Visit Our Museums
West Park Museum
West Park
The Museum was donated by Marianne Brocklehurst and her brother, Peter Pownall Brocklehurst "for the education, refinement and pleasure of the people for all time to come."
In 1894 scandal ensued over the choice of designs for the Museum. Marianne Brocklehurst withdrew her offer after an insulting letter from "a Town Councillor", causing much disappointment among the people of Macclesfield. After four years Miss Brocklehurst relented and the Museum was finally opened on the 3rd of October 1898. The design of the interior was based on a room at the Whitworth Art Gallery.
Marianne was unable to attend the opening ceremony because of a broken shoulder bone and tragically she never saw the completed museum as she died three weeks later.
The painting by Henry Valvert was restored at North West Museum Services as part of "Adopt-a-Painting" Scheme with the support of the Friends of Macclesfield Silk Heritage.
Did you know....?
West Park was originally known as Peel Park after Robert Peel.
The Museum is located in one of the earliest public parks, which opened in 1854 and was funded by voluntary subscriptions. The park boasts the largest bowling green in England. Over the years the amenities in the park have developed to match changing leisure activities.
Exhibits
West Park Museum's Collections comprise a wide range of fine and decorative art material and objects relating to local history. This includes the famous Giant Panda. The paintings date from the 19th and early 20th centuries. Local history displays include Law & Order and the life of Charles Roe, an 18th century Macclesfield entrepreneur.
Charles Tunnicliffe (1901-1979), one of the country’s leading wildlife artists, was born in Langley near Macclesfield. The museum has an extensive collection which illustrates all aspects of his work – etchings of wood cuts for book illustrations, watercolours and oil paintings with many examples of local scenes as well as intricate bird portraiture.
The museum's collection of ancient Egyptian antiquities was acquired by Marianne Brocklehurst during visits to Egypt between 1873-74, 1882-83, and 1890-91. Displays take you on a journey through life in ancient Egypt. The collection includes a mummy case, and the afterlife displays examine the process of mummification and the type of objects buried with the dead. You can follow Marianne's adventures through extracts from the illustrated diary she kept during her first visit to Egypt.
The Museum is also the venue for Macclesfield Museums' temporary exhibitions programme.