Walsall Leather Museum
Latest Reviews
We visited the Museum on a wet day when we were looking things to do. What a find! The old factory has been beautifully restored and is an iconic building in the heart of the town.
The industry started with the Loriners (I learned this today - people who made the metal work required for horses, stirrups, spurs, bridles , bits.). Then leather workers moved into the area because of the complimentary nature of the two trades;. The rest was history, with Walsall becoming world centre for the leather trade. Following the history lesson, we were showed the whole process of leather preparation, given a demonstration and allowed to emboss small leather fobs. All great. Then we went downstairs to the delightful café where we were served by one of the smartest and helpful assistants it has been my pleasure to meet and enjoyed four light and very tasty hot meals with drinks for a total of £13.80!. Wheelchair access is very good.
If Walsall Council every wonders where it will find the funding for its heritage projects, protect and treasure this one. It is a jewel!
The industry started with the Loriners (I learned this today - people who made the metal work required for horses, stirrups, spurs, bridles , bits.). Then leather workers moved into the area because of the complimentary nature of the two trades;. The rest was history, with Walsall becoming world centre for the leather trade. Following the history lesson, we were showed the whole process of leather preparation, given a demonstration and allowed to emboss small leather fobs. All great. Then we went downstairs to the delightful café where we were served by one of the smartest and helpful assistants it has been my pleasure to meet and enjoyed four light and very tasty hot meals with drinks for a total of £13.80!. Wheelchair access is very good.
If Walsall Council every wonders where it will find the funding for its heritage projects, protect and treasure this one. It is a jewel!
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
We randomly took a visit to the Walsall leather museum and what a delightful surprise it was! Although the museum itself doesn't have the facilities in comparison to the other museums nearby, the free entry and key ring compensates for this downfall entirely! Once upstairs we came across the most intriguing and generally lovely lady called Wendy. She informed us she had been in the leather trade for fifty years and now volunteers at the museum two days a week. In my opinion, for the pure wealth of knowledge Wendy holds, this is an outrage. She is an absolute asset to this museum and subsequently should be paid for her work. The trip to the museum wouldn't have been worth it without her. So I'd recommend to visit on a Thursday or Friday if you'd like to get the best possible experience. Thoroughly enjoyable day with donations made to a good cause.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
This FREE museum of the history of the leather trade and the relevance of it to the development of Walsall is superb. Although it is a leather museum it has exhibits on lorinery which are the metal bits and related leather pieces associated with horses and of course saddles. Given that the local football team are known as the Saddlers it indicates how important this became to the town over the years.
The curators are ex leather workers and if you are fortunate enough to visit when the leather experts are in you and your children will be in for an entertaining treat.
Well worth a visit and is a credit to the town. We visited with friends intending to stay an hour and it ended up being 3.
The curators are ex leather workers and if you are fortunate enough to visit when the leather experts are in you and your children will be in for an entertaining treat.
Well worth a visit and is a credit to the town. We visited with friends intending to stay an hour and it ended up being 3.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
I took the grandchildren here, to learn more about the leather trade in Walsall. Very nice clean, well set out exhibition. Conveniently in centre of Walsall town, parking just outside. Would be better if there were curators around to explain what the tools were used for etc. Free to enter, quite educational. Lots of steps to encounter.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Great stuff - a fascinating afternoon spent at a museum dedicated to the material created by the tanning of animal rawhide and skin! Who would have thought such a dry subject could have made such an interesting visit?!
The museum tells the story of the Walsall leather trade and in particular focuses on the saddle trade. There's plenty to see and if you're lucky you will get to see some skilled craftsmen and have a chat to former leather workers. Special mention to the 88 year old gent I spoke to who started in the Walsall leather trade in 1939! Gulp! He was initially earning a penny an hour - hope he's getting a bit more now! Anyway it's characters like this that make a visit.
Great to see modern contemporary leather products as well. Handbags, footballs, gloves, saddles, wallets, belts, rolls of snakeskin, tawse... It's all here and it's free! Check it out!
The museum tells the story of the Walsall leather trade and in particular focuses on the saddle trade. There's plenty to see and if you're lucky you will get to see some skilled craftsmen and have a chat to former leather workers. Special mention to the 88 year old gent I spoke to who started in the Walsall leather trade in 1939! Gulp! He was initially earning a penny an hour - hope he's getting a bit more now! Anyway it's characters like this that make a visit.
Great to see modern contemporary leather products as well. Handbags, footballs, gloves, saddles, wallets, belts, rolls of snakeskin, tawse... It's all here and it's free! Check it out!
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
I have visited here a few times after visiting the Art Gallery and have always found it interesting with friendly & helpful staff. I think the shop is particualrly good with many items of a good quality and reasonable price.
The displays and informative and interesting, I should think its a good place to take kids too. No charge to get in either so no reason not to go!
The displays and informative and interesting, I should think its a good place to take kids too. No charge to get in either so no reason not to go!
