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Touchstones
The Esplanade
OL16 1AQ

About Touchstones

 

Housed in a historic Grade II listed building there are plenty of reasons to visit Touchstones Rochdale. Our mission is to make it as easy and appealing as possible for more residents to get active, be creative and feel healthier. Our roots are firmly in the community of the borough, but our impact is much wider. We champion and celebrate the people of this place, who have fought for free speech, protested against slavery and invented the co-operative movement. Its rich history of ideas and innovative social reform inspires us every day to challenge ourselves to innovate and ‘do things differently’ to make a real difference.

 

Our vision is for a Rochdale in which children and young people can be fit, fed and warm; everyone can have access to a healthy lifestyle; older people are no longer lonely; women and girls feel empowered; and communities can come together to create positive change. Our vision is for a Rochdale which everyone is justly proud of.

 

The venue boasts:

  • 5 stunning temporary galleries showing a regularly changing programme of exhibitions
  • Dedicated learning spaces hosting workshops, talks and special events
  • A family-friendly display of the collections telling the story of Rochdale and its people
  • A Local Studies Centre providing access to a wide range of archival material relating to Rochdale
  • The Slice Café serving a delicious choice of cakes, hot food and drinks
  • A carefully curated shop selling a range of gifts for all ages