WHAT does a traditional museum have to do nowadays to compete with other attractions?

That’s the challenge being taken up by Huddersfield’s Tolson Museum.

Some of the region’s big-hitters, like Eureka and the National Railway Museum offer public shows and large displays that kids can climb all over.

But now Tolson has a new initiative to get people through its doors – Tolson At Twilight will see the museum in Ravensknowle Park open its doors on an evening.

The museum will open to showcase its exhibits on Friday, May 15 from 7pm to 10pm for visitors to see its collection in a different light.

Museum manager Chris Marks said: “It’s a chance for people to see unusual objects swathed in darkness that they are unlikely ever to see again.

“There will be a Victorian magic lantern slide show, like the family who originally lived in the house would have seen, which we are very lucky to have secured.

“We will have music and song, hopefully from our old, temperamental harmonium, which usually is part of our exhibition, as long as it decides to behave itself.”

Tolson Museum shows Huddersfield’s history from the town’s earliest settlers to the textile industry boom and modern day collections from locals. Among its items are the hunting tools of the earliest settlers and Britain’s rarest car – the three-wheeled LSD – which was manufactured in Huddersfield between 1919 and 1923.

As well as its normal collection, the museum will put some of its seldom-seen curiosities on show.

“Our strange and bizarre Victorian rarities will be out,” said Ms Marks.

“They include a half-cat model, which is one half skeleton and one half full cat.”

The pokey and dreary parts of house, where the servants would have lived, will be open especially for the evening and there is a “mystery-object competition” where guests can guess what the object is.

Despite its illustrious competition Tolson Museum is thriving at the moment.

“We are doing very well” said Ms Marks. “Over the Easter holidays we had 800 people here and depending on how this evening goes, we might consider doing something similar again.”

Due to the nature of some items the evening is unsuitable for children under eight.

Contact Tolson Museum on 01484 223830 for tickets, which cost £5 for adults and £2.50 for children, and as space is limited, booking is essential.

Tolson facts

The house was originally built in 1860 by woollen manufacturer John Beaumont.

After the First World War then owner Leigh Tolson gave it to the Huddersfield Corporation in tribute to his two nephews who died fighting.

In 1922, under the directorship of Dr Woodhead, it became the Tolson Memorial Museum, which it is still officially called.

It then contained a Roman collection excavated from the fortress at Slack by the M62 at Outlane and a bird collection donated by Seth Mosley, the museum’s first curator.

Seth Mosley’s collection is today in the museum’s bird gallery, still exactly as it was.