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.
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Number of results: 59
, currently showing 1 to 20.
Church / Chapel
Chester-le-Street
The cathedral church and shrine of St Cuthbert from AD883 to 995 with attached anchorage containing displays on Roman, Saxon and medieval times.
Children/Family events
Beamish
Join us for a festival of all things transport!
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.
Heritage / Visitor Centre
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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…
Show / Display
Beamish
See the Morris Car Club with a display of pre-1939 vehicles.
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.
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…
Abbey / Priory
Durham City
The very extensive remains of a 13thC priory, founded on the site of a retired pirate's hermitage.
Castle / Fort
Barnard Castle
A spectacular fortress set on a high rock above the market town, Barnard Castle takes you back to the 12th century. Spot Richard III’s boar emblem carving, enjoy the sensory garden and stunning views of this riverside location.
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.
Castle / Fort
Bishop Auckland
Remains of Commandant's house and neighbouring bath-house containing one of the best preserved examples of a hypocaust (underfloor heating system) in the whole of Britain.
Gallery
Bishop Auckland
With three permanent rooms and one temporary exhibition space on the ground floor, the gallery explores working life in the coal mines through original artefacts and artworks by prominent mining artists such as Tom McGuinness and Norman Cornish.
Children/Family events
Beamish
Join us at our Colliery and Pit Village, and discover all about a colliers life.
Historic Site
Bishop Auckland
A charming Gothic Revival 'eyecatcher' built in 1760 in the park of the Bishops of Durham.
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
Stanhope
Take a ride on the Weardale Railway heritage passenger service to enjoy stunning views of Weardale, a National Landscape, and explore the historic market towns of Wolsingham and Stanhope.
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…
Industrial Archaeology
Hamsterley
Built in the 1720s, Derwentcote is the earliest and most complete steel-making furnace to have survived in Britain.
Church / Chapel
Bishop Auckland
One of England's finest Saxon churches, Escomb dates to the 7thC and contains a Roman arch and stonework. If locked keys available from 28 Saxon Green (daily 9-6 during summer and 9-4 during winter).
Museum
Durham City
Over almost two centuries since Durham University was founded, our library and archive collections have been growing and evolving with new books, manuscripts and archives being added every year.
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