Events in Bury - Exhibitions

Students of art classes run by the adult education service have been inspired by the Bury Art Gallery building and collections in contains. A panel of judges has looked closely at their work on the theme of 'inspired by' and the artwork that has been selected echoes the variety of collections.

Join Helen Castle, the museum's conservation and access officer, for a look behind the scenes at the collection and the newly restored building.

Join Col.Mike Clover as he explores buildings and monuments around the Town which are associated with the Lancashire Fusiliers. The tour includes free admission to the Fusiliers museum

Visit this fascinating new museum and enjoy vintage steam rollers and trams. There are interactive displays and even a bus simulator to test your driving skills. 

Enjoy a display of Vintage Road vehicles at the East Lancashire Railway, Bolton Street, Bury. 

For more details call 0161 764 7790

Come along to The Fusilier Museum to see a new exhibition on the recent experiences of the 2nd Battalion the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers in Afghanistan.

The British Army’s present involvement in Afghanistan is called Operation Herrick (OP HERRICK). The 2nd Battalion of The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers (2RRF) has been involved in this Operation since 2006, when they assumed the role of Theatre Reserve Battalion. A Company were sent into Nowzad in July 2006, where they spent 107 days in contact with the Taliban. C Company were deployed to Sangin in March 2007. In their first 20 days there, they were attacked 79 times. B Company deployed to Kabul as the Force Protection Company in January 2007. Fire Support Company relieved B Company and took over for the second half of the year.

Between March and October 2009, most of the Battalion were deployed in Musa Qaleh. This exhibition tells the story of the Battalion’s experiences, and the text and images have all come direct from the 2nd Battalion’s Press Office. Collections Access Officer Helen Castle said ‘It has been extremely important to the museum to have worked directly with the 2nd Battalion to put this exhibition together. It is an ideal chance to have an exhibition on history that has just happened.’ The exhibition runs until the 26 of September. Normal museum admission applies.

Amidst a series of famines, plagues and wars, the 14th century was also a time of great progress, with the onset of the Renaissance period. There were new military developments and the introduction of new siege weaponary would have a huge impact on the architectural structure of fortifications.

One such fortified home was Bury Castle, held by Sir Thomas Pilkington in 1469. Recently uncovered in 1973 by Bury Archaeological Group it shows how Bury's rich history pre-dates that of the industrial Revolution

Preswich Hospital was opened in 1851 as an asylum for 500 patients. The site was developed over the years and it became the largest mental institution in Europe with a population of 3,000.

The hospital, sometimes known as the Lancashire Mental Hospital, was designed to be self-sufficent and had a farm, brewery, bakery and gasworks. Patients came from all walks of life and suffered from a great range of mental illnesses. This exhibition explores the history of the hospital and the experiences of its patients.