The Harris
A free museum, art gallery and library in a grand neo-classical building in the centre of Preston, with collections of fashion, art, ceramics and local history.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Harris exists because of a bequest. In 1877 the Preston lawyer Edmund Robert Harris left £300,000 to Preston Corporation in memory of his father, the Reverend Robert Harris, to pay for a free library, museum and art gallery. Preston bought the collections of an earlier literary society and opened a public library and museum in temporary premises in 1879, and in 1880 an act of Parliament allowed the town to provide a site for the new building.
Construction of the purpose-built building began in 1882 and it opened in 1893. Designed by the local architect James Hibbert in a neo-classical style, it is listed Grade I. A pediment sculpture, The School of Athens, and casts of classical friezes, including reproductions of the Parthenon frieze, show its classical influences, and the central hall rises through four storeys to a lantern tower. A motto on the building promises that the mental riches gained here will stay with the visitor always.
The collections include ceramics, glass, art, photographs, metalwork and ivory, local history, oral history and Preston street songs, along with a large collection of fashion and textiles. This includes the Horrockses Fashions collection, which the museum describes as the world's largest museum collection of Horrockses dresses. Alongside the galleries the building houses libraries, a café, a shop and rooms for events.
Highlights
- Grade I listed neo-classical building opened in 1893
- Horrockses Fashions collection of dresses
- Art, ceramics, glass, metalwork and local history collections
- Free entry, with late opening on Thursdays
- Reading Room for weddings and events
- Family programme with baby rhyme time and storytelling
Permanent exhibition
- The Harris collections – Displays drawn from the museum's collections of art, ceramics, glass, fashion and textiles, photographs and local history.
- Founded
- 1893
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
| Students & apprentices | –Students receive 15% off in the café with student ID. |
|---|---|
| Groups (10+ people) | –Self-led group visits are free but the museum asks for the planned dates. Curator-led tours cost £75 per hour for up to 15 people and volunteer-led tours are planned at £30 per hour; groups of 10 or more should contact the museum, which may take up to 14 days to reply. |
Entry to the museum and exhibitions is free. Some special tours, talks and performances are charged.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
All public areas are step-free, with a lift to the first and second floors; the Egyptian Balcony is reached only by steep, narrow stairs. The Lancaster Road entrance is fully accessible. Accessible toilets are on the ground and first floors, and the ground-floor Changing Places facility has a hoist and adjustable bench; a Radar key is available from the welcome desk. Three fixed hearing loops and one portable loop are provided. A tactile map is at the Flag Market entrance and raised maps of the upper floors can be borrowed. Large print guides are available, two staff are trained to BSL level 2, and live interpreting is offered through an online service. Sensory stimulation is lower on Monday afternoons from 14:00 to 17:00. Blue Badge parking is on Lancaster Road and nearby streets. Assistance animals are welcome.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
- Family tours & workshops
The Harris Kids programme includes free Baby Bounce and Rhyme sessions on Wednesdays, free storytime on Sunday afternoons, family performances and holiday activities, and there is a family library.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Preston Bus Station · 3-min walk
Preston Bus Station is about a three-minute walk and Preston railway station about ten minutes, both on level routes. The nearest taxi rank is on Lancaster Road. Park and ride is available from the Capitol Centre (PR5 4AR) and from Portway and Hartington Road (PR1 8PQ).
By car
No on-site parking at the museum.
The Harris has no car park. The nearest is the multi-storey car park at Preston Bus Station (Carlisle Street, PR1 1DJ), which has disabled spaces on levels one and three. Chapel Yard, five minutes' walk away, has 30 Blue Badge spaces open at all times.
- Accessible parking
The museum has two entrances, one on Market Place (Flag Market) and one on Lancaster Road. Secure cycle parking is at Preston railway station and the Leisure Lakes Bike Hub, and there is a cycle spot on the Flag Market.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Café
- Museum shop
The Harris Café serves seasonal food made with Lancashire produce and is entered from either the Lancaster Road or Flag Market entrance. The Harris Shop is by the Lancaster Road welcome desk. Libraries, including a family library, are in the building.
Events & venue rental
- Spaces for rent
- Private parties
- Corporate events
- Weddings / ceremonies
Up to 100 guests.
The Reading Room is used for wedding ceremonies for up to 100 guests, meetings and events, with theatre seating for up to 100 and boardroom seating for up to 22. A registrar room is available, and catering packages are offered.
Inquiries & detailsPlan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | yes |
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Audio tours of exhibitions are available in the free Bloomberg Connects app, and there is a free online digital guide and virtual tour. Occasional guided tours such as the Egyptian Balcony Tour are booked separately. School sessions are managed by Heritage Learning Lancashire. |
