Capital Development Network, Towneley Hall Art Gallery and Museum, 17 November 2025
As part of MDN’s Future Preparedness programme, the Capital Development Network brings together museum people who are undertaking or planning capital development projects.
These in-person events are an opportunity for the museum sector in the North of England to share learning, get peer support, and hear from a variety of speakers across a range of topics around planning and delivering capital development projects.
Each session will be held at a venue that has undergone capital development projects and focus on current and future climate resilience.
Towneley Hall historic house, art gallery and museum is located in 400 acres of beautiful parkland and has just undergone a £4.56m restoration. Dating from the 14th Century, it contains fine period rooms decorated with oil paintings and sculptures and a museum collection that includes an Egyptology, Whalley Abbey vestments, Lancashire-made oak furniture, Pilkington Pottery, fine art, natural history and the Towneley Bear!
The day will start with tea and coffee from 10am. A delicious, complimentary lunch is provided.
Who is this network aimed at? The network is designed for people with responsibility for buildings and collections management and operations, particularly those planning or undertaking capital development projects.
Agenda
10:00-10:30 Arrival and Refreshments
10.30-10:45 MDN Welcome & Introduction to the day, Kaye Hardyman and Sue Hughes, Museum Development Advisers, Museum Development North
10.45-11.15 Fiona Johnson, Associate and Ulrike Knox, Director, Knox McConnell Architects, Towneley Hall: Conservation of the Jewel in Burnley’s Crown
11.15-11:45 Sally Smith, Towneley Hall Manager and Alison Cooper, Senior Curator, Towneley Hall Lessons from the inside out
11:45-12:45 Sally Smith and Alison Cooper will lead 2 groups around Towneley Hall
12:45-1:30 Lunch
1.30-2.00 Owen Plummer, Associate, Purcell, Architecture, Masterplanning and Heritage Consultancy, Introducing the Future Preparedness Programme Support Offer
2:00-3:00 Guided group discussions/support surgeries
3:00-3:15 Closing statements, future planning and date for next meeting, Kaye Hardyman & Sue Hughes, Museum Development Advisers, Museum Development North
Catering: As part of MD North’s commitment to environmental responsibility and carbon reduction, catering for our in-person events is vegetarian and vegan. We encourage you to bring a reusable hot drink cup and water bottle, and perhaps a Tupperware to take home any leftovers to minimise food waste.
Access: Blue Badge parking is available in the main car park near the entrance to the Hall and near Riverside car park.
Towneley Hall has two public access lifts. Unfortunately, due to the Grade 1 listing there is no lift to the Long Gallery, Priest Hide and Pilkington’s glassware gallery. There is a platform lift beside the Victorian Kitchen on the ground floor that gives access to the Great Hall and Regency Rooms. There is a lift that provides access to first and second floors in the north wing.
There is currently no wheelchair access via the historic entrance at the front of the Hall to the Regency Rooms. This entrance has five steps with a handrail. There is a step-free entrance at the rear of the Hall or through the Hall via the shop. Accessible toilets are located on the ground floor in the Hall entrance foyer, and Park Life Cafe. There is a Changes Places toilet and changing facilities located next to the Rotunda Café.
Presentations will take place in the Lecture Theatre followed by tours of the museum which will take you into areas accessed via stairs. Please let us know if you have access needs when booking as we can make an accessible tour available. Lunch and the final session of the day will be in the Regency Room.
Booking: Please only book if you are committed to attending, so that we give everyone a timely opportunity to book and remove the added paperwork required in dealing with cancellations. If for some reason you can no longer attend, please let us know asap so we can reallocate your place.
For more information, please contact: sue.hughes@museumdevelopmentnorth.org.uk.
Location
Towneley Hall Art Gallery & Museum
Towneley Park, Burnley BB11 3RQ