News
A love letter to Oldham
Between 2018 and 2020, arts organisation Arc worked in partnership with Gallery Oldham on a community project to celebrate what makes Oldham special, with support from the National Lottery Heritage […]
The return of the Devil’s Fireplace
This grotesque and unusual fireplace must be one of the strangest items in the Gallery Oldham collections. It has been a part of the Gallery collections since 1938 and many older visitors might have memories of seeing it on display. After a recent restoration project, the fireplace is now back on show to fascinate a new generation.
Gathering Moss
The natural history collection at Gallery Oldham is much more than a store of objects; it’s an ongoing process. Over the years, many of the specimens were donated to the […]
Tags: moss, Natural History
A Poem and Plant Specimens
Whilst exploring our collections, Patricia our natural history curator, came across this poem by the Saddleworth poet Ammon Wrigley (1861-1946)
Tags: Natural History, Plants, poetry
Touring exhibition: Zarah Hussain’s Light Upon Light
Our touring show, Zarah Hussain’s Light Upon Light, opens in Rugby on 18 Sept. We talk to Zarah about the inspiration behind her new artworks.
Tags: Exhibition, Zarah Hussain
Moss Terrariums and Bottle Gardens
Make your own miniature garden in a bottle using mosses with artist Anthony Hall.
Tags: Anthony Hall, family activity, family fun, moss, Natural History
Park Bridge: Moss Trail 2
Inspired by mosses in Gallery Oldham’s collection, Anthony Hall shares his trail around Park Bridge on the search for new specimens.
Tags: Anthony Hall, moss, Natural History
Daisy Nook Country Park: Moss Trail 3
Inspired by our moss collection, Anthony Hall shares his woodland trail around Daisy Nook Country Park on the search for new specimens.
Tags: Anthony Hall, moss, Natural History
Snipe Clough: Moss Trail 1
Inspired by the collectors who donated mosses to the museum, Anthony Hall shares his trail around Snipe Clough on the search for specimens.
Tags: Anthony Hall, moss, Natural History
Let’s be heard
Alessandra Merizzi has written this blog about the latest exhibition in our Community Gallery. The exhibition runs from 17 July until 4 September. Let’s Be Heard is a group of […]
‘Biocrusts’ and ‘Blanket-bogs’
One of a series of blogs written by Anthony Hall who is exploring the secret life of moss specimens in our natural history collection.
Tags: Anthony Hall, moss
The National Gallery Masterpiece Tour: Degas
We’re using Hélène Rouart in her Father’s Study by Hilaire-Germain-Edgar Degas by as a springboard for conversation. Is this really a portrait of Hélène or her father? How are women represented in our collections? And, who are the women in these paintings?
Tags: Degas, National Gallery
Festival Oldham 2021
We’re delighted to announce Festival Oldham is back! The borough’s free celebration of art and entertainment takes place on Saturday 24 July 2021 in Parliament Square in Oldham Town Centre […]
Tags: festival oldham
Brick by Brick exhibition opens 26 June
Our latest exhibition is sure to be popular with LEGO® fans – whatever their age. The Brick by Brick exhibition, which runs from 26 June to 4 September, gathers the […]
Young Artists Micro-commission with National Gallery, London
Gallery Oldham is excited by young people’s take on the world, we want to create opportunities for discussion, exploration and creation of new work and change. As part of our […]
Moss is not the enemy
One of a series of blogs written by Anthony Hall who is exploring the secret life of historical moss specimens in our natural history collection.
Dance The Night Away
Volunteer Francine McMahon shares three works in our collection which now seem really different as a result of the changes our lives have been through.
Tags: art, arthistory, lockdown life, reopening
Mindfulness with Gallery Oldham
Mindfulness is a type of meditation that focuses your awareness on the present moment. As we develop awareness of our surroundings, the breath, the body, our thoughts and emotions, we […]
Celebrate!
Eid Mubarak! To celebrate Eid Al-Fitr, Thursday 13th May 2021, we have some fun online activities to suit all the family. Learn how to make some tasty recipes brought to […]
Art of the Everyday
New exhibition ‘Art of the Everyday’ by Manchester Academy of Fine Art opens at Gallery Oldham from 18 May 2021.
Tags: Art of the Everyday, Exhibition
Future Everything: This Place [of mine]
Oldham, as with many other towns in Greater Manchester has a long history of the High Street being a venue for social interaction and change. From sharing a portion of […]
Project launch: Moss Bothering
Artist Antony Hall is beginning a three-month project to explore the secret life of historical moss specimens in our natural history collection.
Tags: Gallery Oldham, moss, museum collections
Air Drying Clay Crafts – Bee Pot
The perfect chance to use air drying clay! It’s a great material for crafting 3D artworks from beads to games, today we’re creating Bee Pots.
Tags: family friendly, family fun, kids and families, Spring Thing
Mud painting
Mud painting is a fun way to explore nature and get a little bit messy! Join Gallery Oldham as we take an adventure outside and get creative.
Paper Flowers
Join artist Alison Cooper and Gallery Oldham in this easy step-by-step guide to make paper flowers inspired by our art collection.
