Working with Lancashire Conservation Studios

We are thrilled to announce a partnership with Lancashire Conservation Studios, who are undertaking the meticulous treatment of over 90 treasured objects from The Harris’ collection.

Over the coming months, conservation work will be completed on a variety of artworks, sculptures, fashion pieces, and other key historical objects. Expert conservation, cleaning, and repair is being carried out in preparation for our reopening including the beloved marble sculpture Clytie by G. F. Watts, which is being cleaned with cutting-edge laser cleaning technology to restore its original brilliance.

The conservation efforts are also bringing to light several rare pieces that have not been seen by the public for many years, such as an elegant cotton and silk dress dating back to the 1850s, a portrait of Lieutenant Colonel Nicholas Grimshaw, leader of the Royal Preston Volunteers, painted in 1801, and an intricately crafted Victorian mother-of-pearl tea caddy.

This vital conservation work has been made possible with Heritage Fund and a wide range of local and national funders as part of the Harris Your Place capital project, and through the generosity of the Textile Society’s Museum, Archive & Conservation Award 2024, which has funded the restoration of key pieces from The Harris collection.

Harris Your Place

Harris Your Place is a £16 million project set to restore and reimagine the Harris for 21st-century audiences as a cultural learning space. The aim of this project is to protect the building and the architecture for future generations whilst enhancing accessibility options and positioning the Harris as a community hub for Preston and Lancashire.

The capital project is more than simply preserving this much-loved building; Harris wants to ensure that it remains a vibrant heart of the community. A place where people want to spend their time.