Reviews of Harris Museum, Art Gallery & Library. (Museum) in Preston (Lancashire).
Harris Museum, Art Gallery & Library
Market Square, Preston PR1 2PP, United Kingdom
Description
Information of Harris Museum, Art Gallery & Library, Museum in Preston (Lancashire)
On this page you’ll find the address, open hours, more popular times, the contact, photos and real reviews of this business.
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Map
Open hours of Harris Museum, Art Gallery & Library
Sunday
Closed
Monday
9am–5pm
Tuesday
9am–5pm
Wednesday
9am–5pm
Thursday
9am–5pm
Friday
9am–5pm
Saturday
9am–5pm
Reviews of Harris Museum, Art Gallery & Library
J. B.Brilliant museum and art gallery in Preston that's free to visit. It's got a great range of exhibits and a lovely cafe and shop. Nice to see the display of the great Tom Finney and the beautiful Caribbean exhibition. The interior decoration of the building is stunning in it's own right.
p. S.Very interesting and diverse collection of exhibitions, always changing. Excellent place for adults and children alike. The Harris Museum also houses Preston public library. There is also a cafe and gift shop.
M.Modest compared to many of the museums you might find in, say, Liverpool, but the crown jewel of Preston none the less. I don't live in Preston anymore and this is one of the places I miss the most.
The staff are extremely knowledgeable and are happy to talk to you in detail about the art, the cafe is reasonably priced and has the most beautiful surroundings and the toilets are well maintained, if not the easiest to access.
There's something for everyone here. Fine art, ceramics, textiles and local history all have their own large, dedicated rooms, plus there's a regular rotation of special exhibits. These are often more modern but not necessarily always, and might showcase amateur or student art, the work of a single professional artist, comic book art, prehistory, sculpture etc etc...
Basically, despite the size of the building, you could spend hours here! Although I personally preferred to make regular, short visits, to drink up the atmosphere and gaze once again at my favourite works.
A. D.Beautiful small museum at heart of Preston. Entry is free and the staff is enthusiastic and sincere. The collection is well curated and displayed. The atmosphere exudes enthusiasm. Never seen such a small museum punching above its weight. Must visit to know the spirit of Preston
D. M.I love being here. It is my favourite place in Preston. It's quiet, quaint, but airy. The displays and exhibitions catch the local taste. I would highly recommend going here if you are in Preston area and haven't already done so.
M. R.I found it fascinating, just enough history to keep you entertained without getting bored and the added bonus of an art gallery with some incredible paintings. The building is impressive also. Didn't visit the library part or the cafe so can't comment on those parts. Would visit again if I'm ever in Preston again.
S. F.Higher than a Eternally, I've been going to the "Harris" one seems. A second home of mine...Infinitely for sure.
All Earthlings from All Areas of life, are God's Children with your group or solo, are Accepted.
E. T.Recently did an internship here and I cannot recommend it more. The staff are just as welcoming and friendly as they seem (which seems to be rare) and they will always accommodate you, help you in anyway way and truly care about the place. The exhibitions and artefacts that are on display are also fascinating and well looked after.
G. W.Good quiet place for students and mood eaters to study and enjoy their private time. Also there is an art gallery and museum inside too. Everything is beautiful especially the scultures
N. W.Really good municipal museum and art gallery. It has an exceptional collection of glass objects. On a practical matter, there is a disabled toilet by the front door, and lifts. Some artifacts are in draws, which visitors are allowed to open. A good place to visit on a rainy day.
N. B.Free entry into this centrally located museum. Has strong links and displays to the local area, a nice selection of art work. There is a cafe and small gift shop, lift to all floors.
R.The Harris has a great selection of local artefacts and history, at the time I went the temporary exhibited were Preston Bus Station 50th Anniversary and Preston Street Fashion. The street fashion went over our heads a bit but the rest was interesting and well presented.
A. H.I've been in it twice and it's nice to go in different art galleries/museums to compare the to each as I'm always at Gallery Oldham (GO Collective Member)
Z. A.Excellent displays and kids activities. Has a good variety of exhibitions all year round. Close to the city centre with local eateries and avenham car park 10 mins walk.
A. K.Gorgeous museum with activities and exhibits of all ages.
Also has a lovely cafe that does an amazing hot chocolate!
Find below my favourite painting, I suggest finding it next time you’re there ☺️
J. J.Once again I am stunned by what Preston has to offer if you look for it. As a resident I'm not often a tourist in my own town, but I'm blown away by the quality of the exhibitions and the building itself. Well worth a visit, especially if you live in Preston as there's all sorts of history about the place. I for example, had no idea Teetotalism was born in Preston (hard to believe after a stroll down Fishergate on a Friday night)
G. G.Loved this place. Full of curiosities. Didnt have enough time to fully explore it. Will have to go back soon for a better look around.
Q. H.My wife and I courted here years ago, and we love to go back at least twice a year. The exhibition about Preston bus station is interesting and engaging. Highly recommended
P. R.Regular activities are put on at the weekend which are a hit with families. Both the permanent and temporary exhibitions are well worth seeing. Also has a café with hit drinks available in a lovely setting.
S. R.Moon exhibition was fun but there was a model rocket right behind a child's play room. So to get in you had to queue behind kids getting into the playroom.
Even though I only wanted to take photos of the docket and read the info plus It was weird placement to walk through child's playroom just to read plaques.
R. C.Love the Rocks and Pillars cemented with rich history and heritage. Unfortunately could not go in as its still temporarily closed. Hope to get in soon ....
L. G.I bloody love this building. Well worth a visit for the amazing architecture. Better yet, it is free to enter. The exhibition are quite large and you can easily spend a few hours just looking around.
N. M.Super nice museum! It has a very nice atmosphere and a lovely cafe and library. Recommend!
D. W.We came here when there was a Lego dinosaur exhibition going on. We had alot of fun learning about some of the dinosaurs but had even more fun playing with the Lego.
We also had a wander round the art exhibition and the Preston Fashion through time thing which was a bit interesting. My daughter said her mummy had most of the clothes in the gallery which did make me laugh as there's some stuff from 100 years ago.
All in all we spent about two hours here, got a drink for us all which was reasonably priced too. Good family day out.