Tags: families, kids and families, Spring Thing
Buzzy Bees
As part of Spring Thing find out more about the bees at Gallery Oldham and join in our fun quiz.
Tags: bees, families, family friendly, kids and families, Spring Thing
Sunflower: Growing Guide
Our Natural History curator gives you some top tip on how to grow your sunflower in one of our amazing Spring Thing activities.
Tags: family friendly, family fun, kids and families, Spring Thing
Origami Plant Pot
Recycle your old newspaper and practise your origami skills by making these simple and very useful plant pots!
Tags: family friendly, family fun, kids and families, Spring Thing
Peter Rabbit Treasure Trail – 1
Join Oldham Libraries for a Peter Rabbit Treasure Trail this Easter as part of our Spring Thing activities.
Tags: family friendly, family fun, kids and families, Spring Thing
Peter Rabbit Treasure Trail – 2
Peter Rabbit trail letter clues for you to have fun treasure hunting at home.
Discover Arts Award
Our Spring Thing Arts Award Discover at Home is a get way to explore art and get hands-on whilst getting a qualification.
Tags: family friendly, kids and families, Spring Thing, young people
Once Upon A Year Ago
At the start of the pandemic Clare Bamforth moved from her role in Oldham Council’s Mental Health Team to working at the PPE hub. Here is her poem Once Upon A Year Ago.
Tags: oldham, oldham lockdown museum, pandemic diaries oldham lockdown museum
Oldham’s Lockdown Museum: Collecting Covid-19
Gallery Oldham has been collecting material that will show future generations how Oldham lived through the global Covid-19 pandemic.
Tags: oldham lockdown museum
Oldham’s Lockdown Museum: One year in Tricia Golden
Tricia Golden shares a snapshot of the changes to her life in the last year, as part of our Lockdown Museum: One Year On series.
Tags: Lockdown, lockdown life, oldham, oldham lockdown museum, pandemic diaries oldham lockdown museum
Spring Thing
There’s more than chocolate to look forward to this Easter. Gallery Oldham have got lots in store for you this holiday with Spring Thing.
Tags: family friendly, family fun, kids and families, Spring Thing
Oldham’s Lockdown Museum: One Year in Rabia Begum
Artist and activist Rabia Begum talks to Oldham’s Lockdown Museum about the impact of lockdown on her daily life in Oldham.
Tags: Gallery Oldham, lockdown life, oldham, oldham lockdown museum, pandemic diaries oldham lockdown museum
Oldham’s Lockdown Museum: One year in Mark Woodcock
Mark Woodcock from Oldham Communities Leisure shares his experience of the impact of the pandemic on his working life.
Tags: lockdown life, oldham, oldham lockdown museum, pandemic diaries oldham lockdown museum
Oldham’s Lockdown Museum: One year in Kashif Ashraf
It’s a year since lockdown started & our Oldham’s Lockdown Museum was born. We catch up with Kashif Ashraf as he looks back at the last year.
Tags: oldham lockdown museum
Oldham’s Lockdown Museum: One year in Andy Powell
It is a whole year since lockdown began and some of the contributor’s to Oldham’s Lockdown Museum are reflecting on the last year. Here’s Digital Trainer, Andy Powell’s story.
Tags: oldham lockdown museum
Oldham’s Lockdown Museum: One year in Janis Bowie
To mark the anniversary of lockdown, we have contacted some of the Oldham Lockdown Museum contributors and asked them to reflect on the last twelve months. Here is artist Janis Bowie’s story.
Tags: oldham lockdown museum
Oldham’s Lockdown Museum: One year in Liam Whitehead
Liam from Positive Steps talks about some of the challenges he has faced in the year since the first lockdown began.
Tags: lockdown life, lockdown museum, oldham, photography
One year in – Alexandra Park School
Samantha Hickling shares her experience of working at Alexandra Park Primary School.
Tags: oldham, oldham lockdown museum, pandemic diaries oldham lockdown museum, pandemic life
Picturing a pandemic: Anniversary of Lockdown
On the first anniversary of lockdown, curator Rebecca looks back at some of her favourite photos which have been submitted to Oldham’s Lockdown Museum in the last year. When we […]
International Women’s Day: Exploring the Life and Work of Patti Mayor
In the second of our blogs about Patti Mayor, MA student Alexandra Cosmé shares more of the story of Patti Mayor’s life.
Tags: art history, artist, Gallery Oldham, Harris Museum & Art Gallery, Patti Mayor, suffragette, The Grundy
Remembering Patti Mayor, the artist activist
This is one of two blogs marking International Women’s Day, exploring the artist Patti Mayor and her legacy. This blog has been written by Francine McMahon, a post-graduate student currently studying MA Art Gallery and Museum Studies at The University of Manchester. Prior to this, Francine did an undergraduate degree in Philosophy. She is currently on placement at Gallery Oldham working as a collections researcher. Francine’s interest in the relationships between art, design and social history are explored in this post, looking at them through the theme of women’s rights protests.
