Durham Museum, Durham facts for kids

Durham Museum located in the redundant Church of St Mary-le-Bow.

Durham Museum is a super interesting place in Durham, where you can explore the city's history! It tells the story of Durham from medieval times (that's a really long time ago!) right up to today.

The museum is located inside a very old church called St Mary-le-Bow. This church isn't used for services anymore, but it's now a fantastic spot to learn about the past. It's also very close to famous landmarks like Durham Cathedral and Durham Castle, which are part of a special World Heritage Site.

Inside the museum, you'll find all sorts of cool things. There are old objects, detailed models, fascinating pictures, and even audio and video displays. These exhibits show you what life was like for people in this ancient, walled city. You can learn about how they worked, played, and lived. Durham was once a major center for religious journeys (pilgrimages) and the home of powerful leaders called the Prince Bishops of Durham.

The museum also highlights some of Durham's famous industries and trades. For example, you can learn about how organs were made here, a tradition that still continues today! Besides the regular displays, the museum often has special exhibitions and events that explore unique parts of Durham's social history. You can even try making your own brass rubbings, which is a fun way to create art from old metal plaques. There's also a souvenir shop where you can find mementos of your visit. Many friendly volunteers help run the museum.

Discovering Durham's Past

The Durham Museum helps you explore the rich history of this amazing city. You can learn about the people, the buildings, and the events that shaped Durham over many centuries. It's a great way to step back in time and imagine what life was like long ago.

The Old Church Building

The museum is housed in the historic St Mary-le-Bow church. This church was rebuilt in the 1670s. It replaced an even older church on the same spot that had fallen down in 1632. Because it was rebuilt using parts from the older church, you can see pieces from different time periods. For example, the roof is from the 1400s, and some of the wooden panels are from the 1700s!

During the Middle Ages, there was an arch that connected the church tower to the city's defenses. This arch created a "bow" shape. Sadly, it collapsed in 1635. The church building was in ruins for a while, but people worked hard to save it. The rebuilding finally started thanks to help from the Bishop of Durham and other important church leaders.

The tower you see today was built in 1702. It holds a bell made in 1759. Inside the church, you can admire beautiful wooden carvings. The altar rails and a wooden screen are very old, dating back to 1705 and 1707. More wooden panels were added in 1731, and a west gallery and vestry (a room for clergy) were built in 1741. The church closed in 1968, and the museum opened its doors in 1972.

The Bow Trust: Keeping History Alive

The Bow Trust (Durham) Limited was started in 1975. It's a special charity that helps take care of the old St Mary-le-Bow church. Their main goal is to make sure the church building continues to be a place where people can learn about the history and culture of Durham city and the wider county. This trust is responsible for running the Durham Museum in the old church building.

Sculptures by Fenwick Lawson

The Durham Museum also features some amazing artworks by a local sculptor named Fenwick Lawson. He has given three of his sculptures to the museum.

Cuthbert of Farne

One of his sculptures is called 'Cuthbert of Farne'. Fenwick Lawson created this piece in 1984 and gave it to the museum in 2004. A bronze copy of this sculpture can also be seen at Lindisfarne Abbey.

Gaia

Another sculpture is named Gaia, which he made in 1984. Gaia is the name of an ancient goddess of the Earth. This sculpture was given to the museum in 2011.

Jacob Wrestling with an Angel

His most recent gift to the museum shows a famous story from the Bible. It depicts Jacob wrestling with an angel. These sculptures add a wonderful artistic touch to the museum's historical displays.