Former Buxton Museum and Art Gallery sells for £435,000

The property was on the market with a starting price of £275,000 and sold for £160,000 more than the asking price.

A spokesperson for SDL Property Auctions, who sold the building on Terrace Road, on Thursday January, 30, said: “The property comprises a substantial four storey Victorian building situated in a highly prominent position.

“The building has been home to the Buxton Museum and Art Gallery for many years and is configured to provide both office accommodation along with exhibition space over four storeys.”

Buxton Museum and Art Gallery has been housed in Peak Buildings for nearly 100 years.

In 1928, the first floor was opened as the town’s public library with the ground floor occupied by the museum.

Until its closure to the public in June 2023, BMAG was still using some of the original display cases.

The Buxton Magistrates Court was also based out of Peak Buildings and shut in 2016 and the Green Man Gallery closed at Christmas.

The museum was temporarily closed in June 2023 after dry rot was discovered in the building and, almost a year later, Derbyshire County Council announced the museum would not be reopening and would be put up for sale.

SDL said prior to the auction the building would be suitable for a ‘variety of alternate uses subject to obtaining the appropriate planning consent’.

It is not yet known who purchased Peak Buildings at the auction or what the intention for future use is.

The County Council say they are working ‘hard to identify suitable alternative premises to house the collections and re-open the museum and art gallery in a new location in the town’

The council say a number of potential locations have been identified over the past few months, and a feasibility study is now underway to assess what it could cost to convert one of the sites identified into an accessible, modern museum and art gallery space.

If the outcome is positive, they say then details will be made public and a decision will be made on whether this is the most suitable location for the new museum.

What do you think the new developer has planned for the site? Email [email protected]