Tourism chiefs praise museums

Oakwell Hall, Red House, Dewsbury Museum and Bagshaw Museum retained their Quality Assured accreditation after inspections by Visit England.

Inspectors praised the museums’ buildings, exhibitions, displays and customer service and said they gave an “excellent visitor experience”.

Visit England CEO James Berresford said: “We congratulate Kirklees museums and galleries for doing so well in this latest round of accolades, which continue to reflect the wide variety of attractions on offer in England.

“These accolades recognise the wonderful and innovative ways attractions in Kirklees are going above and beyond the call of duty to ensure people enjoy their visit, from a friendly and warm welcome, to high-quality food and drink on offer, or capturing the imagination with creative experiences.”

The museums were secretly assessed under Visit England’s visitor attraction quality scheme.

Inspectors said Oakwell Hall was well-preserved and praised staff for their service.

They also praised Red House Museum for its gardens and themed rooms.

Inspectors said Dewsbury Museum had “impressive features” including its toy gallery and World War Two room.

They praised Bagshaw Museum for its wood panelling, staircase and stained glass windows.

Tolson Memorial Museum also retained its accreditation and Huddersfield Art Gallery achieved it for the first time.