Editing Batley (section)

==Culture==
[[File:Bagshaw Museum.JPG|thumb|Bagshaw Museum, with its distinctive copper tower, was originally the home of the Sheard family]]
[[Wilton Park, Batley|Wilton Park]] (Batley Park) is a large park between the town centre and Birstall. In its grounds are the Milner K. Ford [[Observatory]] (built in 1966 and home to the Batley & Spenborough Astronomical Society) and [[Bagshaw Museum]]. The museum is located in a house built by the "shoddy baron", George Sheard, and features local history, [[natural history]], curios from around the world, and an [[History of ancient Egypt|Ancient Egyptian]] exhibition. The museum (originally the Wilton Park Museum) is named after its first [[curator]] Walter Bagshaw, a Batley councillor and extensive traveller.

The Yorkshire Motor Museum had a small but varied collection of cars dating back to 1885, and reflecting local car makers as well as more famous marques. The museum closed in 2010.

Batley Art Gallery, in the Batley Library building, features contemporary art, craft and photography.

Between 1966 and 1977 the [[Batley Variety Club]] was frequented by many notable acts including [[Louis Armstrong]], [[Johnny Mathis]], [[Eartha Kitt]], the [[Bee Gees]], [[Roy Orbison]], [[the Hollies]] and [[Cliff Richard]] among others. For a brief period it was named ''Crumpets'', after which it was closed for four years surviving numerous applications to have the building demolished.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/whats-on/music-nightlife-news/music-megastars-las-vegas-north-19471883|title=The star power of Batley Variety Club - by those who knew it best|first=Connor|last=Teale|date=27 December 2020|website=YorkshireLive|accessdate=8 February 2021}}</ref> The club was then known as the Frontier nightclub from the late 1970s onwards. The Frontier was sold to businessmen in April 2005 and continued to operate as a nightclub whilst hosting variety shows and sporting events such as boxing, snooker and darts. The Frontier closed its doors for the final time in 2016 and following a £2 million refurbishment was successfully transformed into JD gym.

A dramatic society was founded in October 1913 at Shelton's café at 53 Commercial Street to present dramatic works to raise funds for Batley and District Hospital. On 8 January 1914 at a meeting in the Temperance Hall, it was decided that it would be known as the “Batley Amateur Thespian Society” and it became affiliated with the [[National Operatic and Dramatic Association]].