In 1967 a group of local people interested in preserving the history of Pickering decided to set up a small museum and art gallery. The ground floor of the house previously belonging to Dr Murphy was transferred into a Museum and Arts Centre. The museum proved popular and quickly gained support and charitable statues, enabling the purchase of the whole Beck Isle Museum building which, in turn, enabled the collection to grow further. Over the last 50 years the museum has continued to grow in popularity and size with the help of an enthusiastic and knowledgeable team of local volunteers. The collection now numbers some 50 thousand objects and catalogues Pickering’s rich history as a rural market town.
