The museum opened in 1981[2] and is home to one of the biggest colouring pencils in the world, the idea of technical manager Barbara Murray.

The yellow pencil was completed on 28 May 2001, is 7.91 metres (26 ft) long, and weighs 446.36 kilograms (984.1 lb).

It is particularly popular with visitors from the county of Yorkshire, due to the importance of pencil production for the local economy during the 1930s.

[5] In December 2015, the museum was badly damaged by several feet of flood water when the River Greta broke its banks as a result of Storm Desmond[2] and many artefacts were destroyed.

[6] The museum reopened to the public on 15 June 2017,[2] with Countryfile presenter John Craven cutting the ribbon.