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A remarkable museum in Pateley Bridge which boasts more than 30,000 historic items is to mark its 50th anniversary with a special weekend and a two-for-one ticket offer.

Housed in an imposing Victorian Workhouse on King Street in Pateley Bridge, since Nidderdale Museum first first opened in 1975 it has – without fanfare – focussed on immersing visitors in the rich heritage of the Dales.

Shining a light on the area's rich history for the last century in a way nowhere else does, the museum boasts 13 exhibition spaces, including a whole room devoted to the old railways of Nidderdale which reveals that Pateley Bridge was once the ‘Crewe Junction’ of the North.

As it reaches its milestone 50th birthday, Nidderdale Museum is set to host a visit by Harrogate Charter Mayor Coun Chris Aldred on Friday, March 14, followed by a weekend of celebrations.

Shining a light on Dales past - A histotoric photograph from Nidderdale Museum of Pateley Bridge's railway heyday when it was the ‘Crewe Junction’ of the North. (Picture contributed)

On Saturday and Sunday, March 15-16, it will be open from 1.30pm to 4.30pm offering two entries for the price of one for all participants in the National Lottery Open Week.

The offer is redeemable by anyone with a National Lottery ticket.

Accompanied children under 16 can visit for free.

Operated entirely by volunteers who are passionate about the Dales’s heritage, Nidderdale Museum is packed full of items and photos related to Leisure, Agriculture, Industry, Religion, Transport and Costumes.

It also hosts a series of excellent sets, such as the Cobbler's shop, the sweet shop, the Blacksmith's, as well as the Victorian living room and the mine shaft.

This wonderful facility also acts in part as a family history research service, holding some local records in our collection, which can be viewed on request.

It also boasts a bookshop.

On April 1, 2022, the museum changed its governance for the good of its long-term future.

It is now run by Nidderdale Museum Society CIO (Charitable Incorporated Organisation), which means it is now a legal entity and there is reduced liability for the trustees.

The public can support the museum by making a donation online via: https://donate.mydona.com/nidderdale-museum

Nidderdale Museum Society CIO is registered charity number 1197116.

Museum world's 'best kept secret' in the Dales is to celebrate 50th anniversary with two for one entry offer