Walsall Leather Museum
Latest Reviews
Lived near here all my life and never been until today. So impressed. Fab displays and easy to read information. Staff were so lovely and there's plenty of activities on during the year for children. I popped in to see the Hodson sisters exhibition and will definitely return soon with my daughter
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
We travelled from Llantwit Fardre, Pontypridd, to visit and weren't disappointed. Really enjoyed the museum and our chat, over 1/2 he spent with leather expert.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Knowledgeable, friendly staff. Very interesting. Variety of things to look at. Good gift shop and cafe.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Enjoyed having a look round here as something different. It is interesting and free. There seemed to be a lot of people using the cafe here too.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
My wife and I revisited this small museum about the crafts that made Walsall famous. We were able to speak to folk who had worked in the trade and were obviously proud of the industry.
There is a small shop, and a cafeteria which we used for lunch.
It has convenient off street car parking just across the street which was not expensive and there are good public transport links by bus and rail
There is a small shop, and a cafeteria which we used for lunch.
It has convenient off street car parking just across the street which was not expensive and there are good public transport links by bus and rail
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
We came to visit with family and friends. It was amazing to see the old craft and see the beautiful leather goods. The gift shop had a lot of interesting items and we had lunch in the cafe. The meals were great. It was lovely to have Anne show us all the tools and explain the workings of this wonderful craft. Thank you Anne, you were a wealth of information and it was so nice to have met you
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Visited 24.9.16. Visited cafe for roll and coffee first. Excellent and all staff extremely friendly. Then went to museum and had a guided tour which was not booked and again, excellent. Very informative regarding the history of tanners in Walsall. Then spoke with the artisan leather worker who explained and showed the methods and different leathers. Superb. Would recommend to anyone...well worth a visit.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
This museum not only offers a good explanation of the leather trade and traditions but offers some great workshops for children during the holidays and around Xmas time.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Despite working in Walsall for many years I'm ashamed to say I'd never ventured into the leather museum so having a spare hour I took my granddaughter. We enjoyed looking round at the exhibits & I would like to visit again when I had more time.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Was lucky enough to attend with some foreign students and was impressed with the friendliness of all the staff there. We all made leather purses (I must try harder apparently with my stitching) then we had a tour of the museum. They were just fantastic!
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
A very interesting visit for all ages in a splendid place, friendly and passionated welcome from the museum staff, rare and beautiful leather saddles, gloves and other items exhibition.
A real pleasure in a nice town ! Tank you !
A real pleasure in a nice town ! Tank you !
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Excellent museum, full of facts and artifacts, several staff with first hand experience and stories. This is well worth a visit and what's more, it is FREE. A great insight into how Walsall's leather industry came about. We visited on a Friday, two volunteers were in the demonstration area who had 90+ years experience between them. They spent a lot of time talking to us and are an asset to the Museum. They were extremely friendly, knowledgable, great fun with fascinating stories which made the visit enjoyable and gave us a wonderful insight into real life in these factories. Fantastic, you will not be disappointed.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
A lovely little museum reminding us of our history and skill.
It has the bonus of a beautiful and immaculate garden.
A real treat.
It has the bonus of a beautiful and immaculate garden.
A real treat.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
This museum is a little gem and us a must for every age . It is free! There is a cafe and a shop where you can purchase locally made goods --- and we did. The museum staff volunteer and demonstrate the many processes and techniques used in making leather goods. Very interesting .... Don't miss it!
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
A real surprise to find this gem of a museum. Admittedly, my American pal and I had some knowledge but we had such a genuine welcome, good coffee(!) and such an interesting tour.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
It was a horrible wet afternoon in Walsall but it was a bright time in the museum. It was really interesting to read the plaques on the wall that brokedown the history of leather production in this small market town and how it is still impacting the place although not on the scale that it use to be. It was great to have a go at the sewing (harder than it looks) but the two peopl who gave the deomstartion ahd added to the history were BRILLIANT (shame, i am so bad at remembering names). Definitely worth a visit.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
I visited the Walsall Leather Museum when I visited Walsall on business recently. It is a small museum and I didn't have much expectations prior to my trip but I really enjoyed it. It was very informative and I learned more about leather in that visit than what I know in my life in 50 years. The presentation and demo by Keith was brilliant, interesting, and educational (as he has hands-on experience in the leather industry) and I am sure that adults will love it for the contents of his talk and the kids may love it for the demonstration of exotic leather varieties. The little (but pleasantly decorated) cafe is nice too with some good food. Overall, it was a great experience!!
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
My son (12) loves this museum. The staff are really friendly, and even though it hasn't got the budget for flashy I.T. displays there are still lots of things for the children to do in terms of crafts and quizzes of a kind that you couldn't see anywhere else. This is a unique museum about a key element of Walsall's past and I highly recommend it.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
We were most impressed with the leather museum. It was very welcoming and user friendly. The exhibits were most interesting and happily on the day we were there a great character called Keith was upstairs and gave us a detailed explanation of the small leather good workshop. Recommended
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
This is a well presented exhibition, showing the history of Walsall's leather industry, their occasional special shows are always interesting and the in-house restaurant is quite good, a little oasis in the centre of the town.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Some really interesting exhibits and demonstrations giving a fascinating insight into Walsall's leather trade, and when you are done the cafe does some mouthwatering cakes; delicious with a cup of coffee or pot of tea
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
We spent well over an hour looking around this lovely interesting museum. It is so well put together giving a clear history of the industry throughout the centuries. A tour is available and although we did not have sufficient time to join it the guide was very informative. The chance to smell and feel the leather made the visit very multi sensory - great for kids! Great exhibition of 'Hodsons shop' - fashion, old docs etc - a little bit of vintage.
The staff were welcoming and helpful. A cafe is also on site (not sampled). All this for free?!!! Thank you - we'll be back.
The staff were welcoming and helpful. A cafe is also on site (not sampled). All this for free?!!! Thank you - we'll be back.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
This is a marvellous small museum inhabiting one of Walsall's old leather works close to the college and easy to reach from the ring road by car or from the town centre on foot. As well as informing the amazingly long, complex and hard work needed to tan leather and showing examples of all the different sorts of leather, the museum allows you to meet people who have spent their entire working lives making saddles and preparing smaller leather items. You can make your own key rings or pencil cases and there are many fine examples of the saddles which made Walsall famous. Top it all off with visit to the excellent cafe with tables inside and outside in the leafy garden. It's a lovely place!
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
very interesting well worth a visit even for children, I went with my wife daughter and granddaughter.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
We live very close and went as a family for a day out we parked locally and really enjoyed it the volunteers that work their are fantastic and really knowledgable and took our visit from a walk round the museum to an interactive experience with a very entertaining gentleman who had lots to tell us and show us
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
