SPECIAL EXHIBITION 

Step behind the scenes with this brand new exhibition for 2025, bringing rarely seen objects out of the store to showcase the fascinating and unique stories from Pickering’s past.

From everyday objects with surprising histories to remarkable finds, these objects have been carefully selected by volunteers and community groups.

Which will be your favourite? Look out for the ‘Vote for Me’ signs to have your say. 

There’s also a special trail to help younger visitors explore.

This exhibition has been brought to you with funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Find out more and cast your vote online.

From the Ice Age to the Modern Age, join us on Wednesday afternoons for a guided walk to explore the hidden history of this thriving market town. Discover historic buildings, famous landmarks and royal connections and learn about the notable people who shaped the town. 

The walk is approximately one mile and has a slight gradient and some steps. It can also be delivered as a talk, instead of a walk.

If you would like to book for a group through the winter please email us:  [email protected] (Charges are £60 for a maximum of 8 people.)

Explore our new exhibition, sharing the story of this wonderful Pickering man and the Smith family more widely – including Sydney’s wife Maud, and children Barbara and Eddie.

‘Sydney Smith / Beyond Photography’ sets the context of studio photography in the first half of the 20th century and the way this artform was changing and developing in exciting ways. There’s also a chance to explore previously rarely-scene photos of the Smith family at leisure. 

We’ve brought the fashions of wartime Britain to life with a special 1940’s costume exhibition.

This fascinating exhibition will showcase a selection of ten outfits from the period, from the fur coats and touch of glamour you might associate with the era, to the more practical garments that reveal the story of utility, rationing, and ‘making do’ in wartime Britain. Discover how people balanced style with necessity during a very challenging decade. 

Costumes reflect different aspects of the fashion. Some pieces really highlight the efforts people went to with their attire, including their wedding wear. However, military uniforms also feature, as well as the everyday reality of rationing, ‘utility clothing’ and ways of stretching out precious resources. Through their clothing, we can get close to people’s lives, and how they were shaped in the 1940s – in some cases, very close, as there’s also a selection of 1940’s underwear on display.