View source for Pontefract Museum

{{Short description|Museum in Pontefract, West Yorkshire, United Kingdom}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2023}}
[[File:The Museum - geograph.org.uk - 429777.jpg|thumb|Pontefract Museum]]
'''Pontefract Museum''' is a local museum in [[Pontefract]], [[West Yorkshire]], [[England]]. The collections cover [[archaeology]], [[archive]]s, [[decorative arts|decorative]] and [[applied art]], [[fine art]], [[photograph]]s and [[social history]].
<ref>[http://www.wakefield.gov.uk/CultureAndLeisure/Museums/Pontefract/default.htm Information from Wakefield.gov.uk] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090528092910/http://www.wakefield.gov.uk/CultureAndLeisure/Museums/Pontefract/default.htm |date=2009-05-28 }} Retrieved 16 December 2009.</ref>

== History ==
The museum is located in an [[Art Nouveau]] building in the middle of the town which was originally a [[Carnegie library]].<ref>{{Historic England|num=1313268|desc=Pontefract Museum}}</ref> The library was opened in 1904 and designed by George Pennington.<ref>{{cite web |title=Pontefract library |url=https://carnegielegacyinengland.wordpress.com/2016/09/04/pontefract-library/ |website=The Carnegie legacy in England and Wales |access-date=5 January 2024 |language=en |date=4 September 2016}}</ref> 
In 1975, a [[Pontefract Library|new library]] was built and the Carnegie building was converted into a museum. It retains a tiled entrance hall and original 1904 furnishings.

[[File:Lobby of Pontefract Museum, Pontefract, UK.jpg|thumb|Art Nouveau tiling in the entrance hall]]

== Collections ==
Exhibits include information on [[Pontefract Castle]] and [[Pontefract Cakes]] ([[liquorice]] sweets). Exhibits include finds from [[Pontefract Castle]] and [[St. John's Priory, Pontefract]], coins from the [[English Civil War]], packaging from the Pontefract [[liquorice]] factories, coloured glass and locally printed material.<ref>[http://www.culture24.org.uk/yh000123 Pontefract Museum entry on Culture24] Retrieved 16 December 2009.</ref> Most of the collection has Pontefract connections, including the mining history of the town.

==See also==
*[[Listed buildings in Pontefract]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{officialwebsite|https://www.wakefield.gov.uk/museums-and-castles/pontefract-museum/}}

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{{West Yorkshire museums}}

[[Category:Library buildings completed in 1904]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in the City of Wakefield]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in the City of Wakefield]]
[[Category:Art Nouveau architecture in England]]
[[Category:Museums with year of establishment missing]]
[[Category:Carnegie libraries in England]]
[[Category:Former library buildings in England]]
[[Category:Local museums in West Yorkshire]]
[[Category:Listed buildings in Pontefract]]


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