George Gissing, born in Wakefield in 1857, wrote 23 novels between 1880 and 1903. Some believe him to be one of the best three novelists of his generation alongside George Meredith and Thomas Hardy. He also enjoyed friendships with fellow writers such as Henry James and H.G. Wells. The centre houses family memorabilia, exhibition material and a large collection of books by and about George Gissing. The centre welcomes visitors who want to learn more about the literary heritage of the area.
The Gissing Centre is open from May – September every Saturday 2.00pm – 4.00pm.
The National Coal Mining Museum for England provides a great day out with a unique opportunity to travel 140 metres underground to explore England’s last deep coalmine.
Discover the different ages of mining, from Victorian times when women and children worked underground alongside men, find out about the role of pit ponies and how modern machinery changed coalmining
Open Daily 10.00am-5.00pm except 24, 25 & 26 December and 1 January annually
www.ncm.org.uk
Yorkshire Sculpture Park (YSP) is the leading international centre for modern and contemporary sculpture. It is an independent charitable trust and registered museum situated in the 500-acre, 18th-century Bretton Hall estate in West Yorkshire. Founded in 1977 by Executive Director Peter Murray, YSP was the first sculpture park in the UK, and is the largest of its kind in Europe, providing the only place in the world to see Barbara Hepworth’s The Family of Man in its entirety.
Opening details: Please see www.ysp.co.uk
The Hepworth Wakefield is an award-winning art gallery in the heart of Yorkshire, set within Wakefield’s historic waterfront overlooking the River Calder. Designed by the acclaimed David Chipperfield Architects, the gallery opened in May 2011. Named after Barbara Hepworth, one of the most important artists of the 20th century who was born and brought up in Wakefield, the gallery presents major exhibitions of the best international modern and contemporary art and has dedicated galleries exploring Hepworth’s art and working process.
Open Monday to Friday 10am till 5pm
www.hepworthwakefield.org