B. z.Best public building in Preston but needs the space to be better utilised. Current proposal for refurb is terrible
W. A.A great place to experience the beautiful town of Preston; its people, culture and achievements.
R. H.A great way to spend a couple of hours. Plenty of local history on display.
R.Went to Harris Museum to see the moon sculpture was absolutely fantastic! Could stare at this beautiful work of art all day
S. “. T.interesting museum lots of artefacts will worth a little visit if you have a bit of time
D. H.Such a great exhibition. Definitely a must see. The staff are extremely pleasant and helpful and the exhibition was exhilarating.
J. T.Great museum. I particularly like the Preston exhibit. One of the cities most amazing buildings.
F. T.Great art, some of the pictures where amazing. Local Preston history was great ie the cuerden horde, the Poulton elk, a dug out canoe, and loads of local Preston guild info, free entry defo worth a visit
H. M.Lucky enough to have a guided tour as part of a small organised group. Our guide was Stuart who was so knowledgeable and inspirational he made the visit an absolute delight.
Good luck with the preparation for and the actual refurbishment of your Beautiful
Museum and I look forward to a guided tour in 2024!!
T. H.free entry and great exhibitions. They rotate their exhibitions so it'll be different every few months. Can't hate on anything here.
P. G.Victorian gem in the heart of town, Broad range of exhibits, including at and local history. Great cafe in the main hall. Its still free so give it a visit
M. S.Surprisingly interesting museum. Only had time to look at exhibition about Preston. This was very varied and entertaining exhibits. Learned a lot and been coming to the area for many years. Beautiful building too and staff very friendly. Easy to book tickets online
N. S.Plenty to see and all for free. Great place for kids and families.
A. R.Beautiful building and beautiful Christmas tree and Dec's! Well done Preston City Council!
k. m.Nice walk round with 3 floors to explore and a nice cafe on ground floor.
J. F.I was delighted The Harris was chosen to display the art work of Luke Jerram "Museum of the Moon". Spectacular.
C. H.Stimulating temporary exhibitions and an excellent permanent collection, including an impressive number of great paintings and fascinating exhibits covering local history. I can't wait until it reopens following its current major renovation.
H. G.Our 4 year old granddaughter loved it , brilliant experience, she especially wanted to see the Poulton Elk and wasn't disappointed. The Harris provided an excellent children's trial to find museum pieces, a super educational fun afternoon.
F. W.The building is marvellous and set in the centre of some impressive architecture.
It's packed with great exhibitions, artifacts and curious collections. It has a great interactive space which is great for children.
There is a cafe, gift shop, a lift, good wheelchair access and restrooms. It's a great place and if it's a really rainy day then while away a few more hours in the library.
M. A.We went with our grandchildren to see the Viking display which they thoroughly enjoyed. I was impressed by all the local history displays. We finished the visit in the cafe for tea and cake, the cafe had plenty of space and was not over crowded. I'll visit the museum again at a more leisurely pace.
D. B.A great museum, the art gallery is brilliant! We had the pleasure of one of the staff telling us all about Pauline in the Yellow Dress painting and a few others, loved it!
M. K.The building itself would be worth a visit for some even thought not much is made of the architecture as a feature. A nice spacious environment. Very impressed by the collections on display for a relatively small museum. You aren't going to spend 8 hours in here with young kids, but there is such a large range of things to see you can keep things interesting for at least a few hours. Fine art gallery was worth seeing.
P. S.Loved the exhibition about the moon and the lunar landings and the model of the rocket used very informative and child friendly.
K. W.We took part in the annual egg decorating art installation, the aluminium plates are decorated and will be displayed in Avenham park over the Easter period
C. A.Brilliant & free. Well worth a visit. Took my children and they really enjoyed the exhibitions.
S. s.Very welcoming and the cafe serves homemade good food and it is lovely to be able to walk round a museum and library again.
A. K.This is like an old friend. I like coming here.
M. B.Nice open warm place steeped in history. Coffee shop in the centre on the ground floor, local history displays on the first floor and art exhibits on the second floor. All accessible by a grand stone staircase or a lift. I particularly enjoyed the local history section including the small interactive activities. Interesting note that in the coffee shop section there is a pendulum which is supposed to demonstrate the effects of the earth's rotation, sadly however during my visit it was not swinging, perhaps another time!
E. M.Wonderful way to see the best of what Preston had to offer. Interesting exhibits, friendly staff, and a great cafe. Love this place.
P. S.Always a pleasurable experience walking around the museum. Plenty to see on the various floors.The cafe located on the ground floor is well worth a visit too. Reasonable prices as well as comfy seating. The museum is disable friendly too Parking spaces for those with blue badges are located quite close by.
G. A.Don't miss out if you're in Preston city centre visit Harris museum, it's free
G. J. W.Took my toddler around the exhibits and she enjoyed herself thoroughly. Plenty of interactive bits to keep them entertained, especially fun to dress her up as a Viking. Lovely coffee and cake, too.
S. S.Been coming here yrs used to love the tea room with my grandmother after a look round. Library great and my children aged 8-17 have all loved it . Wish there was more interactive events for the under 18s but in a city with little museums it is the best to visit no competition .
A. C.Good selection of exhibits. Livelyb friendly.
M. A.The Harris is a great place and civic place of pride for Preston. Sadly due to covid it was not easy to access. Nice cafe though if someone could be bothered to clear tables.
A. B.Although I've lived in the Preston and Blackpool area all my life up to the age of 18 and visited back home I've never been into this establishment. The staff are friendly, it has lots of good exhibits and is a pleasant place to visit on a rainy or sunny day
S.Great facilities to include Coffee area, computers, Museum, beautiful architecture, local information & historical books etc. They have adapted, evolved and apart from lending books, you could spend hours here soaking up the historical displays; contemporary photographical images, indeed, a variety of displays for public consumption. Even if you were only here for a days visit, put aside one hour because you will not regret the ambience of this particular building.
A. H.The museum houses a varied collection of treasures ranging from paintings, pottery and sculptures plus countless other items of local and national significance. The collection of glassware is probably the star attraction and well worth a visit to see in its own right. The whole collection is housed in a stunning period building which has a restaurant situated close to the building's entrance.
S. B.Great museum, friendly staff, free & always something to explore
S.A nice break from the outside world, in one of the relatively small number of museums that is open / planning to open this August. Although there were Pandemic restrictions of course, the staff were very friendly and welcoming - complementing the interesting exhibitions about Preston's history - and the beautiful works of art on display !
