50 years of Lancashire County Council

This year marks a major milestone for the council, as we celebrate 50 years since the modern Lancashire County Council was formed in 1974.

Across five decades we have been proudly dedicated to enhancing the lives of residents through our services.

During the year we will be sharing opportunities to get involved, holding events and giving you a peek into times gone by as well as looking ahead to what the next 50 years might hold.

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the formation of the modern county council and museum service our conservation and collection team have curated a selection of 50 Lancashire objects. We will be exploring the history of Lancashire, its people, places and traditions through 50 objects in our collections.

Covering 9000 years of history and spanning the geography of the county, we will tell the story of Lancashire's origins including its settlers and invaders, our industries, our military heritage, our food and our famous seaside!

Every Wednesday from Wednesday 22 May 2024 we will reveal a new object representing a different aspect of the county and its history, celebrating the wealth and diversity of our heritage.

See latest object from '50 Lancashire objects' 

From 22 May follow @LancsMuseums and see #50LancashireObjects on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) for the latest reveal. 

Find out more about the work of Lancashire County Council's conservators on the Lancashire Conservation studios website. 

Events and activities will be taking place throughout the year as many of our services are getting involved to mark the anniversary. Check back to see the latest events and activities happening near you. Highlights will include:

• Our Lancashire libraries will be hosting a range of events and will be showcasing a selection of Lancashire objects from the 50 objects project during the year. 
• Later in the year we'll be opening our doors to celebrate Heritage Open Days. You'll get the chance to visit County Hall and learn about the history of the building designed by the Manchester architect, Henry Littler.

See our events website to find a 50th anniversary event near you and check back throughout the year for the latest updates.

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We are delighted to relaunch The Great Lancashire Debate in our 50th anniversary year and support UK Parliament Week 2024.

Once again we are looking for schools in Lancashire, Blackburn with Darwen and Blackpool with the best public speakers – and your school could be one of them!

Entries for The Great Lancashire Debate 2024 are now open and your can find out more on The Great Lancashire Debate website.

If you have any questions not answered within the terms and conditions or the information on the website, please contact TheGreatLancashireDebate@lancashire.gov.uk.

Once you have entered, your school can tweet us using #TheGreatLancashireDebate to let us know!