Wakefield Museums and Castles

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

A historical black and white photo of young survivors in striped uniforms standing behind a barbed wire fence at Auschwitz concentration camp.

Black and white historical photo of liberated prisoners walking under the 'Arbeit Macht Frei' gate at Auschwitz Concentration Camp.

Black and white historical photo showing a large hall filled with discarded clothing, with a person visible in the background.

Historical black and white photograph of Auschwitz concentration camp after liberation showing dilapidated wooden barracks and victims' bodies on the ground.

Eighty-one years ago today, over 7,000 prisoners of the German Nazi camp #Auschwitz, including some 700 children, were liberated by the soldiers of the Soviet Army.

1,689 days of murder, pain, suffering, and humiliation were over.
Today, we all remember. We must keep remembering.

A pencil sketch of Cynthia Kenny as an older lady, with short curly hair, glasses and slight smile

An oil painting of Cynthia Kenny in her 40s. She has shoulder-length wavy red strawberry blonde hair, pale skin, olive eyes and red lipstick. She is wearing a quietly determined expression

Photograph of Cynthia Kenny in her later years, with short curly hair, glasses and slight smile

What amazingly talented visitors we have! 🤩

Thank you so much to Nanditha for sharing this stunning sketch of Cynthia Kenny in her later years.

It's inspired by Cynthia's own self-portrait and the photo of her on display in Cynthia Kenny: a city framed at Wakefield Museum.

wmandc.co/cynthia-kenny

Green full-length trousers made from a protective material, with braces, pockets and tape fasteners

Bright red flared trousers with three black buttons on the lower part of each leg

Grey work trousers with 'WR' in yellow on a label stitched into the waistband

Handmade blue velvet trousers with a pink floral pattern

Of course we do! Legwear for all occasions. 👖

1 - For your nuclear / chemical protective suit (1970s)
2 - For boogieing on down - and from M&S! (1970s)
3 - For working on the buses (1990s)
4 - Homemade by the Refugee Council sewing group (2024)

Thursday we went to Barnsley spent all the time in Asda.

a close up of a man with a beard says hello there Alt: Young Obi Wan Kenobi popping up into shot saying 'Hello there'

👋

Good morning 👋

We try our best to be significant, relevant & bring joy to people's lives. Some of our friends from the other place are now here inc @wakefieldmuseums.bsky.social @maryrosemuseum.bsky.social @romanpalace.bsky.social @merchantshallyork.org @roystonmuseum.bsky.social

You can see this incredible piece of history for yourself at Castleford Museum!

A globe grenade shaped glass bottle, handheld sized, with 'star' and 'warden's hand grenade' on it

We're extinguishing #BlueMonday with this Harden Star Bristol Blue Glass hand grenade!

A warden would have thrown this into a fire. The glass grenade would shatter and release chemicals to put out the flames.

They were first used in the 1800s, but still popular well into the 1900s.

Then you've got to come to Pontefract - see Ilbert for yourself!

Ilbert the Dragon, a friendly yellow and purple dragon mascot, being hugged by a child

Ilbert the Dragon stood next to a knight in shining replica medieval armour at Pontefract Castle

Ilbert the Dragon leading a parade of children and adults around Pontefract Castle on a sunny day

It's apparently #NationalAppreciateADragonDay!

So we're sharing the love for Pontefract Castle's mascot Ilbert the Dragon 🐉💜

Ilbert is named after Ilbert de Lacy, the founder of Pontefract Castle. Ilbert is yellow and purple to match the coat of arms of John de Lacy.

A vivid technicolour re-imagining of The Counting House in Pontefract, a half-timbered building from the 1600s. It is in bold block shades of yellow, pink, purple, orange and green against a blue sky.

Today's @artukdotorg.bsky.social #OnlineArtExchange theme is bold and colourful art 🌈

This is 'The Counting House', Helen Briggs (2005).

This is an iconic building in Pontefract, captured in vivid technicolour.

See this and many more in Picturing Pontefract, opening at Pontefract Museum 2 Feb!

a person is petting a sheep 's head in a field Alt: A happy sheep with its head tilted back as a person strokes its nose

Thank you! Here's a happy sheep to show our appreciation

a cartoon rabbit is looking at her eyelashes Alt: A cartoon rabbit picks up a pair of false eyelashes from a box, puts them on and flutters them

pretty please may we join this illustrious list 😘

Want an easy New Year's resolution you'll actually keep? 👀

Visit more Museums and Castles!

Find your next adventure at Wakefield Museum, Pontefract Castle, Pontefract Museum, Castleford Museum and Sandal Castle.

Free entry all year round.

More info: wmandc.co