CRAVEN Museum and Gallery is asking for views from the public to help create an exciting new vision for the museum.

The museum, situated inside historic Skipton Town Hall and run by Craven District Council, celebrates the history of the Craven Dales.

With the support of National Lottery players, the council is developing the museum to include a new permanent exhibition, projects, activities and events that share the stories of the Dales and make the museum a fun and engaging place to visit.

Elizabeth Dawson, Community Heritage Curator at Craven District Council, said: “We really want to hear people’s views about what they would like to see in the museum and how we can make it a really great asset to the district.

“We want to celebrate the heritage of Craven in a way that will inspire and engage residents and visitors to this fascinating area.

“By giving us some more information about you and your interests, you will be instrumental in shaping a new direction. So please fill in our consultation questionnaire and let us know what you think.”

Craven Museum & Gallery has already received initial support from the Heritage Lottery Fund for a £2.1 million project to transform the visitor experience.

Development funding of £98,000 was awarded to help Craven District Council progress its plans to apply for a full grant of £1.4 million, likely to be submitted later this year.

The new consultation asks people why they would go to a museum and whether they would be interested in different topics including Craven’s history, Craven’s diverse landscape and geology, local caves, travel, transport and trade, historic Skipton, working in Craven, including farming, mining and textiles, and ‘Collecting Craven’; a cabinet of curiosities, collected by individuals along with their stories.

People are also asked about the sorts of events they would enjoy – such as ‘behind the scenes’ tours, opportunities to handle museum objects, ‘inspiration days’, family activities, talks, creative workshops, or the chance to create work around the museum collections which could form exhibitions.

The museum is also looking for views on whether events should be free, or the kind of charges that would be reasonable.

To view the consultation go to www.cravendc.gov.uk/museumconsultation or pick up a paper copy from Skipton Town Hall.