‘Number of potential locations’ identified for new home of Buxton Museum and Art Gallery

Peak Building, which used to house the museum and art gallery, will be up for auction by early 2025, says Derbyshire County Council (DCC).

A DCC spokesperson said: “Since the announcement that the relocation of the Buxton Museum and Art Gallery was necessary, we have been 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.

“Working with partners 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.

“We will know the results of this study in the next few months, and a decision will be made on whether it would be suitable as a temporary or permanent home.

The museum was temporarily closed in June 2023 after dry rot was discovered in the building and, almost a year later, DCC announced the museum would not be reopening on Terrace Road.

More than 5,000 people signed a petition to keep the museum in the town.

In August We Are Buxton, the campaign group fighting to save the museum and who organised a 200-strong protest outside of the museum, said the Town Hall and four further options, all in lower Buxton, have been identified as possible new premises.

However, Derbyshire Council have not disclosed the locations they are looking at.

The DCC spokesperson said: “It would not be useful at this stage to raise expectations about this building until we have the full facts, including a strong indication of what costs may be involved.

“In the meantime museum staff are continuing with the complex task of packing away the thousands of artefacts and artworks housed at the museum.

“Some items will go into safe storage until a new home is found and others will be displayed in alternative venues, including Buxton Library, where staff will be temporarily working.

“Staff are aiming to move all the museum collections from Peak Buildings by early 2025 and it will then go for sale by auction.’’