F. D.Really helpful little local museum with loads of community history in a beautiful building. Vintage computers but scanning is free and copies are 15p doe b&w. Staff are very helpful. Gift shop is Aladdin's Cave...
A. H.Me and my granddaughter,go regularly to the Harris museum. We both love Art, there is so much to see &do. She made a Chinese lantern,last time. We always go in the gift shop. The young man on reception,was very helpful and friendly. We had a great time.
F. B.While in Preston this building is very much worth seeing. It has the most eye catching architecture of all the city's buildings. The ground floor has a shop and cafe as well as the library and exhibits and there is another floor with more to see.
C. K.Great local museum with all sort of things to interest everyone and is in a striking building. The history of Preston gallery is very comprehensive and there are beautiful pieces in the display cases. It has a great cafe too.
A. H.Interesting museum with a large collection of local interest items including ceramics, clothing, weaving and a history of Preston prison and prison reforms.
Permanent displays of artwork line the stairways with a well lit gallery showcasing themed artworks on a regularly changing basis.
Well worth a visit and conveniently located within the main shopping are, with good disabled access.
T. L.A fairly "traditional" museum and art gallery with a good collection, especially works by members of the local Devis family. It is constrained by its available space, with a comprehensive, but cramped local history collection. Our visit was something of a nostalgia trip, as my wife's first post-university job had been there during which time they received a bequest that included one of the largest collections of scent bottles, for which she and her colleague created the first catalogue. It was great to so many of those bottles so prominently displayed.
d. t.We exhibits are pretty good. Right now they have to 50 Years exhibition, it about Preston bus station. And they have these relatively new chill room. You can sit in there and do some college work and it's pretty chill. Free WiFi. Their café is pretty good and relatively cheap.
S.Went to the new spring exhibition which is lovely and modern as it’s very instagram friendly. I enjoyed that there are different areas of the library such as the children’s books, pottery and paintings upstairs and also the quiet study rooms. Usually love coming to the Harris library. I gave it a 4 star and not 5 because I did feel uncomfortable and victimised. This is due to the elderly security patrol men following me and my sister around quite blatantly without a reasonable explanation. We both wear headscarves and felt like we were constantly being watched even though we just came to enjoy the exhibition. Otherwise a pleasant experience.
S. B.Went to the new spring exhibition which is lovely and modern as it’s very instagram friendly. I enjoyed that there are different areas of the library such as the children’s books, pottery and paintings upstairs and also the quiet study rooms. Usually love coming to the Harris library. I gave it a 4 star and not 5 because I did feel uncomfortable and victimised. This is due to the elderly security patrol men following me and my sister around quite blatantly without a reasonable explanation. We both wear headscarves and felt like we were constantly being watched even though we just came to enjoy the exhibition. Otherwise a pleasant experience.
M. O.Beautiful art collection. Intetesting exibitions. Good coffee. Great atmosphere.
m. h.went with my daughter and grandson today, beautiful museum, can get quite busy as well. entry was free so that was a bonus, plently to look at a few activites, went to the shop for a well earned coffee!
M. L.Always liked the Harris. Always good exhibits, good access to internet, informed staff, well stocked library, and architecturally s fantastic looking building
L. L.Took my son the moon in the centre was great and he found the artifacts and pictures ok to look at. Only took an hour or so to walk round, was very busy as it was half term and all tickets for the extra moon/space exhibition had already gone.
S. N.Wear light clothing as it's very warm in there. Great exhibition on comics. Another fashion exhibition, featuring clothing from around the Preston area, was fascinating. Couldn't eat in the cafe as I'm vegetarian and there were no suitable ready made sandwiches. Staff offered to make one but didn't know if the cheese was vegetarian. Also I was a bit concerned that the sandwiches weren't refrigerated and were just in a basket in that heat.
H. B.First time here, seems great. Went for an event... but a wander about prior was good.
Seems well laid out. Nice exhibits... seems different in some way to other museums, not sure why; but not in a bad way.
z. c.Lovely place. Residents artworks never tire, new exhibits frequently and often thought provoking and amazingly curated. Staff friendly, fabulous cafe and a lovely relaxed library
M. D. V. E.Great museum, and free to enter
B. M.I've been here many times and loved it everytime but i have to say i especially loved the moon exhibition this week. My only criticism was the talk about journeys to the moon. It was supposed to be aimed at children too but i think it was too advanced for many young children and they lost interest. I think in future the age of the audience should be considered with things like that.
D. H.Some good quality exhibits, but very limited. Preston has a long history and l expected a lot more.
N. A.I've always come to this place, since I was a child. It has a regular display of the local history of the area, a regular art exhibition, containing a Lowry, and another art exhibition that changes on a regular basis. Sometimes it's an interactive exhibition, sometimes it is more traditional art. Always interesting though. I enjoy coming here.
D. G.A great museum with a large section on Preston and its history which I've seen a thousand times but still go to see. It has a cafe and exhibition room which changes every so often as well as a public gallery that contains a Lowry painting.
M. F.Incredible museum that you will enjoy if you are coming to Preston. Only downside is that it is open for a short range of time every day.
C. W.Great Library with a wide selection. Plenty of audio books and dvds.
I would only prefer if the toilets where not up 3 flights of stairs and the audio books were listed in genre aswell as alphabetical order.
Overall a great library with more to than just books, pay it a visit.
It's a real credit to Preston
B. M.Been visiting since I was a kid, for the last twenty odd years! There's always something new and interesting, the Open Exhibition (Dec-Jan) is my personal favourite, however I would recommend checking out the Facebook page for more workshops/events.
M. B.Ive seen smaller museums pack much more in. I think the combination of art and artifact has affected how the people lay things out. But still you should definitely go.
v. u.What an amazing place . Great venue for a musical evening.
L. B.It's a beautiful historic building lovely inside. Disable friendly. Helpful staff. Fantastic gallery. Nice cafe. Very clean well worth a visit 😁
C. E.Lovely cafe serving cake. Great place to sit and take in the atmosphere. Brilliant exhibition at the moment celebrating Preston's iconic bus station
C. S.Always a nice experience coming to this fine old building. Used to come here as a kid and now I'm bringing my son. Specially came for the Brick Dino exhibition which was great. Glad to see the Carleton well still here, which I had to draw 35 years ago! Shame that Foccault's pendulum has been removed that was a great draw.
