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: 53
, currently showing 1 to 20.
Gallery
Spennymoor
The Gallery houses a permanent collection of art, including paintings by Norman Cornish, as well as being host to at least six exhibitions a year.
Castle / Fort
Darlington
Welcome to Raby Castle, Park and Gardens. A stunning complete medieval castle in County Durham with a fascinating history and stories to tell.
Museum
Cowshill
*Due to ongoing restoration works Killhope will remain temporarily closed throughout the 2024 season.
Abbey / Priory
Durham City
The very extensive remains of a 13thC priory, founded on the site of a retired pirate's hermitage.
Heritage / Visitor Centre
Wheatley Hill Heritage Centre is small building of architectural beauty situated in Wheatley Hill cemetery. It houses a permanent exhibition of colliery village life.
Museum
Durham City
Explore Ancient Egypt and Western Asia, the Himalayas, China, Japan, Korea and Southeast Asia all in one museum. The Oriental Museum is devoted to the art and archaeology of the great cultures of North Africa and Asia.
Heritage / Visitor Centre
Bishop Auckland
Auckland Tower is the perfect place to get a feel for The Auckland Project, the stunning setting, and to pick up everything you’ll need for your day of exploration.
Historic Site
Bishop Auckland
A charming Gothic Revival 'eyecatcher' built in 1760 in the park of the Bishops of Durham.
Cathedral / Minister
Durham City
Explore 2000 years of the North East’s history, culture and faith at Durham Cathedral Museum. Step into the octagonal Great Kitchen and get up close to iconic symbols of Durham, including the Sanctuary Ring and St Cuthbert’s Pectoral Cross.
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.
Museum
Bishop Auckland
Sitting in the historic Grade 1 listed Scotland Wing of Auckland Palace, The Faith Museum explores the myriad ways in which faith has shaped lives and communities across Britain, inviting visitors to consider how people across history have…
Museum
Horden
Heritage Centre with themed rooms. Mining Museum going back 100 years with 350 archives, photographs of Horden, lots of history, 1940s rooms.
Gallery
Seaham
The EDAN Gallery is the only dedicated art gallery in East Durham.
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.
Museum
Shildon
At Locomotion you can see highlights of the national collection of railway vehicles in the world’s first railway town.
Castle / Fort
Bishop Auckland
The Auckland Project is unique collection of heritage attractions, galleries, gardens and parkland in Bishop Auckland, at the heart of County Durham.
Abbey / Priory
Barnard Castle
Charming ruins of Premonstratensian Abbey and picnic area in a picturesque location on the River Tees.
Heritage / Visitor Centre
Durham City
Providing a perfect introduction to the Durham World Heritage Site for all ages, the visitor centre is the gateway to discovering what it is that makes Durham so significant, and what there is to see and do around the peninsula.
Railway
Darlington
Discover Darlington's story of engineering, ideas and invention.
Castle / Fort
Barnard Castle
The impressive ruins of Henry II's 12thC tower keep, set within the earthworks of a Roman fort guarding the strategic Stainmore Pass over the Pennines.
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