Things to Do in Durham
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You are here > Home > Things to Do > Attractions > Hands on History
The past comes to life in Durham. Get hands-on with history at the award-winning Beamish, discover the hidden stories of Durham's UNESCO World Heritage Site of Durham Cathedral and Castle, or don a hard hat and head down the mine at Killhope, the North of England Lead Mining Museum.
See more ideas below.
Number of results: 59
, currently showing 1 to 20.
Heritage / Visitor Centre
South Road, Durham
The Story offers a gateway to the history of County Durham and its people. Bringing together our diverse collections of records and objects for the first time, The Story charts thousands of years of everyday life in the county.
Railway
Tanfield
Oldest existing railway in the world, opened 1725. Steam-hauled passenger trains, vintage carriages, 61 locomotives and steam-driven vintage workshop. Please see website for dates and operating times.
Show / Display
Beamish
See the North Eastern Meccano Society display at Beamish.
Picnic Site
Stanley
Picnic site which is home to the world’s oldest surviving single arch railway bridge.
Castle / Fort
Staindrop
Welcome to Raby Castle, Park and Gardens. A stunning complete medieval castle in County Durham with a fascinating history and stories to tell.
Museum
Horden
Heritage Centre with themed rooms. Mining Museum going back 100 years with 350 archives, photographs of Horden, lots of history, 1940s rooms.
Show / Display
Beamish
See the Morris Car Club with a display of pre-1939 vehicles.
Museum
Cowshill
*Due to ongoing restoration works Killhope will remain temporarily closed.
Children/Family events
Beamish
See a remarkable carriage driving competition by the Concours d'International d'Attelage de Tradition (CIAT) take place around the museum.
Heritage / Visitor Centre
Newbiggin
Situated amidst stunning woodland, near to Low and High Force waterfalls and surrounded by rolling fields that boast some of the best hay meadows in England, Bowlees Visitor Centre has all you need to make your visit to the North Pennines National…
Gallery
Seaham
The EDAN Gallery is the only dedicated art gallery in East Durham.
Heritage / Visitor Centre
Spennymoor
Spennymoor Town Hall has it’s dedicated memorial to the works and lives lost during the mining period across County Durham. Events cover mining in the Northern part of England i.e. County Durham, Northumberland, Cumberland, Westmorland and the…
Heritage / Visitor Centre
Bishop Auckland
The People’s Museum is situated in the old Hippodrome.
Gallery
Bishop Auckland
Bishop Auckland Town Hall is a multi-purpose cultural venue situated in Bishop Auckland market place. It offers regular art exhibitions, live music, theatre and films as well as a café and library with free internet access and local history…
Arts Centre
Barnard Castle
The Witham is a community venue for theatre, music, art and social events, facilities range from the architecturally award-winning café bar to a fully-renovated Victorian music hall.
Gallery
Bishop Auckland
No.42 is home to The Auckland Project’s Art, Social History Collection and Future Plans Exhibition. Here you can see some of the intriguing objects and archives that The Auckland Project holds, as well as hearing some of the fascinating oral…
Railway
Darlington
Discover Darlington's story of engineering, ideas and invention.
Museum
Barnard Castle
There’s always something great to see and do at The Bowes Museum. With more than 50,000 items in this Museum of artists, designers and makers, there are treasures at every turn.
Historic Site
Bishop Auckland
A charming Gothic Revival 'eyecatcher' built in 1760 in the park of the Bishops of Durham.
Castle / Fort
Durham City
Durham Castle is part of the Durham City World Heritage Site. Entrance by guided tour only. Opening can vary - All enquiries re guided tours should be directed Palace Green Library. Telephone 0191 334 2932 or castle.tours@durham.ac.uk.
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