VISITORS can enjoy the impressive collections on show at Keighley’s Cliffe Castle Museum again after the building – closed during lockdown – reopened to the public.

The volume of people coming through the doors has been high and the feedback positive.

And considerable credit for maintaining public interest during the closure period has been attributed to volunteers from Cliffe Castle Support Group, who ran an online initiative.

My Cliffe Castle Thing encouraged people from across the community to choose a favourite object or exhibit from the museum’s collections.

Fond memories and stories about the items were then shared across social media.

The support group’s social media team thanks everyone who took part.

A spokesman said: “Since July, more than a dozen people have selected things to celebrate and we’ve loved hearing about them – as well as discovering things we never knew.

“We’ve had some wonderful contributions.

“From the extraordinary Malachite fireplace and the awesome Pholiderpeton, to less-well-known treasures like the stained-glass panels in the porch – it’s been a journey of discovery and fascinating to hear what people would choose as their ‘thing’.

“It has been exciting too to learn some of the ‘back-stories’ – the intimate details of the Butterfield’s private lives in Mary Louise’s letters, revealed by Naseem Darbey, and the personal memories attached to the park and the glasshouses by Jess Kidd and Letty McHugh.

“The idea for the project was born out of the group’s belief that Cliffe Castle’s spirit does not simply stop at the park gates – the museum is part of the community and has a profound connection with its visitors, which lived on even when it was forced to close its doors.”

The museum is open on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, between 11am and 3pm.

Covid-secure measures are in place for the safety of staff and visitors. Face coverings must be worn, unless an exemption applies.

Anyone with enquiries about the support group can email ccsgteam@gmail.com.

During half-term week, Bradford Museums and Galleries is staging a Love Spiders programme of activities.

Families can take part from home or visit Cliffe Castle Museum or Bradford Industrial Museum, to collect spider facts and a free children’s activity pack.

Councillor Sarah Ferriby, Bradford Council’s healthy people and places portfolio holder, said: “These activities will give children and their families an insight into the fascinating and often misunderstood world of spiders. Anyone can take part and the programme is free of charge.”