J. W.Visited today, loved the special moon exhibition. Very interesting displays. Wallace and gromit showing was a bonus!
The Harris is a good place to spend an hour or 2. There's a café and a small gift shop.
M. E.Yes love this place my four year old son loves coming here to get books he really loves the library make him very happy to be happy
K. E.Lived near Preston most of my life but had never been here. What an amazing building and some great displays. Loads of local stuff to learn about as well 👍
I. P.A clean library with a good range of books for all ages. There are comfortable places to sit and read or to do work. The museum is also quite good with events running for all ages.
M. E.Nice museum, mainly presenting the city of Preston history and heritage. Some other surprising objects of interest. Definitely Worth the time visiting it.
u.this is an excellent museum. there is a great exhibition about Preston and the surrounding area which had some interesting exhibits. we also enjoyed the exhibition featuring local artists. we really enjoyed our visit.
D. H.A very interesting couple of hours and worth more visits. Excellent pot of tea and Victoria Sponge cake. The large Lancs C.C. lending library is open late during the week and on Saturday and Sunday.
G. P. A.Nice museum, recommend it.
D. L.A great free attraction in the centre of Preston, so much history inside the building and lots to learn for those old and young! There's always things going on and if not then at least you'll be able to marvel at the pendulum clock in the foyer whilst having a cup of tea and a cake!
S. M.It's so easy to dismiss your own towns library, museum and art gallery. Sure its a stunningly beautiful building, one of the most iconic in Preston, but it's inside where the changes and the familiarity combine with style, elegance and captivating interest.
What always strikes me once you've entered through one of the side entrance is the magnificence of the hall as you enter. The gift shop and helpful advice can be found in the entrance hall, but my eyes are LwYs drawn to the thousands of names listed and fondly remembered for the ultimate service they gave their country during the world wars. All of these names belong to Preston as much as the stone that makes the Harris the building it is.
I had the fortune of being taken on a guide of the museum by one of the curators. This carefully choreographed tour gave much more depth than a solitary browse through the museum may do. The Curator brought the costumes to relevance vividly as she did with maps from the area we as a group represented, Ingol. The tour allowed the more able in the group to enjoy the Egyptian Gallery, before we all took an awe inspiring trip to the underground levels in the museum where countless books, displays and object d'arte are kept. Really worth organising if you can bring a group and organise a tour.
For those of you who like to navigate round yourself, there is great interactivity all around the museum, no more so than in The Story of Preston. This has been substantially modernised and also allows for school groups or as I saw a speech on Mental Health and the help in the community.
As well as fantastic cabinet's with artefacts from all over, the museum also has temporary displays (for example the incredible three dimensional moon display earlier in the year) and very often houses live music, poets, speakers, a really lively soul to a beautiful museum.
I consider myself very lucky to have such a beautiful market square and its surrounding building. The Harris is the finest of them all and somewhere I will return over and over again.
N. B.Visited the Etsy Markets and so glad we did, a brilliant, well-organised event, full of talented crafter's selling their wares. We will definitely be back next year, the Harris is a beautiful building, the perfect setting.
K. I.For any Prestonian the Harris a must see and visit.
Museum, library, cafe and gift shop.
The cafe is a convenient place to relax in the cafe on a rainy day or after perusing the exhibits and there’s a gift shop souvenirs or things related to Preston.
B. B.Always nice to visit there is a large library with a good range of books and some computers. As well as a nice museum with art and some other exhibitions. Finally there is a small cafe on the ground floor.
H. T.A must see if your ever in Preston. The beautiful architecture and relaxed atmosphere more than makes up for the slightly odd collection of local artworks, but look out for a few choice pieces that will surprise and delight.
C. C.Absolutely loved it! Came with a group of school children, who also enjoyed their day, our guide was very knowledgeable and informative. A lovely museum, I would definitely go back!
H. B.Great museum, very friendly staff! Harry Potter art was great, the library is really quiet and peaceful. The range of the art is fantastic and all for free, great, will be back!
N. A.Love The Harris, they always have new interesting exhibits that have something for everyone, I think it's great that they always have an area for kids to enjoy that still keeps the theme of the exhibition. I always recommend The Harris to anyone visiting Preston
J. R.Very interesting museum with lots of different exhibitions. We saw the moon exhibition and Chinese New year celebrations, in addition to the usual displays. Workshops are available for children and adults.
L. Y.I visited the Etsy Christmas market on Sunday, its second day. There were many stalls on all the floors of the Harris.Itvwas well laid out and with a wide variety of crafts for sale. I really enjoyed my visit.
S. F.Brilliant place, very educational and the cafe was full of nice people. Even better its free.
N. B.No public toilets, the cafe on the ground floor closes too early. Family friendly, educational, and there's something for the kids. 1st floor has a large library to study in.
J. M.In Central area is Foucault pendulum which shows the rotation of the Earth.
Downstairs has the library and a cafe, upstairs has paintings and the museum exhibits.
B. R.Really friendly and helpful staff. The viking exhibition was really interesting lots for kids to see and do. They really enjoyed the interactive viking displays
J. M.Wonderful museum and art gallery in the centre of Preston . Changing exhibits throughout the year . Family days , evening lectures and local history . Shop and attractive cafe in the rotundrum . Disabled access .
B. H.Brilliant art museum in the centre of Preston city nice ground floor coffee shop selling tasty snacks. Permanent art and ceramics exhibitions thorough and informative as well
T. T.Couldn't find the book that was supposedly in stock on the shelves but the fact that the book had not been lent out a single time since it was bought in 2014 suggests it went missing a long time ago. Staff were very helpful in trying to tracking down though.
S. W.The Preston Elk, worth visiting just for that. Good fine art selection too
r. p.Impressive building incorporating a lending library, cafe and art exhibitions. Worth a look!
M. A.What a great hidden gem in the centre of town. Allow several hours to study all the exhibits and note all free. Smart coffee shop downstairs as well.
s. s.Been coming here all my life & I love this place. Brought my youngest grandson today & was lucky enough to be included in some promotional filming in the childrens library
P. Q.A Grade 1 listed building, free entry, and a great range of exhibits including Discover Preston, Fine and Contemporary Art, Glassware, Textiles regularly changed and usually at least 2 special exhibitions. Lending and reference library as well. We always go in when we visit Preston.
