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An adult and child looking at a collection display in Leeds City Museum

Leeds400

Leeds is a city of culture and heritage. On 13 July 2026, Leeds commemorates a remarkable milestone — 400 years since receiving its first Royal Charter from King Charles I. This historic moment marked the beginning of Leeds’ journey towards self-governance and city status.

Celebrate Leeds400 with Leeds Museums and Galleries. Discover stories of our collection and local history.

Throughout the year, Leeds Museums and Galleries will be celebrating with talks, special events, exhibitions and more. As well as sharing stories and objects from our collections that share Leeds' story and history.

Find more about Leeds400 and how to get involved and find Leeds400 events on Leeds Inspired. 

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Step into Leeds history with our events programme

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Discover our collections and Leeds' history in our exhibitions

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Leeds400 Blogs and Stories

Blog | The Dearlove Family’s Great Exhibitions

The Dearlove family were not just known for their prowess in craftsmanship but were all accomplished musicians who performed across the British Isles and beyond, their significant presence in Leeds in the 19th century is still evident today.

Blog | Colonel Harding’s alterations to Abbey House

Discover the intricate details of Abbey House Museum that Colonel T. Walter Harding left behind during his tenancy and ownership of Abbey House from 1890 to 1912.

Blog | Colonel Harding’s arrival at Abbey House

Find out more about Colonel T. Walter Harding (1843 – 1927), his life and Mayorship in Leeds, and his path to owning Abbey House.

Blog | Sue Brittain - The fight for women’s right to wrestle.

Discover the story of Sue Brittain, also known as Marjorie Farrar or "Lady Satan", and how she fought for women's wrestling from 1970 onwards.

News | Ancient discoveries reveal fascinating highway through history

Ancient artefacts unearthed and collected during the construction of a huge Leeds transport project have been preserved at a Leeds museum.

News | Trailblazing engineman was in the driving seat for global railway revolution

Plans for a tribute to a pioneering 19th century British locomotive driver who was laid to rest in Leeds are gathering steam following a chance discovery at a local museum.

Blog | News from the Past: November

Step back in time with News From the Past – from Leeds’ 100th anniversary to Victoria Cross honours and the King’s WW1 victory celebrations.

News | City’s Remarkable Saxon Discovery Reimagined as Ancient Treasure Goes on Display

Fascinating new illustrations reveal how a Saxon pendant unearthed in Leeds once looked as the ancient treasure is displayed for the first time in more than 1,200 years.

News | Famed Leeds artist’s moon-lit works set to shine at gallery

A captivating exhibition will shed new light on the life and work of renowned Leeds artist John Atkinson Grimshaw.

Blog | News from the Past: October

Look back on the past with this feature of newspapers, clippings and other ephemera from the Leeds Museums and Galleries collection and explore what news looked like in our city’s past October’s edition features Bonaparte galleys, the Leeds Fine Art Gallery and wartime smart calories.

Blog | News from the Past: September

In this new series created by our volunteer Mel Kerry they look back on the past with this feature of newspapers, clippings and other ephemera from the Leeds Museums and Galleries collection and explo…

Blog | Fast Fashion vs Tailored Suits

The Evolution of Suits: From Tailoring Tradition to Fast Fashion Trends

Blog | Knurr and Spell

What is Knurr and Spell? We explore this old Yorkshire game, and rediscover a fascinating part of Leeds and sporting history.

Blog | Unravelling the Mystery of Mulligan’s: Leeds’ Nostalgic Past

Discovering a local history mystery through the exploration of Mulligan's pub, Leeds's Irish community, and the music that has led us to this fascinating lost era.

Blog | Museum’s textile titan looms large over tiny twin

A tiny loom designed to give a miniature masterclass on Yorkshire’s textile prowess has been carefully conserved in the shadow of its super-sized sibling.

Blog | Football Works

Leeds has a proud sporting history, and it’s the home of amazing athletes and incredible teams—but who knew we used to be the home of a literal football factory? The clue to digging into this history is a sales leaflet in our social history collection, that the museum team came across as part of a larger project assessing what objects relating to sports history we have.

Blog | Poppy Wingate: Temple Newsam's Golfing Pioneer

Poppy Wingate was England’s first professional woman golfer, and she began her career right here at Temple Newsam.

Blog | A Tale of Two Widowhoods

A team of volunteers, supported by museum staff, are currently researching the lives and personal narratives of past residents of Temple Newsam as part of an Arts Council Designation Development Fund (DDF) project entitled “Grief, Joy and Togetherness”. The focus of this blog is on two women born 170 years apart who both left their mark on the house.
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