Tags: International Women's Day, IWD2021, Lancashire artist, Patti Mayor, suffragette
This Year
We are asking you to send us written records of your life in Oldham during the last year of the pandemic. Lesley Reece submitted this poem to Oldham’s Lockdown Museum. […]
Tags: covid-19, creative writing, oldham, oldham lockdown museum, pandemic diaries oldham lockdown museum, pandemic life
Light Up Lockdown with Ultraviolet
Ultraviolet light reveals alien-like colors and fairy sparkles in seemingly normal plants to attract bees.
Tags: Light Up Lockdown
Darwin Day: Plant Snacks!
Darwin Day marks the birthday of naturalist Charles Darwin. We’re celebrating his achievements by exploring some of the plants his studied.
Tags: Charles Darwin, Natural History, Plants
#Go Cosy: Bed warmers
Warm up this winter – Curator Bill Longshaw takes a look at bed warmers in our collection as part of #GoCosy.
Tags: #GoCosy
#GoCosy: Take it easy in a Rocking Chair
What’s more cosy than a Rocking Chair? Sitting comfortably, Gallery Oldham’s Curator Bill Longshaw, will tell you more.
Tags: #GoCosy
First an epidemic abroad, then a pandemic at home
Oldham resident Rosetta Ceesay worked in Gambia during the Ebola epidemic, which meant she was more prepared for life here during the Covid-19 pandemic than many of us. Here she shares what she learnt during her time in Gambia, and how it has shaped her approach to lockdowns in Oldham.
Tags: art, oldham, oldham lockdown museum, pandemic response, wellbeing
Light Up Lockdown
We’ve got lots in store for you this February half-term. Get ready for Light Up Lockdown, a week-long celebration of creativity and light.
Tags: family friendly, Light Up Lockdown, Lockdown, lockdown life, oldham lockdown museum
Children’s Mental Health Week
From the 1st – 7th Feb we are celebrating Children’s Mental Health Week and sharing some of our favourite resources which support children and young people. Since 2015 Place2Be have […]
#GoCosy: Bedtime Drinks
We explore Oldham’s answer to Horlicks and Ovaltine.
Tags: #GoCosy
Curator Talks via Zoom
Join our new Curator talks online from the comfort of your own home.
Tags: Online events, talks
Counting down our top blogs of 2020
Although our galleries were closed for much of last year, we welcomed more visitors than ever to our website. We hope that many of you will continue to enjoy our […]
Life Drawing goes digital!
Have you always fancied trying life drawing but haven’t had the opportunity to take part? We have the perfect solution. Join our new digital life drawing classes, guided by an […]
Oldham’s Lockdown Museum: writing
Since May, you have been sending us your photos and words to help us capture life in Oldham during the pandemic. Here, David Ryder shares a poem he wrote during […]
Explore local history with Oldham Historical Research Group
Oldham Historical Research Group is pleased to announce its first meeting of 2021 will be held using zoom. This friendly group always welcomes new members with an interest in local […]
Tags: Oldham Historical
Window Wonderland and Reindeer Parade Trail
This year we’re celebrating Christmas with a difference at Gallery Oldham with a Window Wonderland installation and Reindeer Parade Trail.
2020 Pandemic: A Personal History by Joan Stott
Joan Stott shares her personal experience of living through the first part of the pandemic. He went to bed last night muttering and complaining but it’s not as if you […]
Tags: history, lockdown life, lockdown museum, oldham, pandemic
Join us as we #GoCosy this winter
Why not join us as we wrap up warm and #GoCosy at Gallery Oldham this winter
Lockdown Update
Following the latest Government lockdown guidance, we will be closed from Thursday 5th Nov and we look forward to welcoming you back soon.
Tags: Lockdown
Artist Commissions: Window Wonderland
10 artists sought to create a magical Window Wonderland trail in Oldham Town centre.
Len Johnson: Black history Month
We take a look at Len Johnson and the Pan African Congress which took place in Manchester, 1945.
Tags: Black History Month, Len Johnson, Pan African Congress
Cotton Connection: Black History Month
We take a look at our shared histories as part of Black History Month. This guest blog is by Matthew Dean of The Cotton Connection podcasts.
Tags: Black History Month, local history, Matthew Dean, The Cotton Connection
Black History Month: Ajit Medtia
One of a series of blogs looking our shared histories as part of Black History Month we focus on Ajit Medtia, vice-chairman of the Oldham Asian Business Association.
Tags: Ajit Medtia, Black History Museum, Oldham Asian Business Association
Legacies of Biafra
Join curator Rebecca Hill as she explores Legacies of Biafra, an exhibition of artists’ responses to the 1976-1970 Nigeria-Biafra War.
Black History Month: Fighting to end apartheid
Throughout October we’re marking Black History Month by high-lighting collections and stories held by Gallery Oldham and Oldham Local Studies and Archives.
Tags: apartheid, Black History Month
Reopening Oldham Local Studies and Archives
We’re very pleased to announce that Local Studies and Archives will be able to welcome visitors back into their search room from Wednesday 7 October. This will initially be a […]