Heritage Open Days: Behind the Scenes at the Archive

Ever wondered how we care for the collection? Or where we keep it?

Join us for a behind the scenes tour and find out! 

Tours will take place every half hour from 10.30am to 3pm, and will last approximately 20 minutes.

No need to book, just drop in. Places will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.

There’ll be free refreshments to enjoy and our exhibition to explore too!

Opera North: Little Listeners - Mini Vixen

Join Opera North for a fun, family-friendly adventure into the forest. Our adventure takes place in a mystical woodland where a Vixen meets a Fox. As their friendship grows, they discover how working together is vital to protect their home and the habitat around them.  

Based on the music and story of Janáček’s opera The Cunning Little Vixen and led by a cast of professional opera singers and musicians, join us for this interactive and relaxed concert where singing and moving around is encouraged. Experience the magic of opera, storytelling and music, whatever your age!

Sparky Saturdays: August

From tinned sardines in the 1930s to today’s responsibly sourced salmon, we think fish are fantastic!

Celebrate our fishy friends with some deep-sea design and join our expert printer to create your own fish-inspired relief print to take home.

Bring the whole family to explore our exhibition, enjoy a cuppa and have a go at printing.

You can also browse our dressing-up rails, try the Percy Trail and go shopping in the Penny Bazaar!

Free light refreshments included, or bring a packed lunch and use our indoor picnic space.

Summer Family Fun at the M&S Archive

Come and explore the exhibition and try our trail to claim your pack of Percy Pigs!

There’ll be free squash, biscuits and hot drinks for the grown-ups and a picnic room – so why not bring your lunch with you?

Our family-friendly exhibition tells the story of over 140 years of history on the high street.

Strike a pose in our dressing-up collection, go shopping in the Penny Bazaar and get creative in the Design Studio.

No need to book, just drop in – it’s all free!

Sospiri Wind Quintet - ‘The Brontes – a Musical Portrait.’

The fabulous Sospiri Wind Quintet have joined forces with Philip Henderson, composer of the West End musical The Far Pavilions and the Henderson/ Macari fantasy opera Giacomo’s Muse which had its world premiere in the U.S.A in June 2023.

Also joining forces with Sospiri and Philip is Chilean opera soprano Valentina Diaz. Valentina has captivated audiences on major international stages with her remarkable talent. Together they present the premiere of ‘The Brontes–a Musical Portrait.’

Sparky Saturday: July

‘Don’t ask the price – it’s a penny!’ was our very first slogan, created by Michael Marks for his Penny Bazaar market stalls.

Have you ever looked closely at a penny coin? Join us at the Sparky Saturday unofficial penny mint to design and create your own limited edition currency! We’ll make custom stamps that feature your most regal face (and perhaps even a certain Percy Pig) and then use them to fill your coffers with coins.

Bring the whole family to explore our exhibition, enjoy a cuppa and try our activity.

Leeds Pride Village Fete 2024

Visit us for our annual community event, offering you LGBT+ crafters and traders, community groups, free to play games and activities - offering a complementary family friendly accessible space alongside the main Leeds Pride event in the city.

You're invited to visit us on the day of Leeds Pride 2024 - as you're heading to the Millennium Square celebrations, escaping the crowds during the parade, or seeking calm during the Lower Briggate party - we'd love to see you at the annual Leeds Pride Village Fete, organised by your Angels of Freedom.

Leeds Pride Weekender Community Space

As the city is dressed to celebrate Leeds Pride, we're coming together with our community group space and inviting you to join us.

The space will be hosted by local LGBTQ+ community groups, alongside our lovely funding partners at Sent with Pride, and we'd love for you to come along on the day to chat about all things LGBTQ+ in Leeds whilst grabbing some food or refreshments from nearby provisions.

We'll have crafting and badge making available too!