L. i. W.Lovley art collection with artists such as Frank Aubeeach and Lowry. Interesting fashion exhibits. Very good "discover Preston" collection that tells you the story of Preston through many different things. There is a lack of good exhibitions as I visit regularly, the exhibition at the moment is alright but exhibitions in the past have been bad. Small shop, lovley cafe. Not the nicest of staff though. Visit if you are in Preston.
K. H.Fab museum with not just a wealth of local displays and knowledge but super friendly and informed staff who can't do enough for you. Special thanks goes to Caroline the Textiles curator who is more than prepared to sort out pre-arranged examinations of their extensive Horrockses dresses, artefacts and the like to both Fashion historians, researchers and vintage fashion fans alike
B. H.Frankly Preston has no right to a building as grand as the Harris. Smack in the middle of the city centre it's a great library and gallery that's always worth a visit. Great for photographs too, overlooking the city's flagmarket and war memorial.
D. S.A lovely informative venue to visit with a lovely little cafe, it's been a favourite place to visit since I was a child!
K. K.Spent an interesting 2 hours in the Museum. They still have 'Pauline in the yellow dress' on display..which I remember from my youth.
H. N.Exhibits of local interest well presented. Spent an interesting and nostalgic hour here. Am determined to come in more often. So much worth seeing especially for local people and those with Preston area connections
J. M.Kids enjoyed seeing a big moon hanging above them
R. F.Many years since my last visit and although I didn't have chance to look around, the course organised by the museum was informative, well run and presented.
J. T.I use the library a lot but only go to the Harris museum part every few years. I should make a point to go more often! Always new and interesting stuff
N. O.Latest visit for the Lego dinosaur exhibition. Plenty for my 4 and 5 year old to get involved with, coloring and building. Spent a good two hours there.
S. M.As a fully fledged Prestonian it is always a pleasure to see Preston's history displayed
Plus they have "Why War". I LOVE that painting ❤️
U. O.Amazing place to pass time and have fun. There is something new every week I go there nearly w every week. In the centre of town easy to get to.
M. B.Really interesting place learnt a lot about Preston
J. H.The pencils need sharpening in the the fashion section! My disabled friend loved it, especially the moose. She kept a recording of it and it is now her ringtone so thanks for that. A decent excursion
T. C. (. M.Fantastic building and an amazing space for excellent displays and exhibitions. Coupled with the makerspace, cafe and library it makes for an essential visit if visiting Preston
P. S.What can I say? It's a museum and I like museums and history. This particular visit was to see the moon, a very large exhibit hanging from the high ceiling. Always worth a visit.
J. F. R.There is a branch of the Lancashire Library service in the Museum and also a cafe which sells hot drinks and cakes and biscuits etc.
The Museum is right next to Preston Flag Market in the town centre of Preston.
It is handy for all the main shops in Preston.
N. R.Very interesting place to visit for all ages.
M. S.Nice provincial museum with changing exhibitions on the top floor and a coffee and cafe place on the ground. Foucault's pendulum worth seeing and considering for while.
S. M.A great find to while away a bit of time on a rainy Preston afternoon, right in the middle of the city centre. It has a great cafe on the ground floor too. Do visit!
t. w.Its got everything rolled into one. Library cafe and gift shop on the ground floor. Museam and local history on first floor and art gallery on the 2nd floor. Theres also an Egyptian gallery on the top floor but i didnt go there.
G. L.Nice museum about Preston, plenty to see. Regular different exhibitions to keep an eye for. Free to get in! Library, cafe and shop.
M. A.We took the children to see an exhibition at the museum on a Saturday. There were lots of interactive activities going on and they really enjoyed it.
P.Really nice visit. Spent about 2 hours looking round. Really interesting place.
Had a meal there really good. One of the places to visit in Preston
M. S.Attend the World Mental Health Day on the 10th October.
The Harris really made the day a great success evev free bacon sandwiches, can't wait till next year. Caroline Alexander really pulled out all the stops.
B. “. C.I've not been to the museum since 1971 and its 100% better than it was. The exhibits are wonderful and the place was buzzing. Well worth a visit.
a. c.Great exhibition accompanying museum if the moon, but disabled access wasn't pointed out or considered as we couldn't hear the talk, needs a Mic or loop system
A. O.Some great temporary exhibitions on there and a lovely section of Prestons history. Beautiful building and a good art/souvenir shop.
C. C. (.Well laid out displays. Local history stories. War memorial names. Nice cafe with ornate door and amazing old radiators.
G. C.I love everything about Libraries all over the world , this one in preston have lovely building, wonderful museum with plenty to see and learn, great atmosphere and super friendly stuff. thank you
S. J. B.Loved the history of Preston especially where the name of the city originated from. Interesting place to gather much knowledge about the place I am visiting and its origins.
P. P.Had a lovely afternoon viewing local artists exhibits. A relaxing time, nice to see all different elements of art work.
D. W.Great museum/exhibition in an imposing building. Well curated collections of art are fascinating to look at. Free entry so well worth a visit.
L. H.Great place lots to do and see although when trying to research for family tree books have been removed to a different venue.
j. R.Always a good half day for me.like to see some more pictures from the store in the Harris basement wild I'll know they are there. Friend of mine worked few years Go go e to Harris in the early 1980s thousands of them from Preston Bolton Blackpool Burnley's Oldham whole of Lancashire lake district stourport. John
P. B.Full of modern Art and ww1 memorabilia,Thoroughly enjoyed the visit with an attached libary,cafe which sells light bites.A must for all to see about the history of Preston.
D. C.Had a lovely afternoon, Very organised, very friendly..most informative and pleasant..
The myrescough photography on the stairs was great.
A. W.Love taking my daughter here as she gets to explore history from all around the world and also gets to see her local culture, history and art.