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
The leatrher museum in Walsall, is located just a few minutes from the town center and provides a great look at the leather making histyory of the town. I am from Walsall and last visited the Museum over 20 years ago... I have recently visited the Museum with my twin 9 year olds and they were amazed by it all. The staff were very kind and helped the kid make some small leather crafts. They wqerer so taken with Musuem that they visited 2 times during our trip the the area.
This small musurm provides a slice of local history and after all the topwn is famous for leather and even the town's soccer team is call the SADDLERS.
This small musurm provides a slice of local history and after all the topwn is famous for leather and even the town's soccer team is call the SADDLERS.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Very interesting. Staff are ex workers and are so keen to explain different processes of the leather trade. Some intriguing leather colours. Great soup at the cafe
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Very Interesting, and they do great craft workshops for all ages, when I was there, they were making jewelry from leather
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Walsall's chief trade was leather work and this free museum has plenty of information on the leather trade including an exhibition of leather goods etc and items of leather which can be purchased.They also have workshops from time to time to try leather working for yourself or your children and a coffee hop with cakes, home made meals etc available. The museum traces the stages of leather with an extensive view of workshops and differant stages of manufacture. The demonstrations are on-between 10-4 on Tuesday to Saturday(closed Sunday & Monday but open bank holidays-check for details) it will enrich the experience. We met a fantastic elderly man who regaled us with stories of his work in tanning the leather, as he worked in the trade.This bought it alive for us! Upstairs there are books, photos and archive pertaining to the Walsall leather trade which we found useful for our family history research.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
A chance to see some of the Black Country leather work and you can ask questions at your leisure, very friendly.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
It a interesting view of Walsalls leather works in and around the town bringing the past to life shire horses pulling barges along the. Local canals
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
I would like to dispell the myth that the Leather Museum is no longer in existence and has burnt down. The Museum is very much still in Walsall and open for business. I think people maybe getting confused with some of the local leather factories which have disappeared in recent months.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
It was a very interesting place to visit as there has always been leather making in Walsall. But it has now burnt down. Sorry all of you folks that have missed it.When we went was longer ago than you have the choice of.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Really enjoyed here with the family, Great entertainment to keep the kids busy. I would highly recommend when you have any spare time.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
live in walsall but never realised this place existed, had a wonderful time around the workshops and very good information service, really worth a visit,
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Visited today. It was very interesting witha gentleman who has worked there for 70 years to answer any questions. Good displays, nice cafe, clean toilets. There was a workshop going on for youngsters & they were obviously having a whale of a time. Well worth a visit if you are not into churches etc.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Lovely couple of hours spent at the museum. Ron, a volunteer who has worked in the leather industry for 70 (Yes seventy!) years gave us so much information and showed us all sorts of animal and reptle skins that had been cured. Thankfully most of them illegal these days but still fascinating to see what was used years ago. Very nice lunch in the cafe at a reasonable price.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
This is a brilliant place to catch up on a slice of Walsall's history. The staff are excellent and could not be more helpfull, and you can get a nice cuppa and a cake in the coffee shop. I know that they also do special events for children there too, and often play host to special evening events.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
having lived in walsall all my life i had never been so took my daughter along ,it was very enjoyable afternoon seeing an insight to an age old tradition ..coffee shop was good as well ..
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Every think was really interesting easy to find it was a treat to see how the leather industry was making such wonderful saddles.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
This is a lovely way to while away a couple of hours - better than going to Tesco which is right opposite and provides free parking for the couple of hours it takes to go round this interesting little gem.
Walsall was famed for its leather work and this gives a fascinating insight into the history of the trade. Some fabulous examples of exquisite leather goods, helpful friendly guides who really know what they are talking about. If you get there at the right time you can try your hand at embossing or even leather stitching.
If you are taking children try to phone in advance to see what demonstrations and hands on experiences are available as otherwise this could be a bit boring for them.
They also run holiday workshops for children and families.
Walsall was famed for its leather work and this gives a fascinating insight into the history of the trade. Some fabulous examples of exquisite leather goods, helpful friendly guides who really know what they are talking about. If you get there at the right time you can try your hand at embossing or even leather stitching.
If you are taking children try to phone in advance to see what demonstrations and hands on experiences are available as otherwise this could be a bit boring for them.
They also run holiday workshops for children and families.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Staff were friendly and knowledgeable. Some had worked there when it was running as a tannery and obviously had great regard for it. The visit was quite short and probably wouldn't hold the attention of young visitors.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Great little museum and really friendly staff, one of which informed me he was 86! The guides are ex leather workers themselves and only to happy to answer your questions. Children can make a little key fob for about 50p.
This place often holds special events,so be sure to visit these.
Also must mention that it is free.
This place often holds special events,so be sure to visit these.
Also must mention that it is free.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
There aren't many places that you can still visit for free but this is one of them. Although there are paid staff, many/most of the demonstrators are volunteers who give up their time to show you how the work used to be carried out, they are very knowlegible.
The museum often hosts special events for children during school holidays, places are limited though. Also a good place to buy a gift from as they do have a gift shop.
The museum often hosts special events for children during school holidays, places are limited though. Also a good place to buy a gift from as they do have a gift shop.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
