YORKSHIRE Dales National Park Authority will be presenting plans for the future of the Dales Countryside Museum, which celebrates its thirtieth birthday this year, at a series of public events and displays starting August 18 within the Museum located in Station Yard, Hawes.

The Museum can trace its origins back to 1941 when Marie Hartley first began collecting artefacts to record life in the Dales. Her collection continued to grow and finally found a home in the converted Victorian railway station in Hawes in 1979, becoming a public museum.

The Dales Countryside Museum (DCM) tells the story of the people and landscape of the Yorkshire Dales past and present, and stimulates visitors to think about its future. Displays interpret the development of the Dales from prehistoric times to the present day and feature much of Hartley’s collection.

To enhance the exhibitions already available and offer visitors an artistic interpretation of the Dales, renowned local artist Piers Browne has donated his collection of number 1 etchings, worth over £1million, to the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority. To be able to display and house the etchings DCM is proposing to build a dedicated gallery.

The donation has come at a time when DCM is considering a wider refurbishment. The Museum last had major works in 1998 and has since been surveying visitors to gather opinion on the attraction.

Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority Chairman Carl Lis explains the results “The Museum has proven to be a very enjoyable day out for both adults and children, promoting what a special place the National Park is.

“However, we have consistently received feedback that visitors have difficulty finding the entrance and once inside find it hard to tell the free and paid for exhibitions apart. They also wish to purchase refreshments during their visit and are disappointed that there is nothing available onsite. “We want the future of DCM to address these issues - improving the welcome and experience for each visitor and making the most of the collections we have. We also want the whole community to benefit from any changes and get a local operator involved in the provision of refreshments in a similar way as we did at Aysgarth Falls National Park Centre.”

DCM commissioned Turpin Smale catering consultants and Xsite architecture to explore development options in the form of feasibility studies. The suggestions were fed into an economic impact assessment produced by Welcome to Yorkshire. The resulting report highlighted that “the development would add positively to the local economy, rather than detract from it, and would present a business opportunity for a local operator [in terms of a coffee shop]”. In addition “a net total of between £0.3 and £0.7 million per annum of additional local spend” is estimated from visitors attracted by the development. The report also suggested that increased spend in the area resulting from additional visitors could support between 4 and 13 full time equivalent jobs (net).

Xsite architecture recommended a number of internal and external changes which could take the Museum into the future. To complement the new Piers Browne Gallery, the architects suggested creating a new entrance and reception area along with converting part of the platform building into a coffee shop.

Carl explains further “We asked Xsite to come up with some solutions to the problems with the building. Their proposals are now going forward to public consultation and we are inviting the public and Hawes community to come and share their thoughts on them. Xsite have not come up with what the new areas may look like, simply the footprints they potentially could sit within.”

The consultation events are:

• 18 – 31 August 10am-4pm. Display at Dales Countryside Museum and the opportunity for people to contribute to the consultation process via feedback cards


• 1 Sept 10am - 4pm. Display at the Community Office in Hawes and the opportunity for people to speak to YDNPA staff


• 8 Sept 3pm - 8pm. Display at Dales Countryside Museum and the opportunity for people to contribute to the consultation process and speak to YDNPA staff.

Anyone interested may simply turn up for free. If unable to attend the Dales Countryside Museum and Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority are still keen to hear thoughts on the project which can be expressed

• By email to yourthoughts@yorkshiredales.org.uk
• Through the discussion board on the Yorkshire Dales National Park facebook page (www.facebook.com)
• Anonymous written comments submitted to boxes located at National Park Centres.
• Or by telephoning 01969 666214 where thoughts can be recorded as an answer phone message (calls can be returned if a name and number is left)