By Mindy Goose, Secretary of Kirkstall Art Trail
It saddens us to hear about the proposal to close Abbey House Museum to the public.
It has been part of the Kirkstall community, as a museum, for almost 100 years (1927). The marvellous and educational Victorian Street has been with us since the 1950’s. “Museums have always been a space of civic pride, for learning and enjoyment, for inspiration and creativity.” (Catchpole, LGIU Local Government Information Unit).
“Around 525 museums in the UK have closed since 2000.” (Mapping Museums). This a vast number, for all of those communities who now lack a museum in their area. It will also become a huge loss to Kirkstall, if the museum was to close its doors.
We appreciate that Leeds City Council is in a difficult position over its budget. However, the closure of Abbey House Museum may have a longer financial impact, beyond the expressed initial saving.
Areas with such assets are more likely to build stronger communities. “Museums can play a major role in their communities, both responsively and helping to shape place. Polly Hamilton … defines it as what ‘draws on the combined assets of heritage, people, buildings and landscape to create places for people to fall in love with… giving people the opportunity to connect their individual stories with collective narratives, helping to make their place feel like home’”. (Neil Mendoza, The Mendoza Review, Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport)
Supporting local events, and empowering residents to take part is an important step that the museum could take. (Blake, Diamond, Foot et al, Joseph Rowntree Foundation).
Indeed, as recently as 2024, Abbey House hosted Kirkstall Art Trail in the Gatehouse. As local residents, we have felt empowered knowing that the local museums have supported us. It is right that engaging with their neighbours is one of the ways in which the museum can co-exist.
“Museums use their collections and knowledge to support society in direct ways. They bring people together and promote community cohesion; they support learning, tailoring their programmes to the local curriculum and local education priorities; they assist scholarly research through partnerships with universities; they can promote better health – for example, using collections to work with patients with mental health issues; and they employ and nurture a wide range of skilled people.
“They also offer spaces where we can experience the beauty and understand our place in the world.” (Neil Mendoza, The Mendoza Review).
In 2024, Abbey House Museum saw the opening of a Changing Places toilet, giving more access to people with complex disabilities. Losing this asset so soon after its opening would be more than disappointing. “Although the numbers are increasing, there are still not enough Changing Places toilets across the country. Providing these toilets in public places would make a dramatic difference to the lives of thousands of people who desperately need these facilities.” (Changing Places).
We should be engaging more with disabled people, and accessibility is an important factor in how we achieve this.
“The argument therefore seems compelling that museums, along with other cultural services, are part of the glorious fabric of our communities”. (Catchpole, LGIU Local Government Information Unit).
Please take a moment to respond to consultation for the Leeds Museums & Galleries proposal to close the Abbey House Museum.
Yet another museum closing! What is wrong with Leeds Ciy Council? After Thwaite Mill closing now the wonderful Abby House museum. I can remember from my childhood visiting this wonderful place, it’s stuck in my memories and I’m sure many other people have similar memories. I’ve visited many times and all my friends from abroad who stay with me have love it too. Stop spending on unnecessary things in the city and concentrate on the people who live here. Leeds is a place for a city break but shopping and eating is going to be the only attraction in this city soon, and you’ll find that tourism will take a hit if you do away with our more important attractions.
Trouble is the ideology of the Labour run council. They like their comrades in Westminster hate British heritage. Lets spend billions on net zero and bury British history. Just today from Beeston to Golden Acre through Headingley. Bike lanes non stop. Guess what, no cyclists just Deliveroo and Just Eat couriers. Council short of cash! I am 74 and so sad to see our once brilliant city brought to it’s knees.
Totally agree but do not think that the Labour controlled Leeds CC is entirely to blame. I suspect that both the two main parties are including the previous Conservative Governments. We are told that the huge amount of money thrown at building little used cycle lanes has been earmarked/ring fenced by the Conservative Government for that purpose, don’t know this is the case. Our museums are an enormous heritage; sadly Thwaites Mills Agricultural museum was permanently closed earlier this year. Closing Abbey House Museum (according to TripAdvisor, third in the list of 341 things to do in Leeds in 2024), would be a tragedy. I recall enjoying visiting the museum as a child, particularly the 19th century street, shops and houses. I have taken my own son and his friends when they were children round the museum and as a former primary school governor have helped out on school trips there. A brilliant resource both for visitors and schools.