Wirksworth Heritage Centre was created by the Wirksworth Civic Society over thirty years ago with the aim of interpreting the history of the town for visitors and the local community. The organisation is a charity and a company limited by guarantee. Its Mission is ‘to preserve, promote and make accessible the stories of the town and people of Wirksworth.’ Its Vision is ‘to be an independent, financially sustainable heritage organisation, which, through the use of its museum collection and outreach learning programmes, makes a relevant and widely valued contribution to the culture and economy of Wirksworth.’ The Heritage Centre became a registered museum in 1999 and an accredited museum in 2009.