Beamish Museum

A selection of artefacts, images and publications from the Beamish collections

E-mail

Telephone

0191 370 4000

Fax

0191 370 4001

All information is supplied by the venues or providers themselves and every effort is made to ensure it is correct. Please remember to double check opening hours with the venue concerned before making a special visit.

An open air museum established in 1970 for the purpose of studying, collecting, preserving and exhibiting buildings, machinery, objects and information illustrating the development of industry and way of life in the North of England.

The entire collection of this museum is a Designated Collection of national importance.

Venue Type:

Museum

Opening hours

Until 3rd April 2009 - open 1000-1600, last admission 1500. Closed Mons & Fris.

SUMMER - 4th April - 1st November 2009, open daily, 1000-1700, last admission 1500.

WINTER - 2nd-14th November 2009 and 4th January-26th March 2010, Tues-Thurs, Sat & Sun, 1000-1600, last admission 1500.

CHRISTMAS AT BEAMISH
14th November 2009-3rd January 2010 -Tues-Thurs, Sat & Sun, 1000-1600, last admission 1500. Closed Christmas Day.

Closed: Mon and Fri in winter and Christmas Day.

Admission charges

Summer - adults £16
60+/Student £13.00
children £10.00.
Family ticket (2 adults + 2 children) £46.00
Family ticket (1 adult + 2 children) £32.00

In winter - Adult/Senior/Student £7.50
Child - £6.00

Christmas at Beamish - Adult/Senior/Student £10.00
Child £8.00

(under 5s always free of charge).

Discounted summer rates for parties of twenty or more and for pre-booked educational parties.

Discounts

Museums Association

General services and facilities

Brochure or leaflet available with directions to museum
Foreign language leaflet or brochure available
Pre-booking service for groups
Cafeteria
Parking for coaches
Picnic area
Refreshments
Shop

Children and families

Activities for pre-school children
Events and resources for children and families
Baby changing facilities

Disability access

Braille information and/or interpretation
Events/teaching/resources for people with disabilities
Induction loops in exhibition spaces
Touch exhibits
Parking for disabled available
Toilets for disabled
Wheelchair access to some public areas
Wheelchairs available for loan

Schools services and facilities

Direct teaching services for schools
Member of staff available with responsibility for education
Primary school education service available
Printed/audio-visual information available for schools
Secondary school education service available
Education facilities available
Reception and lunch facilities for educational groups

Research and adult learning

Adult lectures and courses held
Loan service
Teaching/resources available for HE/FE students
Library with public access
Mail order service available
Research facilities for academics
Study facilities

Commercial and hire services

Licensed for weddings
Facilities for private functions and events
Meeting room available

Additional info

Our library and photographic archive are open to the public by appointment only - Monday to Friday 10am to 4pm.

Beamish
County Durham
DH9 0RG
England

Website

General Information

A selection of artefacts, images and publications from the Beamish collections

E-mail

Telephone

0191 370 4000

Fax

0191 370 4001

Beamish, founded in 1970 to illustrate the development of industry, agriculture and the way of life in the North East of England, is situated in 300 acres of woodland and farmland. Home Farm, a fine 19th century model farmstead, and Pockerley Manor, with its medieval stronghouse dating to the 1400s, are both Listed Buildings preserved in situ. Other typical buildings brought together represent an early 1900s town, colliery village, farm and railway, linked by an electric tramway. The early 1800s period is represented by Pockerley Manor and an exhibit on Early Railways.

The Museum's collections are all Designated Collections of national importance and include a vast library and archive of books, periodicals, trade catalogues, photographs and oral history recordings.

Designated collections which are wide, varied and extensive, covering all aspects of life in North East England, including domestic life, farming & rural life, folk art, industrial and town life and transport.

