Bradford and its surrounding district offer a hive of culture and history, with so many places to explore and people to learn about.
From museums and musical theatre to famous faces with lots of talent, the list is endless.
We have rounded up just some of the things Bradford is most famous for, so let’s take a look.
What is Bradford most famous for?
A variety of very famous faces
There are endless talented famous people who were born in Bradford, from musicians to sportspeople and magicians.
Just some of the big names you might recognise from the area include Zayn Malik from One Direction, artist David Hockney who is most known for his work ‘A Bigger Splash’, the Brontë sisters (literary icons Charlotte, Emily and Anne), Dynamo the magician, singer Kimberley Walsh from Girls Aloud and English cricketer Jonny Bairstow.
School dinners
Bradford was the first city under the Education (Provision of Meals) Act 1906 to provide school meals for its pupils.
Stephen Goodfellow spoke about some of the treasures of Bradford that were once found in a wooden box.
On the National Science and Media Museum website, he wrote: “In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Bradford was a tremendous innovator in the field of education.
“In front of me was direct evidence of some of those amazing innovations.
“One in particular was a truly historic first: the first ever council-funded school meals service in the country. I could see the actual children who ate them and the teachers who supervised the meals.”
National Science and Media Museum
In 1983 the building opened as the National Museum of Photography and in the same year, it became home to the first-ever IMAX cinema in the UK.
Fast forward many years later, including James Bond exhibitions and collaborations with Bradford-born David Hockney, the National Science and Media Museum has been “exploring the science and culture of image and sound technologies and their impact on our lives” for decades.
The website adds: “We aim to inspire the scientists and engineers of the future to see more, hear more, think more and do more.”
It is now temporarily closed to the public until summer 2024 to undergo "major refurbishment."
The Alhambra Theatre
The venue which seats 1,400 people is home to “the best in large scale entertainment from international dance to musicals, drama and Yorkshire's biggest panto.”
Some of the biggest touring companies including Northern Ballet, Disney, the National Theatre, Royal Shakespeare Company, Matthew Bourne's New Adventures and Cameron Mackintosh have performed on the iconic stage of the North.
Writing about its history, the Alhambra Theatre website says: “The Alhambra Theatre, the jewel in Bradford’s crown, was the vision of Francis Laidler, a local impresario.
“Laidler had the idea and vision to build a brand new theatre in 1912 and it was two years later that his dream was realised.
“The Alhambra Theatre was officially opened at 2pm on 18 March 1914.
“Five days later, it opened its doors to the general public on 23 March for a Variety show, which ran for a week.”
Haworth
This Yorkshire village is known for its picturesque, storybook setting and is the home of the legendary Brontë sisters, Charlotte, Emily and Anne.
It is no secret to book lovers that Howarth is the home of the Brontë Parsonage Museum and was the backdrop for many historic novels such as Charlotte’s Jane Eyre and Emily’s Wuthering Heights.
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