pm 💷 £3.50 inc drink Book via link or ring 01942 828128. www.eventbrite.com/e/the-rise-o...

Join Goofus Theatre for a FREE magical non-verbal theatre performance for everyone to enjoy! 🤩 📅Saturday 21st March ⏰11am-11:30am and 1pm-1:30pm Recommended for mouses aged 2-8 years 🐭 Book through the Eventbrite link below or ring 01942 828128. www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/wigan-muse...

The first installation in Wigan’s Voice is the atmospheric Data Mining by Henrich & Palmer. Immerse yourself in projection and sound to explore the industrial and geological heritage of Wigan Borough. After your visit, please tell us what you think! #wigan #museum #projection #installation

Doreen Turton was a Wigan-born painter and model maker. She also occasionally sat for Theodore Major and was the model for his 1948 painting ‘A Lancashire Lass'. These two charming works by her are now on display in the newly opened 'Wigan's Voice' exhibition.

Our new exhibition 'Wigan’s Voice' is now open! With brand new commissioned works by three local artists displayed alongside key objects from our collection, art, film, and so much more - there really is something for everyone 😍 Tues-Fri 10-4pm Sat 10-2pm

Hacker T.Dog and his chums are back on display in the @wiganmuseum.bsky.social it opens on Saturday the 21st of February

With just a few days before we reopen we would like to share our third commissioned artist, Abi Kerner. These adorable pieces will be on display from Saturday so make sure you make time to visit 😍

As it's Valentines Day so we thought we would share some of our wonderful cards from years gone by ❤️

We are all set up for Chinese New Year in Wigan Library. We are here until 1:30pm with traditional crafts, costume, tea ceremony, & more! There is also: 11am: martial arts in Grand Arcade 12pm: dragon dance on Market Place 1pm: lion dance in Wigan Library And it's FREE! 😍 #ChineseNewYear #Wigan

Did you know you can access Ancestry and Find My Past for free in our local studies library. Here you can also view the 1921 census which is really useful for tracing your ancestors, and there is always a member of staff happy to help! We are open: Tues-Fri 10-4pm Sat 10-2pm