Bradford To Be Home Of National Rugby League Museum

Wednesday, 21 September 2016 10:29

Rugby League Cares has announced that the new National Rugby League Museum will be based in Bradford.

The museum is scheduled to open in August 2020 to mark Rugby League’s 125-year anniversary and will take pride of place within Bradford City Hall opposite City Park, a multi-award winning public space which is home to the UK’s largest urban water feature.

Bradford was selected as the home of Rugby League’s first ever National Museum following an extensive consultation process led by a working group chaired by Dr Kevin Moore, the director of the celebrated National Football Museum, and involving local authorities, the Rugby Football League and other key stakeholders.

Bradford beat off stiff competition from a number of major towns and cities to host the museum, which will house and display the sport’s extensive collections and historical artefacts, as well as being a world-class, interactive visitor attraction.

Chris Rostron, the Head of Rugby League Cares, said: “It gives me great pleasure to confirm that Bradford will be the home of the new National Rugby League Museum from 2020.

“Through all our discussions with the city council and its officers we have been overwhelmed by the positivity for this very prestigious project. The city’s commitment to working with Rugby League Cares to help us realise our ambitions to make the museum a world-class attraction shone through from Day 1.

“Bradford’s enthusiasm to host the National Rugby League Museum is matched by the energy within a city which is rapidly becoming one of the UK’s top destination venues: our location in City Hall could not be more central or accessible.”

The museum will be funded from a range of sources, including private benefactors and grants from central Government, and the funding application process is already at an advanced stage.

Bradford Council leader, Coun Susan Hinchcliffe, said: "It's fantastic that Bradford has been chosen as the preferred partner by Rugby League Cares to host the National Rugby League Museum in Bradford.

"We are delighted by this news and are committed to working with all relevant parties to ensure that the museum is a success. It is a wonderful opportunity for Bradford and we are very proud City Hall has been chosen as the location for the museum.

"Our city and district has a proud rugby league tradition and this museum will inspire the next generation of rugby league fans and players."

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