Buxton Museum and Art Gallery focuses its collection on history, geology and archaeology primarily from the Peak District and Derbyshire.

The Buxton Free Public Library & Museum moved into the building in 1928, leaving the Town Hall.

[6] The museum's permanent collections include: Amongst the minerals are Blue John, carved limestone, local specimens, and cave deposits.

Dawkins bequeathed to the museum a complete Victorian study containing his furniture, scientific instruments, books, Oriental ware and fossil collection.

There are also two temporary exhibition galleries displaying a changing programme of work by visiting artists or drawn from the museum's own collections.