Ryedale Folk Museum

Ryedale Folk Museum
	Cruck-framed cottage from Stang End in Ryedale Folk Museum
Established	1964
Location	Hutton-le-Hole in the North York Moors National Park
Coordinates	54°18′00″N 0°55′12″W / 54.300°N 0.920°W
Website	www.ryedalefolkmuseum.co.uk

Ryedale Folk Museum is an open-air museum in the village of Hutton-le-Hole in the North York Moors National Park.^[1] This museum tells the stories of local people from pre-history to the present day. About twenty of the museum's buildings have been saved from nearby villages and reconstructed at the museum.^[1] The museum covers an area of six acres - with the buildings, agricultural machinery and farm animals (sheep, chickens and pigs).

History

The museum officially opened in 1964 to a Look North TV crew^[2], but its origins go back much further, and Wilfred Crosland originally established the museum collection. After Wilfred died, his sisters, Helen and Hannah (known as Minnie), pushed the museum forward, and they appointed its first curator - Bertram (Bert) Frank. Bert Frank was supported by his wife, Evelyn, alongside countless volunteers. The Crosland family arranged for William's collection to be first exhibited in 1935.^[2]

Exhibitions

In 2023, the museum hosted an exhibition of traditional rag rugs made by a local couple focused on preserving the craft.^[3]

In 2024, an exhibition titled Believe it or Not explored folk belief and magical thinking, with exhibited items including witch post s and everyday domestic items believed to have protective powers, such as knitting sheaths, apple scoops, and butter moulds.