J. A.Interesting place very historic
B. R.Love this museum. So eclectic. The Foucault Pendulum is awesome. Decent cup of tea in the cafe, too.
X. M.Excellent museum, the best cafe in Preston. Worth going every day for tea or coffee. Well placed.
M. P.A really interesting place to visit for the whole family have a good variety of local historic features to look at was really surprised that my daughter enjoyed it as much as she did
A. A.Beautiful museum but it needs some quiet area for reading.. some areas are very noisy especially when the kids play around
M. D.Nice to see live dancing also lots more going on. The museum could do with updating same exibits showing 60 years ago
A. P.A beautiful building with a slightly disappointing interior very friendly staff who were extremely helpful unfortunately a limited offering because of covid restrictions
S. L. F.Great place to visit for all ages young and old I've been many times.great section about history of preston very educational.exerlant reference libary I would recommend it.
R. F.Nice place! Perfect for family! There's always new things to discover there so you can visit over and over again and each experience is unique
B. L.Very accommodating. Staff really helpful. Shame it's closing for a couple of years.
T. T.If you want to learn more about Preston and Lancashire, this is the place to be. The Viking Exhibit ends tomorrow so visit A.S.A.P. Free Entry as well, I'm sure.
w. a.Wheelchair friendly. Helpful staff. Great museum always great exhibitions and things for the kids to do
K. H.Lovely place & very interesting. My friends walked round & really enjoyed it. I stayed in the café which was welcoming & the staff lovely & helpful.
F. B.Palpatine: Did you ever hear the tragedy of Darth Plagueis The Wise?
Anakin: No?
Palpatine: I thought not. It's not a story the Jedi would tell you. It's a Sith legend. Darth Plagueis was a Dark Lord of the Sith, so powerful and so wise he could use the Force to influence the midichlorians to create life… He had such a knowledge of the dark side, he could even keep the ones he cared about from dying.
Anakin: He could actually save people from death?
Palpatine: The dark side of the Force is a pathway to many abilities some consider to be unnatural.
Anakin: What happened to him?
Palpatine: He became so powerful… the only thing he was afraid of was losing his power, which eventually, of course, he did. Unfortunately, he taught his apprentice everything he knew, then his apprentice killed him in his sleep. Ironic. He could save others from death, but not himself.
Anakin: Is it possible to learn this power?
Palpatine: Not from a Jedi.
H. L.It's a good museum with a balance of fine art, as well as different variety of arts, from pottery to fashion, would really recommend it for a short stop there.
B. C.Wonderful collection of pictures, ceramics and glass. Friendly and helpful staff. Must visit if you are in Preston.
H. T.Love going here. Staff are knowledgeable and happy to answer questions. Cafe is nice but don't have a huge range of food.
J. M.Had NHS Covid19 volunteer training by the military, it was pleasant learning and interactive experience.
S. B.A lovely museum. A gallery guide took time to extensively explain the museum and its educational values. Interesting on many levels.
J. S.Best experience for me and kids. No parking at the spot though. But secure paid parking available at 5 min walk.
l. “. l. s.I am very impressed with the potential history of the Harris Museum has, i am very enjoyed it.
S. B.I like this place. The toilets are hard to find, one staff member is quite cold and there isn't a large variety of food. Otherwise fantastic. 🙂
J. B.A nice variety of art, history and on the top floor they now have a comic con for Preston. Definitely worth a look.
A. B.One of Prestons gems. A permanent art collection plus regular exhibitions, the library, and cafe, all free but contributions are encouraged.
A. D.The library desperately needs a makeover. The IT facility is very popular, however, I am still baffled as to why they insist on Internet Explorer being the default browser. Like someone, said it is still stuck in the dark ages. Everything is done in slow motion. Although, I have to add there are some great young staff, I'm not an ageist, but they do breath life in to the library, unlike the Museum guards, walking around with their walkie talkies! They think they work for the MI5! And let's not talk about the hopeless wifi! *SIGHS*
M. H.Hadn't been in the Harris for a few years and thought the displays and exhibits were outstanding ..highly recommend it to anyone thinking of a visit ...will be back to visit again soon.
R. A.Great that it's still free entry and the library on the ground floor has plenty of kids events throughout the year.
a. g.Great place for a mooch around. Local history and helpful staff
L. H.The comic section was good. The rest of it needs updating, as we went a year ago and they were the same exhibitions.
S. L.Always an interesting place to visit. Call in many times during the year
F. W.Went and saw a play performed here called the Riot Act. It was a piece of local history. Excellent library, museum and art gallery.
O. B.Excllent assistance from polite staff. clean and bow a library should be..... quiet and not full of foodies using keyboards with greasy fingers
S. L.Some good exhibitions about local history.
P. R.Excellent Lego Dinosaurs exhibition for the kids
A. M.Really enjoyed my explore of the Harris Museum and Art Gallery. Expecially the thought provoking images from the photography students at Myerscough.
M. C.I didn't no there was a cafe at the Harris museum. I would go back again for a hot drink. Also try a sandwich
J. T.Fabulous! Can recommend. A wonderful, informative and spectacular experience. A brilliant concept that's great for all ages and abilities.
J. E. G.Easy access,helpful and friendly staff,good coffee shop.good for children,excellent library,reading and computer rooms.activities and classes,frequent exhibitions.
s. w.Lots to look at, very educational, lovely library for kids, ever changing displays, lovely cafe and unique gift shop
j.A great place to visit. Nice little cafe there also. A must for anyone coming to Preston.
M. M.If you go to preston, you should visit here. And it's free!
R. T.A suprising musem. Right in the city center. A good display of art work. It has both paintings and a history musem of the Preston area.The building itself is spectacular.
Y. K.Nice collection, great, interesting well-done section on local history (including PNEFC) and also temporary exhibitions. Quite welcoming staff & building.
L. F.Love this building, so interesting also fab library
R. R.Craft fair today. Lots of clever talent. Beautiful place definitely worth a visit.
B. G.Very interesting displays, visit regularly for the cafe Bean Good Cafe, reasonable priced food and good coffee
J. K.Decent range of exhibits, thought the £3 donation for the fine art was steep but worth seeing
C. _.My favourite painting here. 😍
R. M.Fantastic old building with a number of interesting displays. We came in on a number of events related to Chinese New Year. Will go back for a second look.
A. N.Good museum interesting history section and varied art gallery. Spent 1 and half hours here!!
A. S.Great place to visit, good local history displays great special exhibitions.
C. 1.Lots of variety representing the past and the present
S. R.Brilliant building in centre of town. Fascinating interior. Take a break from the shops and explore!
T. B.Books, Art, Activities, the Museum, Exhibitions, Music, Computers, Cafe, Information, Shop...something for everyone all in a beautiful building, it's fabulous!
