The Pinnacle of the Remaking Beamish Project

Rhiannon Hiles the Chief Executive of Beamish Museum, spoke to the Culture County about what the new 1950’s exhibits will mean for Beamish and for Durham.

The Remaking Beamish project is the biggest capital development in Beamish's history, which includes the 1950's town, farm and expansion of the 1820's landscape. Beamish Museum welcomes over 800,000 visitors a year from across the UK and the world, and these new additions to the museum will continue to drive visitors to the region helping to showcase what an extraordinary place the North East is to visit, live, learn and work in. 

The recreation of Ryhope's Grand Cinema has been a long-term project at Beamish Museum since it was dismantled in 2020. The Grand was hugely popular in its heyday in the 1950s, and it later became a bingo hall before closing and was eventually donated to Beamish Museum by Angele and Gary Hepple.

The Grand Cinema was not the only new 1950’s exhibit to be opened, A Reece Ltd Radio and Electrical Services store showcases appliances ranging from TV's to vacuum cleaners . Additionally the 1950’s toy shop is named after the popular Romer Parrish toy shop in Middlesbrough, and Beamish have worked with Romer’s family to try and replicate the shop to how it was in 1953. The shop has plenty of 1950s-style toys from Cup and Ball, Army troopers to Dartboards.

The 1950’s exhibit also is the perfect place to hang out if you want to listen to the latest music from the 1950s. The record shop has a range of music from the 50s and you can listen to tracks in the listening booths and surround yourself in 1950’s culture.

The new 1950's Town will be part of Beamish Museum 's summer  of fun program which is running until 3 September . 

Uncover more information on 'Summer of Fun at Beamish Museum'