"Gallery Oldham - A great place to discover beautiful art and historical objects

What is Gallery Oldham?

Gallery Oldham is an art gallery that is located in the heart of Oldham. It holds a variety of exhibitions and galleries that look at art in different ways including portraits,sculptures, posters and historical items.

It currently holds the following Exhibitions and Galleries which are:

Gallery 1 - Oldham Stories

Gallery 2 - Finding the Funny: Sam Fitton

Gallery 3 – Tony Husband

Gallery 4 – Robert Lees: Oldham in the Countryside

Exhibitions Visited

Oldham Stories

This was a great Exhibition that showcased interesting items giving a historical insight from the past to the present. This includes a vast array of objects from various collections at the Gallery. This included the National History, Social History and Art collections.

Some of the items that were on display included The Rothwell Car, Jewellery, and specimens of taxidermy. These items were interesting to look at with a great story behind each object.

The Natural History Collection was beautiful. It was lovely to see a large range of habitats that can be found in Oldham. This included owls, foxes, badgers, birds and swans.

Finding the Funny: Sam Fitton

Sam Fitton started his career in the textile mills before becoming a skilled illustrator, poet, dialect, writer and performer.

This Exhibition was engaging as you saw Sam’s various works from cartoons that he drew in the newspaper The Cotton New Times.

It also brought nostalgia in the adverts that he did for famous brands including Macintosh Toffees and other products. It also gives an outlook on how he used different dialects in his writing. His art work is also thought provoking in highlighting the issues of mill workers.

This Exhibition was brilliant showing how Sam used different art means in order to earn a living. Inspiring.

The interactive element of this Exhibition which is the badge making for a mill worker was fun, educational and made you think out of the box.

Facilities

Gallery Oldham has a café however it is currently temporarily closed. However there are a few cafes nearby that you can go to after your visit.

There are toilets on the premises.

Pricing

It is free to visit Gallery Oldham.

Parking

There is no designated car park for this Gallery however there is a nearby car park that is pay and display. This is free for Blue Badge holders.

What was good about Gallery Oldham?

There is a great variety of objects that are full of history.

Each Exhibition is engaging and is full of beautiful artwork that is beautiful.

There are some good interactive activities to enhance your visit

What could have been improved at Gallery Oldham?

There could have been some background music

Some of the habitats and art works did not have good descriptions so more detailed ones would be helpful."

Yasmin Al-Sheklly

"What a delightful spur-of-the-moment discovery! After a trip to the library with the kids, we noticed the welcoming free entry poster for Gallery Oldham and decided to pop in – a decision we were so glad we made.
From the moment we stepped inside, the gallery offered a surprisingly engaging experience for all ages. My children were immediately drawn to the charming kids' area, complete with sensory toys and crayons, thoughtfully placed nearby so I could still enjoy the art.
One of the highlights was the unexpected sight of beehives on the balcony, visible through a large window. The gallery had even placed cosy sofas in front of it, making it a wonderfully peaceful spot to observe the bees buzzing about their important work.
The artwork itself was truly inspiring, with a clear connection to local artists and Oldham's heritage. It was fascinating to see depictions of how Oldhamers used to dress and live, offering a real glimpse into the town's past. The gallery then continued this journey through time, providing amazing information and facts about how Oldham has changed and evolved over the decades.
Gallery Oldham is a real gem – a welcoming, educational, and surprisingly engaging space that offers something for everyone. The free entry makes it even more appealing for families. We'll definitely be returning!"

Saheema

"You can find the a good collection of art 🎨 classic and contemporary painting, ceramic and some museum articles. The Gallary hold exhibitions for local artists some regular and some special. Which encourages local artists when these events are done. To get to it is a bit not easy because the traffic in Oldham and especially in that area is not easy to negotiate whoever there is a free parking 🅿 there for enough time to explore it. The metrolink is not far from it. If have time you can check the library which is in the same building"

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