Blog

Sophie Michell is a postgraduate researcher at the Open University, researching decision-making processes within the coroner’s court. Murder was a rarity in Victorian Ripon. However, when I was asked to talk about suspicious death in the Liberty, I found three interesting cases. The Poulter case The first case concerned the Poulter family. Peter Poulter was born in Marton-le-Moor…

Over the October half-term, we invited visitors to the museums to solve our Whodunnit at the Workhouse murder mystery puzzle. Our sleuths demonstrated excellent powers of observation when finding hidden weapons and showed incredible ingenuity when interviewing some less-than-honest suspects. Using police techniques from Victorian England, our detectives tried their hand at being undercover agents on the hunt…

Ripon Museum Trust were delighted to receive a donation from the Harrogate & District Allotment Federation following the museum’s participation in their recent show. This generous donation will enable the Trust to invest in extra gardening tools so our brilliant team of gardening volunteers can work most effectively in our three historic gardens at the Workhouse Museum. The…

From 17 May to 5 September 2021, the Workhouse Museum is home to an exhibition created by Yorkshire-based textiles group 6-Ply, featuring five textile installations. Inspired by historical research into the theme of workhouse women, the artists used a variety of materials and techniques to convey the real experiences and imagined emotions of life as a woman in Ripon Workhouse. Room for Mother …

Ripon Museum Trust is delighted to welcome a new member to its team, as Dr. Laura Allan joins the organisation as Community Curator. Her role will involve working with local organisations, community groups and residents to increase engagement with the museums, to promote creativity, a sense of place and improved mental health and wellbeing. Laura joins the RMT team from…

A new exhibition showcasing artwork from across the criminal justice system comes to the Prison & Police Museum in Ripon this summer, opening on Tuesday 29 June and running until Sunday 26 September 2021. My Path is a creative walk through the criminal justice system. It showcases artworks from across Yorkshire, which were submitted to the 2020 Koestler Awards for arts in the…

To say thank you for the £30million raised for good causes every week by players and to welcome people back to their happy places, The National Lottery is unlocking free entry and special offers at a range of participating venues, as part of The National Lottery Open Week. From Saturday 5 to Sunday 13…

Julian Smith MP, Member of Parliament for Skipton and Ripon, visited the Workhouse Museum on Friday 14 May ahead of its reopening. Mr. Smith met with Ripon Museum Trust Director Helen Thornton and Chair of Trustees Richard Taylor, for a tour of the museum site. Helen Thornton said: "After being closed since December, we're very much looking forward to reopening…

Three popular Ripon museums are getting ready to open their doors to visitors, after being closed since December 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions. The Workhouse Museum, Prison & Police Museum and Courthouse Museum will reopen on Monday 17 May, with a brand-new exhibition open to visitors. Lives Unravelled is a series of textile installations created by Yorkshire-based textiles group 6-Ply. It will…

Ripon Museum Trust is pleased to announce that the Workhouse Museum Gardens will reopen from Thursday 15 April, with a family-friendly trail to guide visitors around the site. The Trust’s three museums – the Workhouse Museum, Prison & Police Museum and Courthouse Museum – will reopen fully in line with the Government guidance from Monday 17 May. From Thursday 15 April,…