Dales Countryside Museum

About

The Dales Countryside Museum, nestled beside the historic Hawes railway station in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales, offers a captivating journey through the region’s 1,000‑year‑old heritage. Run by the National Park Authority, the museum assembles artefacts collected by local historians Marie Hartley, Ella Pontefract and Joan Ingilby, showcasing the everyday lives of the Dales people—from lead mining and knitting to rural crafts and trades. Visitors can walk the track‑bed track that hosts a real steam train and vintage railway carriages, including the celebrated Robert Stephenson & Hawthorn Works locomotive No. 12 (60345), built in 1955. Inside the museum, temporary exhibitions change yearly, while the Creation Station invites guests to engage in creative workshops. A café and information centre provide a comfortable spot to rest, making the Dales Countryside Museum an ideal gateway to exploring the wider Yorkshire Dales National Park.