News

We are delighted to announce the launch of Landscapes Unlocked, an ambitious new project made possible by funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, The Pilgrim Trust, The Wolfson Foundation, and The National Archives. In partnership with the Peak District National Park Authority and Derbyshire Record Office, this project will catalogue and open to the public a remarkable collection of over 40,000 images spanning the 20th century.

The Peak District, the UK’s first national park, was founded in 1951. Our archive offers an extraordinary visual record of the Park’s development and the people who have lived, worked, and visited over the decades. Once catalogued, this will become the first publicly accessible image archive from a UK national park.

Our Director, Roisin Joyce, highlights the significance of this project:

“We are delighted that the story of the Peak District National Park will be opened up to the public through a grant from The National Archives. This collection tells us about the changes to people and nature in our national parks, giving us an insight into wide-ranging themes including rural customs, farming practices, industry, archaeology and tourism. Importantly, this image collection also has huge potential for help us better understand landscape change, a vital research area in the face of climate change. We look forward to opening up the collection and drawing out stories to share with communities inside and beyond the boundaries of the Park.”

As part of this project, we will work closely with archivists, historians, and local communities to ensure that these images are not only preserved but made accessible for research, education, and public engagement. Landscapes Unlocked will support learning about environmental and social change, providing invaluable resources for future generations.