G. M.The Harris Museum,Art Gallery and Library are well worth a visit.I remember visiting as a child and have always loved it.
M. H.Great place to go free entry lots of variety of things to look at. Situated in Preston town centre
D. D.Love the building, the exhibits, very peaceful and creative atmosphere and the cafe complements it
D. T.We were really surprised how good this was. Lots to do for the kids. The comic exhibition was brilliant.
A. B.The Moon exhibition is amazing. .it's on til the 24th of this month so get down there, before its to late.
D. C.Visit here at least once a month for the library but stay for the art, the cafe and the friendly always helpful staff
M. W.Good exhibits well laid out and informative well done to all staff
M. A.This library appears to be clean yet it is not, the staff can be rude and there are stolen artifacts from Iran in the museum wa Allah.
B. S.An excellent museum with very good local information. Well worth a visit.
a. h.It is a great place to visit, the collections are changed from time to time and the cafe is quite good
C. S.Lovely to be back on the Harris, and Bob and Roberta Smith exhibition was outstanding
S. D.Nice place to visit and take kids very interesting stuff good librarplenty of computers to use nice cafe
M. A.Lovely place, friendly staff and do a great almond milk hot chocolate.Will definitely visit again.
P. S.Historical and cultural.Involves community and local artists input.Allows various group activities to take place there.Inspiring from historian point of view and educational too.
D. M.The Harris museum has some excellent exhibitions, and best of all it's free!!
A. R.Always a great place to visit. Exhibitions are fantastic and the kids love it.
K. M.Went to an event about the moon. It was great.
M. M.Enjoyable way to spend an idle hour- no vegan options in the cafe unfortunately.
S. P.Excellent museum with interesting floor dedicated to the history of Preston and top class art on the top floor
B. W.Original Little beez honey .. will soon presents for Introducing 🥰🥰
C. N.I love going to the Harris and learning about the history of the city I was born in 👍🥰
A. H.Preston's Museum & Fine Art Gallery. New management team brought in to brighten and liven the place up.
A.Loved learning about the moon
m. l.Beautiful building, excellent exhibitions, free internet and lovely place to work. It just closes too early!!
P. T.Nice to have the Rugby League World Cup trophy on display. Always a good place to visit.
A. C.I grew up just down the road but had never been here before. A great place, I'll definitely be back!
C. B.Beautiful building with some amazing art and history exhibits. Fee entry as well.
T. F.The museum has a wide selection of artwork and artifacts from Preston and beyond. Well worth a visit.
E. P.Great place to visit for art and exhibitions, the library is extensive too.
m. k.Good to take kids nice open spaced library cafe area to unwind and sip on tea and eat cake.
A. M.Beautiful building with excellent permanent and temporary exhibitions and a central cafe. Good for ceramics and textiles.
C. H.Cafe is great since they revamped it. A bit expensive but great cake and coffee c
N. B.Always a good selection of exhibits. Nice little cafe too.
E. R.Wonderful Experience And Beautifully Presented with a very high quality And Very Friendly Atmosphere With All The Staff Too. Love It Love It. 👍👍👍👍😉
A.Nice place but a bit old but nice to learn about the history of Preston if you want to.
D. M.Nice staff, very helpful. Good access for disabled people, very child friendly
S. W.Great place to visit and very interesting, child friendly museum.
c. k.The interior really nice but it's not very interesting, inside there is a library which is nice.
J. D.Great cafe.accessable for people with disabilities and thought provoking art work.
V. P.Brilliant place for local history, library or just a coffee and a slice of cake xxx
E. C.Brilliant small museum. Fabulous gallery. Beautiful building.
R. D.Good exhibits and a great looking building, definitely one of the best in the City.
T. O.Didn't really visit, just went for a meeting there. Can't say much about the Museum itself
F. V.Took the kids on a Sunday as it was a little cold outside passed a hour or so and wasn't anything to complain about
V. D.Fantastic experience, the kids loved it, i would highly recommend the Harris Museum.
H. C.So much to learn about here and so much too look at. You could probably go in every day and still learn something new. And also, you get free entry
S. T.I love this place. It's beautiful and tranquil. The café upgrade is wonderful.
J. H.Went to see the Harry Potter exhibition. Wow what an amazing place, would definitely go back, so much to see
L. S.I love the Harris museum. I've been going for 60years and I'm never bored
F. S.Worth a visit. Some nice art pieces. Fantastic central balcony.
I.Great building and exhibits,many items of local interest and fine art exhibits
T. N.Fantastic, professional, organised and efficient, the Army are doing a great job
T. W.Great museum. Not just local stuff, but excellent for that, too.
M. J.An amazing piece of architecture and an excellent range of exhibits. A truly remarkable building.
J. C.Love the Harris. Always changing the exhibits and the pendulum is a personal favourite
m. w.A good range of art work and artifacts and you can learn of the history of Preston.
M. P.The best place ever! Love it here. Lots to look at and do.
S. P.Went here to join the library, intend to revisit at some point to look at the museum and art gallery
j. j.Excellent library and museum, helpful staff
P. P.Wonderful collection housed in a wonderful building. Good temporary exhibitions too.
A. O.One of Preston's key heritage locations
S. W.Magnificent big old building with some very interesting displays.
B. E. (.Excellent venue for Etsy and I discovered a new (to me) gallery that is well worth visiting.
b. h.its Beillent.plenty of intresting things .lovely cafe.and free entry.
H. P.Always friendly and lots of events ..new stuff to try for kids
J. G.Absolutely stunning building. Somewhere to visit again to take more of it in.
J. M.Cafe was very noisy, and disappointed by paper cups, but otherwise a great place
Z. G.Interesting place where to spend afternoon. Entry is free and it is open every day.
S. E.Top place keep eye out for new special displays and activities
m. s.Brilliant museum, loved it. Especially Lego exhibit at the moment.
M. O.Excellent local museum with varied exhibits. No entrance fee.
M.Very interesting building, good selection of exhibits, helpful staff
G. S.The best in the northwest. All the staff are very helpful.
T. P.Always plenty to see free entry and they have a gallery that changes throughout the year so always something new to see .
