The Exhibition Building

Just a few yards up Exhibition Road from where I took yesterday's picture, you arrive at the entrance to Shipley College's Exhibition Building. This was originally known as 'the New Schools of Art and Science'. The Schools of Art and Science housed in the Institute (now the Victoria Hall) proved so successful that by the mid-1880s more space was needed and the Salt School governors, with the encouragement of Titus Salt Junior, decided to build an additional facility behind the Institute. Money was raised by holding the Royal Yorkshire Jubilee Exhibition, opened by Princess Beatrice (Queen Victoria's daughter) on 6 May 1887, in the building and on the surrounding land. The building is less ornate than Saltaire's other public buildings and it lies just outside the designated World Heritage Site. Neverthless it is a pleasing building and still serves well as one of the bases of Shipley college.

The Exhibition Building holds most of the Saltaire Archive - a unique collection which includes books, newspapers, Salt family memorabilia, photographs, maps, plans, illustrations etc. on the history and present development of Saltaire. It is available to view by appointment and will also be open to the public during August this year: from 2 to 13 August 10am-4pm Monday to Friday.