Halifax offers many different ways to explore its cultural history: from a Georgian cloth hall and regional collections to church art and industrial history.
Georgian Cloth Hall and Market History
The Piece Hall is a Grade I listed building and is considered the world’s only surviving Georgian cloth hall. At the “The Piece Hall Story” experience, you can explore historic objects and exhibitions, and try on Georgian clothing. Here, you encounter history both in the building itself and in an explicitly interactive exhibition. If The Piece Hall is on your visit list, there is also a practical guide to getting there: Halifax railway station is a five-minute walk away. Direct train services run from there to Leeds, Huddersfield, Bradford and Manchester.
The covered Borough Market offers a different perspective on Halifax. The Grade II* listed building was built from 1891 to 1895 by Leeming and Leeming for the Borough of Halifax. The market has sold local, fresh and artisan-made products since 1896. The range offered by individual traders and the products available may change. Comparing it with The Piece Hall reveals two different sides of the townscape: the historic cloth hall and a market focused on its range of goods.
Collections, Everyday Life and Walking Routes
Shibden Hall dates back to 1420. Visitors can learn about the lives of the people who lived and worked in the house, including diarist Anne Lister. The paths in Shibden Park offer another, separate reason to go for a walk. If you want to include both historic ways of life and an outdoor route in your plans, these are distinct themes that you can prioritise according to your interests.
The Bankfield Museum tells the story of Halifax and Calderdale through its collections. Its exhibition areas include local history, costumes, art, toys, military history, jewellery and textiles from around the world. The subjects therefore range from the history of the area to objects and textiles with a broader context. The museum is in Akroyd Park, at the centre of Akroydon, a model village designated as a conservation area. Its location and collection offer a distinct way to explore: you can combine the museum’s themes with the protected surroundings of the model village.
Church, Industrial History and Performances
Halifax Minster is a Grade I listed parish church dating from the 15th century. The church was a spiritual home for Anne “Gentleman Jack” Lister: she was baptised there, attended services and is buried there. Visitors can explore Halifax Minster and, on a guided tour, discover its historic interior, stained glass and painted wooden ceiling panels. The visit thus combines architectural history with Anne Lister’s specific historical connection to the church.
Wainhouse Tower is also a listed building, with Grade II* status. It was originally commissioned as a chimney for the local dye works. The Calderdale Industrial Museum takes a different approach: its four floors house a collection of industrial machinery and artefacts. These include a recreation of the 19th-century coal mine at Mytholm. Together, these subjects bring industrial history to life in different ways—through the original purpose of a structure and through a museum collection that includes a mine recreation.
The Victoria Theatre programme includes rock and pop concerts, ballet, comedy, family performances, pantomime and drama. Programmes change, so check performance dates if a particular genre is important to your trip. At Eureka! Gallery, hundreds of exhibits are spread across six zones, complemented by extensive outdoor areas. The exhibition layout may change. Specially trained staff there are called “Enablers”; they help visitors have fun and stay safe.
Which Themes Suit Your Stay?
The places and activities covered here offer different ways to explore Halifax: historic buildings and their stories, museum collections, walking routes, industrial history or a changing events programme. To choose your hotel, you can start with the subjects that interest you most, then select the specific visits you want to make during your stay. For getting to The Piece Hall, you can use the five-minute walk from Halifax railway station as a guide.
Discover more destinations: Todmorden, Hebden Bridge.
Back to the main travel overview: Calderdale.
