Walsall Council has confirmed plans to relocate the Leather Museum to a new site in the heart of the town centre.
The museum will move from its current home on Littleton Street West to a newly purchased building at 1–3 The Bridge, positioned between the High Street and the Walsall Leather Skills Centre.
The building, originally constructed as a drapers store, features large display windows and a prominent corner position. The council says the move offers an opportunity to restore the building’s original character while creating a more visible and accessible cultural space.
Inside, the open-plan layout will allow the museum to evolve, with space for exhibitions, learning activities, workshops and community use. Residents and stakeholders will be invited to help shape how the space is developed in the coming months.
Councillor Gary Flint, Portfolio Holder for Culture, Health and Wellbeing at Walsall Council, said:
“ Purchasing this building shows our commitment to Walsall Leather Museum and to showcasing Walsall’s proud leather-making heritage. The museum is not closing permanently, and we want to ensure it remains an important part of the borough’s cultural offer for future generations.
“This new site brings together two defining strands of Walsall’s heritage – its proud history as a market town and its international reputation for excellence in leather making. Relocating the museum to the town centre will boost footfall, improve access and visibility, and strengthen links with wider town-centre regeneration and key cultural assets including The New Art Gallery Walsall and the emerging Creative Industries Enterprise Centre due to open later this year.
“We know some residents may have concerns about the relocation, but we want to reassure them that their museum will continue to play an important role in Walsall’s future. We are keen to hear from anyone with ideas to help shape the next chapter for the museum. Further community engagement will take place this summer, building on consultation already carried out and involving both local communities and the leather industry, to help co-design the future museum. “
The move has also been welcomed by local partners. Patrick Burns, Director of the Walsall Leather Skills Centre, said:
“ Walsall is rightly proud of its rich heritage in the leather and saddle-making industry, and the council’s investment in new premises for Walsall Leather Museum is very welcome. I fully support this move to what has to be a more accessible and visible resource, contributing moreover to the regeneration of the heart of Walsall.
“Its new location, right next to the Walsall Leather Skills Centre, presents a great opportunity to inspire local people and visitors alike to reconnect with Walsall’s heritage and rediscover the story of the town’s proud leather-making history. I look forward to working closely with the museum as it enters this exciting new chapter. “
The council says the decision follows earlier feasibility work exploring how museum provision in the borough could better support regeneration and community engagement. While no final design or budget has been confirmed, the new location is seen as a key step in strengthening the museum’s long-term future.
The museum will close its current site after Saturday 11 April 2026, with all planned Easter activities going ahead as scheduled before then.
During the transition, collections will be safely stored, including a specialist archive of around 600 items such as books, trade catalogues and historic photographs documenting Walsall’s leather industry. The process will be overseen by specialists to ensure items are protected.
Community groups currently based at the museum will continue to be supported, with some activities relocating temporarily to other venues, including The New Art Gallery Walsall.
The council has confirmed that no compulsory redundancies are expected, with staff redeployed while the museum prepares for its next phase.