Bolton Library and Museum Services

24/06/2026

🚶🏾‍♀️Hall i’th’ Wood Heritage Walk🚶🏻
Thursday 2 July and Saturday 4 July

Join Peter Firth for one of his popular local heritage walks for the over 50s. The walk will take in sites linked to Samuel Crompton, inventor of the spinning mule, including a chance to look inside Hall i’th’ Wood Museum (which is currently closed for essential maintenance).

The walk is free, but booking is essential.

To enquire about booking, please email: [email protected]

23/06/2026

🕵️‍♀️ Step into the world of Agatha Christie! 📚

Join us for a full day celebrating the Queen of Crime with talks, mysteries, archaeology, and a touch of poison… including special talks from Crime author and President of the Detection Club Martin Edwards and renowned Egyptologist Joann Fletcher.

Saturday 27th June
10 - 4pm
Bolton Central Library

Full schedule and buy tickets 👉https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1988920228945?aff=oddtdtcreator

🎟️ Full Day tickets: £15 Morning or Afternoon Only: £8

Whether you're a lifelong Christie fan or a curious newcomer, this is a day of intrigue you won’t want to miss… 🔎✨

23/06/2026

Join us at Blackrod Library this Thursday 25 June from 5pm-6:30pm to help create our wonderful library display for the Scarecrow Festival!

📍Blackrod Library
👧 All ages welcome
🕐 5pm-6:30pm drop in

22/06/2026

🔎Discovering women writers in the Bolton Journal ✍🏻

As part of , we have been looking at past issues of the Bolton Journal & Guardian. In the late 1800s, the weekly newspaper commissioned high profile authors to produce short stories and serials including several female writers.

One of these was Carmen Sylva, the penname for Elisabeth of Wied, who was the Queen of Romania from 1881 to 1914. The Bolton Journal published her fairy tale “The Witch’s Citadel” on 20 December 1890.

The story follows Alba, the daughter of the witch, Baba Coaja, or Old Mother Bark. The witch does everything in her power to prevent Alba from the leaving the citadel, decrying that men were deceitful and wicked and should not be trusted. All part of the witch's scheme to get Alba to continue to support her vile work.

The images include a portrait photograph of Carmen Sylva, Queen of Romania and the first page of the Bolton Journal story.

21/06/2026

Celebrate art, nature & our local canal at our next family art class at Little Lever Library. This month’s theme is painting & canal-scaping 🎨🦆

Suitable for ages 7+ years with adult accompanying.

Free but please book via email at: [email protected]

📍Little Lever Library
⏰Tuesday 24th June , 4:00pm-6:00pm

21/06/2026

For this week's Sunday Scroll Stopper we want to know... what's a popular classic book that everyone else seemed to love, but you just didn't enjoy?📖

20/06/2026

🎭🎭Still time to grab your tickets to the production of "The Librarians" here at Bolton Central Library at 6pm on Tuesday 30th June. 🎭🎭

Suitable for families, especially 4 - 9 year olds, this is a playful and imaginative performance that celebrates the power of storytelling and imagination. Blending theatre, humour, movement and the magic of books, this unique bilingual performance for Deaf and hearing audiences is performed in both BSL and spoken English and celebrates reading and storytelling in unexpected ways. 📚📚

"A beautifully considered play for both deaf and hearing young audiences... silly, funny and profound." ★★★★★ Jenny Sealey MBE, Graeae Theatre

To watch the trailer - follow this link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pfHVnH9g_Y

The show is supported by Arts Council England and is FREE - please just follow this link for tickets : https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-librarians-tickets-1991907732649?aff=oddtdtcreator).

TEACHERS - We also still have some places available for a performance for schools performance at 1pm on the same day... If you are interested in bringing some pupils, or a class, please drop us a message and we will get back to you with more details. 🎭

The LibrariansDirected by John Mowat Performed by Alex Nowak & He...

20/06/2026

Need help with reducing your energy bills? Come down to High Street Library to speak to the YES Mobile Advice Team!💡

They will be able to assist you with free tailored energy advice to help you reduce your bills and offer gadgets to help you with this at home.

Free and no need to book - just come down and have a chat!

📍High Street Library
⏰Monday 22nd June, 11am - 3pm

19/06/2026

Hear ye, hear ye! 🎭✨

Lo! The much-lauded A Place For Us returns unto Smithills Hall this fair summer, bearing a wondrous double bill for thine delight, come Saturday 25 July.

First, behold the tragic passion of Romeo & Juliet 🌹—two lovers bound by fate and folly. Then, as twilight deepens 🌙, witness Hamlet—a tale of vengeance, madness, and mortal doom ⚔️💀.

Bring forth thy picnic basket 🍇 or partake in delectable treats from Bake & Roast 🥐. Recline upon blanket or chair 🪑 and savour these tales beneath the open heavens ☀️ (weather most kind, we hope!). Pray note: space permits blankets and chairs, yet no picnic tables may enter this fair garden. 🌿

Date: Saturday 25 July, from 4pm 📅
Tickets: https://shorturl.at/tePB4

19/06/2026

Join us at Blackrod Library 10am-4pm Saturday 27 June for our Blackrod Scarecrow Festival activities! 👩‍🌾

We would love you to help with Blackrod Library’s display for this year’s Scarecrow Festival. Our theme is 'Making Memories' and creating scrapbooks with our family and friends. Plus, we'll have games, crafts and stories so drop in and see us 10am-4pm and join the fun!