What's new at Beamish Museum

By Blog Squad member Olivia - The Northernist

Beamish, The Living Museum of the North offers the perfect day out for families or those who want to step back in time to see history come to life. As a living museum, you can walk about the shops and houses, and interact with the characters that you meet. It’s an absolutely iconic attraction in Durham and one that’s great for a visit at any time of the year!

One of the main things that I especially love about Beamish Museum is that there’s always some work underway to develop the site and bring more history for us to explore. The first part of the new 1950s Front Street opened back in 2022, comprising of John’s Cafe, Elizabeth’s Hairdressers, Middleton’s Fish & Chips, No. 2 and the Welfare Hall. Following that, the semi-detached houses, polices houses, bowling green and pavilion opened in 2023.

And the 1950s project continues to grow with lots of incredible new additions, as well as a brand new place to eat and drink in the 1820s Landscape! So let’s take a look at what you can expect to find on your next trip to Beamish.

The Grand Cinema

The Grand Cinema from Ryhope, Sunderland has been lovingly recreated and brought back to life to get a glimpse of how it looked and felt in its heyday. It’s a gorgeous new building in the 1950s street and really stands out amongst the quaint shops.

This is one of my favourites of the new additions and I recommend heading inside, where you can sit in the main auditorium and watch specially created films, news reels and adverts three times a day. The seats are comfy and I love the stained glass by the screen, and the fact that the curtains open to show the screen, just like they would’ve in the past!

Don’t forget to have a nosy in the projection room before you leave. You can learn about the skilled role of the projectionist and see some real 1950s film cameras. It was absolutely fascinating and a great little extra to the new cinema.

Romer Parrish Toy Shop

Did you know that the North East had the highest number of toy shops outside of London in 1950s? Manufacturers used to send new toys to our region to be tested before their official launch! The brand new Romer Parrish Toy Shop in the 1950s street, a recreation of the Middlesbrough shop, is a celebration of the North East’s love for toys with all kinds of fun to see and buy.

The shelves in Romer Parrish are absolutely stacked with toys from the museum’s collection, like Vulcan sewing machines, Corgi cars and plasticine. It’s a total blast from the past to take a look at all of the colourful boxes and remembering which you’ve played with or which you’ve seen in a family member’s collection.

There’s also the Dolls’ Hospital, which was part of the original Romer Parrish shop. If you visit the shop at the right time, you’ll see the broken dolls being repaired. It’s such an interesting and interactive addition!

Not only is the new toy shop a celebration of all things play, it’s also a great insight into how toys developed over the 1950s. You can see the introduction of plastic toys and a move away from the traditional wooden or metal toys as Britain moved out of post-war austerity. It’s definitely one to take a look at, and there’s plenty of toys and games to purchase too!

A Reece Ltd, Radio & Electrical Services

In A Reece, you can discover the latest in modern 1950s technology. There was an increase in domestic electrical appliances in the 50s and you’ll get a glimpse of some popular items at the time, like hairdryers, radios, stand mixers and televisions. It’s really interesting to see the designs of the era and how they differ to the modern appliances we have now.

In the back of the shop, you’ll find the repairs department. In here, there are demonstrations at the workbench and you can have a go too. Or you can simply enjoy watching the museum staff and volunteers making repairs to a whole host of different appliances instead.

And before you head off from A Reece, make sure you pop upstairs for a look. This was another of my favourites because it felt like something straight out of a movie set. I love that you can flick through the different records, request for a 50s tune to be played out in the shop or stand in one of the booths to listen to a record of your choice. From Elvis to the Everly Brothers, they’ve got it all.

Milk Bar

In the 1950s, a milk bar was somewhere that was often used as a meeting place for friends and families. You could enjoy frothy coffees, ice creams and milkshakes, and they had a rock ’n’ roll feel to them. Beamish Museum has opened its very own milk bar right next to A Reece and the cinema, so you can grab a flavoured milk, hot drink or something soft for your visit to the 1950s street. It’s a really cool little feature for the area and the perfect thing to round off all of the 1950s newness.

Drovers Tavern

If you venture away from the main road that loops around the museum, you’ll find the 1820s Landscape, a Georgian-inspired farm area and Pockerley Old Hall. It’s now also home to the Drovers Tavern, a cosy little spot that would’ve fed and watered drovers (someone who moves animals from one place to another).

There’s seating inside the tavern, which feels warm and welcoming, and picnic tables outside for when the weather holds up. There’s a range of Georgian refreshments on offer and seasonal dishes that would’ve been served up in the 1820s, like the salmagrundi salad, which I highly recommend! It uses fresh ingredients like celery, apple, tomatoes, cucumber and more, all around a pot of either chicken or cheese. It’s fabulous and ideal for sunnier days.

We also tried the Beamish rarebit, which was beautifully cheesy and the bread was so thick and crispy! It was absolutely delicious.

Georgian Pottery

If you’re looking for something interactive in the 1820s Landscape, you’ll love the new Georgian Pottery. Venture to the picnic area at the back of the Drovers Tavern and you’ll find the little pottery area, which is usually a hive of activity.

This new addition includes a Georgian kil, firing shed and a pottery area with drying racks. There’s also a workspace where you can get involved to make your own pot, either with moulding clay or on the potter’s wheel. It’s a brilliant and creative space that’s a lot of fun, no matter your age. I absolutely loved watching other visitors using the potter’s wheel and it was really satisfying to see the final item come together.

As I mentioned right at the start of the post, there’s always some work going on at Beamish to expand and bring even more history to life, so make sure you keep your eyes peeled for new developments in the future!

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