The Museum was opened in 1983 as the in-house ”Brigade Museum” of the Greater Manchester Fire Service, following three years work by off-duty members of the service to convert a former workshop building at Rochdale fire station.
Since then we have received many thousands of visitors and attended hundreds of outside events, whilst the collection itself has grown and developed considerably. Our regular Open Day events are popular with visitors of all ages.
In 2010, the museum was devolved to an independent charity, the Greater Manchester Fire Service Museum Trust with the intention of safeguarding the collection in future years and at the same time permitting the operation to realise its full potential.
Today, the Museum is managed by a Governing Body (Registered Charity number 1189175) comprising of nine voluntary Trustees, plus one Trustee representing Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service and one representing Rochdale Borough Council. Five of the Museum Trustees hold specific positions, namely Chairman, Curator, Assistant Curator, Treasurer and Museum Mentor.
Then there is our wonderful team of dedicated volunteers who look after the exhibits, meet visitors, attend events and open days, and carry out restoration projects. Many of the volunteers are former firefighters but all are enthusiasts with a comprehensive knowledge of the collection and of the world of firefighting, which they love to share with our visitors.
