A healthy dose of nostalgia and a trip back to the swinging sixties has been promised to visitors at a museum celebrating its 50th birthday this month.

The Manor House Museum in Ilkley will reach the milestone on Friday, July 8, and a new exhibition has been set up to trace the history of the landmark, which was established to house the wealth of significant Roman artefacts unearthed in the town in the late nineteenth century.

Visitors will be able to relive the museum’s colourful past and get a better understanding of what the world was like when it opened in 1961, including vibrant historical fashions and intriguing archaeological objects from the local area.

The exhibition at the Bradford Council-owned venue will run until Sunday, September 4, and Coun David Green, the Council’s executive member responsible for culture, said: “This exhibition will celebrate Manor House Museum and Art Gallery’s fascinating past, its vital role in supporting contemporary artists, and its reputation in exhibiting artefacts of local and national importance.

“I am sure it will remain a vital community asset for another 50 years and beyond.”

The building itself, part of which is thought to date back to the 14th or 15th century, was itself saved from dereliction thanks to the efforts of townspeople. Today it houses collections of ancient artefacts found in the area, and is a venue for art exhibitions and other events.

Built on the site of a Roman settlement, little information remains about the building's original use, but it was converted to four cottages by the end of the 18th century.

Once part of the estate of Ilkley landowners the Middleton family, it was let to significant local figure Thomas Beanlands in 1801, and was in the hands of Percy Dalton in the mid 20th century.

It was condemned as unfit for human occupation in the 1950s, and Dalton donated it to the town.

With the aid of a loan from Ilkley Urban District Council, and the effort of residents, it was restored, and opened as a museum and art galley on July 8, 1961.

The museum’s current collection of archeologically important objects, which is exhibited in rotation, includes Neolithic arrowheads and Anglo-Saxon carved sandstone blocks.

It has also hosted touring exhibits from prestigious artists such as Francis Bacon and Barbara Hepworth.

A number of celebratory events are being planned to mark the museum’s anniversary year. For details go to bradfordmuseums.org.

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