Thackray Museum of Medicine in Leeds plans ahead for its 30th anniversary

Few museums tell a story quite as vivid as the Thackray Museum of Medicine. Housed in a Grade II listed former workhouse building in Leeds, it explores the history of health and medicine, and it is now looking firmly towards its next chapter.

The museum has secured more than £420,000 from grant bodies led by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, including £249,500 from the Heritage Fund itself. The funding is designed to support early-stage, long-term planning for the museum's future.

That planning will include community consultation, so local people can help shape what comes next, along with a fundraising and enterprise plan to keep the museum on a strong footing.

Part of the work will explore a new roof for the historic building, potentially with an extra floor, and the Yorkshire Post has reported that the funding will also help bring a new lift to the museum. Both point to a building that is becoming more practical and welcoming for every visitor.

There is a milestone on the horizon, too. The museum marks its 30th anniversary in 2027, and the celebrations begin with an exhibition called Complexion, which explores the experiences of people with melanin-rich skin. A new Collections CoLab is also planned to open in April.

Leadership is changing as the museum prepares for that moment, with outgoing chair Professor Neil Kaiper-Holmes handing over to Neil Clephan OBE.

The Thackray is also part of the wider health and innovation life of Leeds. In 2025 it hosted a joint event with Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and the NHS Innovation Accelerator as part of Leeds Digital Festival, welcoming delegates to talk about scaling innovation across the NHS.

For a museum approaching three decades, it is an encouraging position to be in. The combination of funding, fresh exhibitions and new leadership suggests the Thackray is preparing to welcome visitors for many years to come.

Visitors can find opening information, exhibitions and events on the Thackray Museum of Medicine website, and it is a good idea to check ahead for details of the anniversary programme.