Co-operative Museums

Consumer co-operatives exist since the mid of the XIX century, when 28 working men in England gave birth to a new society, called the Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers in 1844. The society began with the application of co-operative principles to business organization: voluntary and open membership, democratic control, autonomy and independence, member economic participation. The Equitable Pioneers' main aim was to provide local ordinary working people with affordable, good quality food in a time of great deprivation and austerity.

Thanks to the rapid development of consumer co-operatives in the last two centuries, today we have the opportunity to visit real museums dedicated to the history of the co-operative movement and its involvement in national and local communities. In Europe, in fact, several cooperative museums in different countries exist, each one preserving the local co-operative movement's heritage.

31 Toad Lane, Rochdale - OL12 0NU

[email protected]

 www.co-operativeheritage.coop