Arranging a visit
We are currently located in a college of Further Education and have limited access. We are working to relocate to a publicly-accessible building by the end of 2025 – keep an eye on our news!
Visit us by making an appointment. All visitors are met by a volunteer at Shipley College Reception in the Salt Building (see map below) to be signed in and receive a visitor badge.
Our normal visitor times are on Thursdays and Fridays between 10am and 3pm. We have space for a maximum of six visitors at one time.
To arrange a visit, please contact us using the form on this page or email us at saltairestories@gmail.com
When requesting a visit it would be very helpful if you could include the following:
- When would you like to visit? If possible, please suggest a few dates and times for Thursdays or Fridays that you could visit. We’re all volunteers, so opening on a specific date depends on our availability
- What would you like to see? Are there particular items, a particular collection, a particular subject?
- Do you have any access requirements?
Request a visit
Location
Saltaire is on the outskirts of Shipley, four miles west of Bradford in West Yorkshire.
The Collection is currently based in the Learning Resource Centre of Shipley College. This is on the second floor of the Exhibition Building, Exhibition Road, Shipley, BD18 3JW.
All visitors must sign in at Shipley College Reception in the Salt Building, Victoria Rd, BD18 3LQ to receive a Visitor’s Badge and be met by a Collection volunteer.
Getting here
Saltaire has its own railway station on the Airedale line that runs from Leeds to Skipton and beyond.
There are frequent trains from the mainline station of Leeds (20 minutes travel time), Bradford Forster Square (15 minutes) and Skipton (40 minutes). Some trains from further afield pass through Saltaire but stop at nearby Shipley. Timetables are available online including the National Rail website.
The station is in the centre of the village just a few minutes walk from Shipley College Reception where one of us will meet you.
To meet your volunteer host
- Exit the station up the ramp and continue on to the wide Victoria Road
- Turn right and go uphill about 100 metres to the Shipley College Salt Building.
- Sign in at Reception as a visitor. One of our volunteers will meet you there.
Saltaire is on several main bus routes with frequent services from Leeds (number 60), Bradford (including 662,
622, 623, 675, 677), Keighley (662) and other surrounding locations. Bus times are available online including West Yorkshire Metro.
Buses stop either on Bingley Road or Saltaire Road.
To meet your volunteer host
- From the bus stop find Victoria Road, – the main road leading down hill through Saltaire
- Walk down Victoria Road to the Shipley College Salt Building
- Sign in at Reception as a visitor. One of our volunteers will meet you there.
There are several routes on the National Cycle Network along the Leeds and Liverpool Canal that passes through Saltaire. These include a route from Leeds and one from Keighley.
More information on local cycle routes are available from the Bradford Council website.
We do not have cycle facilities. Cycle stands are available in the nearby car park on Exhibition Road (next to the Exhibition Building).
To meet your volunteer host
- From the car parks, cross Exhibition Road and go along Mawson Street to find the Shipley College Salt Building across Victoria Road.
- Sign in at Reception as a visitor. One of our volunteers will meet you there.
Saltaire is just off the major A650 road (Keighley to Bradford and Wakefield).
Car parking in Saltaire is very limited. There are two small and busy pay-and-display carparks:
- At the top of Exhibition Road, just uphill from and next-to Shipley College’s Exhibition Building. There is a height restriction making this unsuitable for e.g. mini-buses or large vans or anything bigger. For SatNav use postcode BD18 3JW
- At the junction of Victoria Road and Caroline Street. This is not suitable for large vehicles such as coaches. For SatNav use postcode BD18 3LF
If you are planning to visit the art, shopping and dining attractions in Salts Mill then another option is the Mill’s (free) car park. The Salts Mill website has directions. Be warned, you cannot get to the Mill car park from within the village of Saltaire so it is very important to follow their directions! Shipley College’s Salt Building and Exhibition Building are just a few minutes walk from Salts Mill.
To meet your volunteer host:
- From the car parks:
- Caroline Street: cross Victoria Road and go uphill about 50 metres to the Shipley College Salt Building.
- Exhibition Road: cross Exhibition Road and go along Mawson Street to find the Shipley College Salt Building across Victoria Road.
- Salts Mill: go to the end of the Mill opposite the car park. Go onto Victoria Road and go uphill about 100 metres to the Shipley College Salt Building.
- Sign in at Reception as a visitor. One of our volunteers will meet you there.
The Leeds and Liverpool canal runs through Saltaire, next to Salts Mill and the magnificent United Reformed Church.
There is a visitor mooring in Saltaire and others in nearby Shipley and less than an hours walk away in Bingley, including one near the renowned Five Rise Locks.
More information is available on the Canal and Rivers Trust website.
To meet your volunteer host
From the visitor mooring in Saltaire:
- Walk West along the towpath and pass underneath the bridge.
- Just after the bridge, turn right to come off the towpath and go a short way uphill to the wide Victoria Road
- Turn right and go uphill about 200 metres to the Shipley College Salt Building.
- Sign in at Reception as a visitor. One of our volunteers will meet you there.
Access
Shipley College buildings have accessible entrances including suitable access for wheelchairs.
The Learning Resource Centre, where the Collection is based, is on the second floor of the Exhibition Building. The second floor can be accessed using stairs or a lift.
Please include any access requirements on your visit request (see form above) or contact us if you have any questions.
Facilities in the Collection
Our Research Room has enough space for a maximum of six visitors. There are toilet facilities near to the Collection room in the Exhibition Building.
Many items in the Collection are subject to copyright and other restrictions. Where possible we do allow personal photography for personal use or research purposes. We also have digitisation facilities (only for Saltaire Collection use) so it may be possible to provide high-quality digital copies by arrangement with us.
Amenities in the village
There is a small block of public toilets in the car park at the junction of Victoria Road and Caroline Street. For SatNav use postcode BD18 3LF.
If you are planning to visit the art, shopping and dining attractions in Salts Mill then there are several toilets available. Please note that Salts Mill is not normally open on Monday and Tuesday.
The small cafés and sandwich shops in Saltaire will not usually allow use of their toilet facilities unless you are a customer.
There are many cafes, sandwich shops, grocers and small supermarkets in or close to Saltaire.
In the main part of the village, Salts Mill contains two large cafes/restaurants. Smaller cafes and outlets are on Victoria Road between the Mill and Victoria Hall. Salts Mill and the small cafes on Victoria Road are normally closed on Monday and Tuesday.
Many other shops are located at the top of Saltaire on Bingley Road. To find these:
- Walk up Victoria Road.
- Use the Pelican crossing to cross Saltaire Road.
- Continue up Victoria Road past the Hospital and Almshouses to the top.
- Turn right onto Bingley Road to find rows of shops on both sides of the road including several cafes, sandwich shops, bars and a small supermarket.
At the moment, facilities for groups are not great…
Unfortunately, the Saltaire Collection does not have any spaces suitable for large group visits.
The Saltaire United Reformed Church has provided facilities for groups, especially schools. Please contact the Church directly to check on availability.
Salts Mill has provided tours and facilities for school visits, but these may not be available at the moment. You should contact Salts Mill before visiting to find out if this is possible.
On a nice day, there is always the magnificent Roberts Park just the other side of the canal and river, and a great spot for a picnic. There’s big green spaces, a small cafe, a playground but no toilets!
You may also be interested in
Contact us
Find out how to contact us with any queries you may have about visiting the Collection
Read more about our support for people interested in doing research using the Saltaire Collection
Heritage trail
Follow our walk around Saltaire and be introduced to Salts Mill, the houses and many public buildings and amenities
Explore the Collection
Search and browse our online catalogue to discover our wide range of items