L. J.Love the Harris Library ...waiting for the day that the Library goes back to the way it was...x
R. L.Good museum. Nice to learn a lot over the history of Preston
R. A.Interesting building and neat museum. Little coffee shop too!
L. M.A fascinating permanent collection and a varied selection of visiting exhibitions in an elegant building
K. P.To visit Harris Museum & Art Gallery it is the best way to discover Preston and its history.
A. A.A lot to historical events to learn about, lots of activities to look forward to, houses a friendly public library as well.
B. &. R. B.Fantastic such a lovely variety of exhibitions. So enjoyable
p. b.Improved exhibitions worked on one gallery for norwrb fittings track lighting
S. W.Lovely museum and this particular exhibit was very interesting
G. R.Interesting ... Lovely tea shop but no scones !
J. J.Went to Pro t Travel Documents off Staff was very Helpful has always
k. m.Good selection of different art and historical artifacts. Good library too
A. P.Good local museum and library. Good coffee shop too...
C. M.It's a place that art lovers would go crazy for.
Must visit place for tourists. Do check the timings before you visit.
D. P.Always a great visit, and its also free entry.
C. J.It's a positive place to go to for all the family will lots of fun to be had
L. M.I used the IT library at the Harris Museum. The staff were very helpful as it was my first time using the computer library.
A. B.My kids have lots of fun here. Great for learning.
l. o.Took my grandaughter aged 6 for first time. She loved it all.b
I. H.Very well laid out. The viking exhibition was good.
A. C.Has some great displays, not for the young children
H. H.Lovely place to meet a friend for a coffee and chat. Great cakes.
S. J.The kids loved the Comic exhibition. Great visit.
D. C.Great museum that showcases local art from a northern city
S. H.Brilliant. Moon exhibition is great. Cafe very reasonable
D.Clean & quiet. Lovely, helpful staff.
S. H.Interesting museum. Child friendly. Lovely coffee!
S. C.Great place. Almost always something new to do or see
M. M.Love the archive the museum holds xxx amazing staff
I. K.Great setup and loads to do cafe library and artwork
C. E.Rugby world cup. Excellent.
E. R.Very old architecture, decent galleries not the best nor worst gallery seen.
J. D.Beautiful old building. Interesting and impressive selection of paintings.
S. H.Brilliant museum, we really enjoyed it.
P. P.Absolutely fascinating museum and art gallery a' must see' when in
Preston.
D. R.Harris Open Art always a good viewing Oasis of calm at this time of year
R. J.Amazing experience and got to learn brief about Preston's history.
S. G.Great museum. Lots to see and do
J. W.Beautiful building with some interesting things to look at and learn
A. V. (. E.A most Inspiring place to visit... full of Beautiful objects and Art!
o. t.you like black pool are you don't because it's last Vegas off the north love it
R. H.Was a lovely visit but not the best to take a child.
k. h.Don't miss the Bob & Roberta Smith exhibit.
R. H.Kids enjoyed it. Nice relaxing day out in town.
S. C.Been coming here since I was a child, and it has a very special place in my heart.
s. H.Brilliant place and superb cafe.x
Staff lovely.
J. K.Really helpful staff & impressive building. Good variety of arts
S. J.Great place for a short visit, nice cafe too
a. f.Good
P. A.Great museum. Plenty for young children.
I. S.Very interesting.
A. C.Nice one for visitors to know more about Preston, It's free entry!
A. A.Beautiful
T. D. F. 1.Loved it. They also had the gs to keep the kids interested
K. B.Very friendly and helpful staff, beautiful building, intresting contents,
M. F.Good Library. Helpful staff. Better having the Newspapers downstairs.
B. C.The dinosaur Lego exhibition is great lot's to do and see
S. T.Changing exhibition and regular museum and art works in a fantastic building
m. b.Took my 6 year old grand daughter. She loved it.
E. K.Lovely library and museum. Just nothing for the toddlers
W. Q.Love going here. Need to open the top floor to the public more though
E. T.Good museum plenty to see good coffee shop
A. S.Very interesting artwork beautiful building nice café
T. K.fantastic dinosaur exhibition made from Lego. Great place to explore!
H. H.Even though its preston it feels more grand then meseums in Manchester
C. D.If you're in town head on it, there is a small cafe and entry is free.
J. S.Definitely a great place to go on a rainy day
G. H.So peaceful and relaxing and warm and welcoming staff.
G. M.V good collection and impressive building.Good cafe for lunch.
I. J.A great place to retire from the hurly burly of life and reflect, study and be amazed
i. a.My great great grandfather worked on most of the stone masonry outside
C. G.Love ordering new books online. Saves so much money.
K. H.It was a great museum with a lot of history of Preston and Lanchesire
m. p.Wozzers what an amazing visit,loved every minute of my experience.
Z. P.Would benefit from having a car park
B. B.Really relaxing and interesting place - and its free
B. W.Great exhibitions, great staff and free. An asset to Preston
S. A.Lovely building and a reasonable collection of Art. And it's Free!!!
L. M. A.Nice cafe and beautiful building. Staff helpful.
N. R.Great place
C. D.Excellent free museum with something for all ages, from all ages.
D. H.Local museum with some real hidden treasures, Lowry painting a must!
J. D.Surprisingly interesting. Some good pieces on display and a lovely building.
N. C.Brilliant place for all ages, my kids love it
G. A.Great location and ideal for families
L. A.Great place but what I was looking for was not there in another building
V. A.The Moon exhibition was amazing .Well done The Harris.
Z. H.Lots of activities for children and great selection of books
U. F.Nice display recently but could do more for kids
D. S.Because of its location to be nearby the city, its absolutely great place to be here.
c. g.the bus station exhibit and the history of preston was good
M. b. t.Very friendly staff. Great place to go with kids.
M. C.Quiet but historic. Very friendly and knowledgeable staff
G. Y.So coooooool! Learn the local history of Preston and see some cool stuff!
c. j.Fantastic museum Preston very proud to have.
J. H.A fantastic local resource, excellent art displays.
S. F.Great combination of interesting local history and art works
J. S.Great local museum worth a visit
S. J.Lovely old building lots of things to do
A. S.Excellent place. Look out for the exhibitions.
E. C.Nice
T. P.Got the books I needed for beginner's crochet.
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