Photopool

📸 PhotoPool 📸

1–17 August | Free entry | Showtown Museum

“A love letter to Blackpool’s chaotic charm.”

Step back into seaside life in the 1980s with PhotoPool, a nostalgic celebration of Blackpool through the lens of iconic photographer Barry Lewis.

For over 35 years, Barry returned to Blackpool to capture its unapologetic spirit: sticks of rock on the seafront, chippy tea at golden hour, glammed-up nights out with the girls, and the jubilant chaos of partygoers in winter coats.

“My photos are as much about memory and feeling as they are about place... a love letter to Blackpool’s chaotic charm.”
Barry Lewis

Many of the images featured in PhotoPool have striking connections with Showtown’s permanent galleries. Barry photographed legendary ringmaster Norman Barrett in full 1980s flair, and you can see his ringmaster outfit proudly displayed in our Circus gallery. In our Golden Mile, you'll find Barry's captivating portrait of four members of the renowned Petulengro family—ready to tell your fortune, just as they have for over a century.

It’s a limited run, so step inside and rediscover the heart of Blackpool through the lens of one man’s lifelong love affair with the seaside.