Burnley Corporation purchased Towneley Hall and the surrounding parkland to provide local communities with freely accessible green space, an art gallery and museum in 1902. When the Hall officially opened as a Museum and Art Gallery in May 1903, most of the collections on display were on loan.
Since then, for more than 120 years, the permanent collections at Towneley have grown to encompass objects and artworks that represent many different aspects of life in Burnley and beyond.
A home for Burnley’s heritage, arts and culture
We now have about 30,000 items in the collection which can be viewed within 10 central stories.
For 600 years
The hall was a home to the Towneley family
c1380
The Towneley’s first home, a simple ‘tower house’ dates
c1530
The chapel at Towneley Hall was built
1727
The Current U-shaped building was created around
1817
Architect Jeffry Wyatt presented his design for the Regency Rooms
1902
Alice, Lady O’Hagan, the last person to live here, sold Towneley Hall to Burnley Corporation
Events
Exhibition
18 Jul - 27 Sep 2026
Town to Towneley: an exhibition of Burnley artists
Towneley Hall Museum & Art Gallery and Creative Spaces Burnley have joined forces to showcase Burnley’s creative talent. In April 2026 an an open call to artists was made, asking...
Event
12 Sep
Heritage Open Days: Free Guided Tours
Join us for an exciting FREE Guided Tour at Towneley Hall Museum & Art Gallery Art Gallery to celebrate Heritage Open Days. Discover the rich history and stunning art collections...
Event
13 Sep
Heritage Open Days: Historical Character Fun
Sunday 13th September Join us for a fun filled day themed around historical costume! FREE Family Crafts 1-2pm drop-in, no booking required, in our Lecture Theatre Tea & Coffee served...