A New Era for the Grade 1 Listed Buildings

In July 2025, Grade 1 listed Towneley Hall in Burnley reopened to the public, following a £4.56m repair and restoration project. Burnley Council had appointed BWD Ltd to support the interpretation (telling the story of Towneley Hall) and refurbishment works at the Hall, which has been a museum and gallery since 1903 and houses nationally significant collections of fine and decorative arts. The Council sought to refresh how the building and its collections are presented to the public, ensuring the stories of Towneley Hall and its former occupants could be shared in engaging and accessible ways for both local communities and visitors. BWD Ltd worked with the restoration team, adding features to guide visitors through the eras that the Hall has been considered ‘The Jewel in Burnley’s Crown’ and to introduce the next generation its stories through ‘Bill the Bear’.

The Visitor Story welcomes guest in the entrance lobby, with a series of panels showcasing the evolution of the Hall and the families who lived there through the centuries. The adjoining corridor takes them on to the orientation map, showing the floor plan of the building, enabling visitors to plan their tour through all parts of the Hall. For the younger guests, Bill the Bear is waiting to greet them in the Servants’ Corridor with some family-friendly goody bags.

Bev Wood, Creative Director and Founder of BWD Ltd explained,

“BWD worked in partnership with the client team to research, design, and deliver the new interpretation and display solutions throughout key areas of the Hall. Our approach has respected the Grade I listed status of the building, carefully considering the balance between conservation and visitor engagement. We developed a suite of interpretive graphics, displays, and signage that complemented the historic interiors while improving visitor circulation and understanding of the collections. All materials, colour palettes, and finishes were selected to harmonise with the Hall’s unique character and to support the telling of its layered history.”

The Welcome Room offers somewhere to sit around tables for group sessions, while looking at the wall panels to get an overview of the collections that visitors will discover during their tour of the Hall.

Sally Smith, Towneley Hall Manager, concluded,

“We are so pleased with the outcome of Towneley Hall’s renovation, and so proud of the work of everyone who made it happen. Having updated the flow, materials, colour palettes and graphics, it’s been done in a way that is sensitive for this historic building.  With the addition of the displays and signage, it is easier than ever for visitors to engage with the story of the Hall and the treasures that it holds, ready to be explored. Reopening the doors and the space filling with people of all ages smiling, shows that the visitors are enjoying the renovation as much as we are.”