At Gallery Oldham we have relaunched our Oldham Stories exhibition to include more objects from our collections than ever before. In the show we tell stories from across the borough using objects from our Social History, Natural History and Art collections.

The social history in the exhibition ranges from everyday items of clothing to more spectacular objects made specially for display.

So whether it is the individual stories linked to a pair of clogs or a millworker’s shawl, or the more dramatic history reflected in the banner made for the Oldham Women’s Suffrage Society, there are a wide variety of voices to be heard.

We also feature a special selection of rugby league items that capture the wealth of collections donated to us by the Oldham Rugby League Heritage Trust. And there is even a Mallinson’s Chip Range on display to reflect Oldham’s claim to be the birthplace of fish and chips.

The Natural History displays explore the many different habitats that can be found around Oldham. As well as our gardens and parks, more than 30 per cent of Oldham is countryside and it is home to some of the most diverse animal habitats in the North West of England.

These green areas are not only important for wildlife but also for our own health and wellbeing. The specimens on display range from garden birds and squirrels to mountain hares and peregrine falcons. It is the biggest selection of taxidermy we have had on display for many years!

The exhibition features work by a range of Oldham artists too. Amongst these we have paintings from the 1800s by William Stott of Oldham and from the 1900s some of the popular nostalgic works by Helen Bradley. And works by local artists also capture much loved landmarks of the town, such as Mumps Bridge or TommyField Market.

Oldham continues to have a thriving artistic community and Gallery Oldham is proud to be a part of this.

Every two years we stage the Oldham Open exhibition and invite anyone who lives, works or studies in Oldham to submit an entry. In recent years we have added to our collections by acquiring several paintings first displayed in the Oldham Open.

Oldham does not have one single history, and the stories we tell change over time as our local area evolves. We hope that when you visit this new display you’ll agree that it has something for everyone. But we’d also love to hear more about what stories you would like to see.