List of museums in County Durham facts for kids
A museum is a special place where cool stuff from the past, or even from today, is collected, taken care of, and shown to the public. These can be old objects, amazing artworks, scientific discoveries, or things that tell us about history. In County Durham, England, there are many different kinds of museums, including art galleries and university collections, where you can explore and learn!
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Awesome Museums to Explore
Beamish Museum: Step Back in Time!
Imagine stepping into a time machine! That's what visiting Beamish Museum is like. It's an open-air museum that shows you what life was like in North East England in 1825 and 1913. You can walk through old towns, visit farms, and see how people lived and worked. They even have old trains and exhibits about industry and farming. It's a fantastic way to experience history firsthand!
Castles and Cathedrals: History Comes Alive
Auckland Castle in Bishop Auckland has been the home of the Bishop of Durham for over 800 years. It's a historic house that tells many stories from the past.
Durham Castle is a very old Norman castle in Durham, England. Today, it's part of University College, Durham, but you can still take guided tours to see inside this amazing building.
Right next to the castle is Durham Cathedral. This huge, beautiful church has a tall tower you can climb and a special monk's dormitory. You can also see the shrine of Saint Cuthbert of Lindisfarne and learn about how the cathedral was built and its long history.
Mining and Railways: The Industrial Past
At Killhope, you can visit a real 19th-century lead mine! You'll learn about minerals and what life was like for miners and their families. It's a great way to understand the tough work people did long ago.
If you love trains, you'll enjoy the National Railway Museum Shildon. This museum is a branch of the famous National Railway Museum and has over 70 historic railway vehicles. You can see all sorts of old trains and learn about their history.
The Head of Steam in Darlington is another great place for train fans. It's a heritage railroad and museum where you can see old locomotives and learn about the railways. The Tanfield Railway in Tanfield, Durham also offers heritage train rides and has a shed full of old locomotives and equipment.
Maritime Adventures: Ships and the Sea
In Hartlepool, you can visit Hartlepool's Maritime Experience. This amazing place recreates an 18th-century seaport, showing you what life was like during the time of famous figures like Lord Nelson and the Battle of Trafalgar.
You can even step aboard a real ship! The HMS Trincomalee is an early 19th-century Royal Navy frigate that is now a museum ship. It's one of the oldest warships still afloat in the UK!
The Museum of Hartlepool tells the story of local history and maritime heritage. It even has another museum ship, the PS Wingfield Castle.
Art and Culture: Creative Spaces
The Bowes Museum in Barnard Castle is a beautiful place filled with fine art, decorative art, ceramics, textiles, and even old clocks and costumes. It's like a treasure chest of beautiful things!
In Hartlepool, the Hartlepool Art Gallery shows off crafts, contemporary art, and photography. The Spennymoor Town Hall Art Gallery in Spennymoor is another municipal art gallery where you can see different artworks.
Local History: Stories of Your Town
The Durham Museum and Heritage Centre in Durham, England is a great place to learn about the local history of the area. You can discover how people lived and what happened in Durham over the years.
At Preston Park Museum & Grounds in Preston-on-Tees, you can explore a recreated Victorian street from the 1890s! They also have rooms set up from different time periods, an armoury (a collection of weapons and armor), and a toy collection.
The Weardale Museum in Ireshopeburn focuses on local history, mining, geology, and even has items related to John Wesley and the Methodist movement, farming, and railways.
University Collections: Ancient Worlds and Faraway Lands
The Museum of Archaeology (also known as Old Fulling Mill Museum of Archaeology) is part of the University of Durham. Here, you can see amazing artifacts from prehistoric times, Ancient Greece, Roman times, and the Medieval period.
The Oriental Museum, also part of the University of Durham, has incredible collections from faraway places like China, Egypt, Korea, and Japan. It's a chance to see art and objects from different cultures around the world.
Other Interesting Places
- Ankers House Museum in Chester-le-Street is a medieval room inside St Mary and St Cuthbert Church that was used by anchorites (people who lived alone for religious reasons).
- The DLI Museum in Durham, England tells the history of the Durham Light Infantry, a famous army regiment. It's in the same building as the Durham Art Gallery, which shows modern and contemporary art.
- The Heugh Battery Museum in Hartlepool is a restored 19th-century coastal defense battery. You can learn about the local coastal artillery forces that protected the area.
- Raby Castle in Staindrop is a medieval castle with beautiful 18th and 19th-century decorations, a deer park, and lovely gardens.
- Rokeby Park in Greta Bridge is a grand Palladian-style country house.
Defunct Museums
Some museums have closed over time, like the Durham Miners Heritage Centre and Vintage Vehicles Shildon, which closed in 2012.
See also
Images for kids
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Ankers House Museum
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Bishop Auckland Town Hall
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Durham Light Infantry Museum and Arts Centre
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Head of Steam
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Heugh Battery entrance
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HMS Trincomalee
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Hopetown Carriage Works
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PS Wingfield Castle
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Rokeby Hall
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Spennymoor Town Hall
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Tanfield Railway
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