UK's only peace museum to move to bigger venue

Salts Mill in Saltaire will be the new home for the Peace Museum, which has been in Bradford city centre since 1998

The UK's only museum dedicated to the history of peace and peacemakers is to move to a new venue so it can show off more of its extensive collections.

The Peace Museum said its site in Bradford city centre was not fit for purpose and had launched a crowdfunding bid in 2020 to raise money for a move.

A National Lottery Heritage Grant of just over £245,000 had helped secure a new home at Salts Mills in Saltaire, Shipley, staff said.

The museum, which is temporarily closed, is due to reopen at its new premises in summer 2024.

A crowdfunding bid to raise money for the museum's move away from its site in Piece Hall Yard, Bradford, was launched in 2020

The museum had previously said it urgently needed to move premises because of issues with the current venue.

Those included the 60 steps within the Bradford city centre site which posed accessibility problems as well as structural issues with the building itself which meant the collection could no longer be stored safely.

Clive Barrett, chairman of trustees at the Peace Museum, said moving to a new site would be "transformational".

He added: "This is particularly exciting in light of Bradford receiving City of Culture for 2025, as we'll be able to welcome visitors from all over the world to our brand new museum in the heart of the district."

The museum said the grant would be used to create "exciting exhibitions and learning spaces, which will not only allow us to put much more of our collection on display, but which will also be accessible to everyone".

It added: "Opening in these new premises will create many more opportunities for visitors, researchers, and community groups to explore the diverse range of stories told by our collection."

'Incredible collection'

According to its website, the Peace Museum, which opened in 1998, "explores the history and the often untold stories of peace, peacemakers, social reform and peace movements".

It describes itself as "unique in that it is the only accredited museum of its kind in the UK".

Shanaz Gulzar, creative director of Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture, said: "Bradford is a city of peace and we're so excited that The Peace Museum is opening again, increasing access to their incredible collection."

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