Beamish Open Air Museum

The Beamish Museum is Britain's favourite open-air museum! A unique and fascinating attraction located in the county of County Durham in North East England. It is an outdoor museum set in over 300 acres of beautiful countryside, that aims to showcase life in the region during the 1820s, 1900s, and 1940s! 

Winner of both the British Museum of the Year and European Museum of the Year Awards. It demonstrates the recent history of the region in a living fashion and provides entertainment and education for visitors of all ages and interests.

One of the most impressive aspects of the museum is its sheer scale of it. With a range of historic buildings, vehicles, and other artefacts that have been carefully preserved and restored to their former glory. You could easily spend an entire day exploring all that the museum has to offer, and there is always something new to see and discover. Especially with the influence of the industrial revolution!

As you wander through the museum, you'll feel as though you've stepped back in time. You'll see horse-drawn trams and buses, and steam trains at the railway station. As well as a whole host of other vehicles that were once used to transport people and goods around the region. There is also a range of buildings to explore in the Beamish village, including a school, a chapel, a bank, Colliery houses and even a sweet shop.

One of the highlights of the museum is the 1900s town, which has been lovingly recreated with replica buildings, to show what life was like in the North East at the turn of the 20th century. You can visit the bank, the post office, and the town hall, and see how people lived, worked, and played during this time. You can even see a working pit head and a colliery village, which gives you a glimpse into the hardworking lives of the miners who once lived and worked in the region. Discover tubs of coal and a coal yard as you wander around. Did you know miners had to undergo dark, wet and cramped working conditions? The coal mining industry was a difficult one, which you'll learn more about on a guided tour, underground!

If you'd like to experience farm life, head to the 1940s Farm, where you'll not only uncover stories of wartime life in North East England but also farm life and the animals there too! Discover what farm buildings may have looked like, before exploring the Orchard Cottage & Garden. There you'll find new tenants, a family of evacuees who moved to the safety of the countryside during the war. 

Another area of Beamish Open Air Museum that is well worth a visit is the 1820s Pockerley Old Hall, which is a beautiful Georgian house that has been restored to its original building condition. Did you know its as old as the 1400s? Here, you can see how wealthy landowners lived during this time, and you'll be able to explore the grand rooms and see the ornate furnishings and decorations that were used to decorate the house.

In the Pockerley Gardens, you'll find lush terraced gardens with Georgian-era plants, herbs and veggies!

The Beamish Open Air Museum is a wonderful place to visit for people of all ages. Children will love exploring the different areas of the museum and learning about the past, and adults will appreciate the attention to detail that has gone into preserving and recreating these historical scenes. Whether you're interested in history, or you just want to spend a day exploring an outdoor museum, the Beamish Open Air Museum is a must-see destination. It's a unique and fascinating place that provides a glimpse into the past and brings history to life in a way that is both engaging and educational. So, why not pay it a visit and see for yourself all that it has to offer?

Travel back in time in surroundings as well as taste! Whether you're looking for coffee takeaways or a slice of cake and homemade bake. If you need something filling head to Davy's fish and chip shop for a scrumptious lunch in the 1900s Pit Village. In Beamish Museum's 1900s Town, you'll find a variety of eateries, from the Tea Rooms, pubs, and Herron's Bakery for a slice of cake, or grab yourself some old-timey sweets at the Jubilee Confectioners Sweet Shop! 

In Beamish Museum's 1950s Town, you'll discover another yummy chip shop at Middleton's Quarry Fish and Chips and John's Cafe for a spot to eat! For those in need of a pick-me-up, head to the Coffee shop for a coffee takeaway as you walk around. 

For those wanting to take a piece of the 1900s home, pay a visit to Beamish Museum's gift shop! Browse a range of toys, books, homeware and more!