Collection details

Social History, Land Transport, Industry, Costume and Textiles, Archives, Architecture, Agriculture

Key artists and exhibits

Victorian
Georgian
Railway
Town
Colliery
Farm
Manor House
Steam train
Rare breed
Freemason
Masonic Hall
Trams
School
Co-op
Designated Collection

Collections services

General guide to collections available
Object identification and/or written enquiry service
Public access available to collections information
Specialist publications on collections available
Object study facilities available (enquire in advance)

Beamish
County Durham
DH9 0RG
England

Website

General Information

A selection of artefacts, images and publications from the Beamish collections

E-mail

http://www.beamish.org.uk/About-the-museum/How-did-they-do-that-.aspx

Telephone

0191 370 4000

Fax

0191 370 4001

Resources listed here may include websites, bookable tours and workshops, books, loan boxes and more. You may need to scroll down or click on headers to see them all.

Boxes, objects and other kit

King of the Rails - The Great Waggonway Election KS 2 & 3

Feel the thrill of the competition as the four great engineers campaign against each other in a bid to decide who should be declared 'King of the Rails'. Your campaign team will need to show enthusiasm, originality, flair and dedication if they are to be successful when it comes to the vote.
Group size - 1 class.
Duration - 1 hour.
Additional charge applies.

Creator

Beamish Education Team

How to obtain

Book via Beamish Education Team, tel. 0191 370 4011/4012 or 0191 370 4054/4055

Pit Cottage Activity - Cobbles to Coal Dust (KS1 & 2)

Hands-on experience of how hard life was 100 years ago, in a real miner's cottage.
Group size - Half class.
Duration - 1 hour.
Additional charge applies.
Summer only(April to October).

Creator

Beamish Education Team

How to obtain

Booking via Beamish Education Team , tel. 0191 370 4011/4012 or 0191 370 4054/4055.

Pockerley Manor - To the manor born (KS 1 & 2)

Make candles, use quills, prepare biscuits and much more ! Beautiful Pockerley Manor provides children with the opportunity to experience the lives of 1820s scullery boys and girls.
Group size - 1 class
Duration - 1 hour
Winter only (November to March)
Additional charge applies

Creator

Beamish Education Team

How to obtain

Book via Beamish Education Team , tel 0191 370 4011/4012 or 0191 370 4054/4055

Tell Us a Story (KS2)

Link your visit to the Literacy Strategy. Engage, motivate and create. Find a selection of inspiring items from the past. Explore these, imagine what has happened and use drama to act out some of the scenes from the developing story.
Group size 1 class.
Duration 1 hour.
Additional charge applies.

Creator

Beamish Education Team

How to obtain

Book via Beamish Education Team, tel. 0191 370 4011/4012 or 0191 370 4054/4055.

Toy Story (KS1 & 2)

An activity at Beamish to enhance school a visit. Play with a range of Victorian toys such as cup and ball and a Noah's Ark.
Duration - 1 hour
Group size - Half a class per session
Level KS 1 and 2

Creator

Beamish Education Team

How to obtain

Book this activity via Beamish Education Team - tel. 0191 370 4011/4012 or 0191 370 4054/4055

Victorian Crafts (KS1 & 2)

Get warm and cosy in the Home Farm kitchen and engage in a range of traditional Victorian crafts. And the best bit of all - taking something you've made home with you !
Group size 1 class. Duration 1 hour. Winter season only (November to March).

Creator

Beamish Education Team

How to obtain

Booking via Beamish Education Team tel. 0191 370 4011/4012 or 0191 370 4054/4055.
Additional charge for activity applies.

Victorian Lesson (KS 1 & 2)

Don't blot your copybook ! The very best way to learn what school was like for Victorian children. Step back in time to a Board School to use dip pens and ink, blotting paper or slates during an authentic recreation of education long ago.
Group size - 1 class
Duration 1 hour
Extra charge applies

Creator

Beamish Education Team

How to obtain

Book via Beamish Education Team, tel. 0191 370 4011/4012 or 0191 370 4054/4055.

We ARE Amused (KS 1, 2 & 3)

Explore the world of Victorian home entertainment, then make and perform shadow puppet plays with a local flavour.
Group size - 1 class
Duration 1 hour
Extra charge applies
KS 1, 2 & 3

Creator

Beamish Education Team

How to obtain

Boox via Beamish Education Team, tel. 0191 370 4011/4012 or 0191 370 4054/4055

Face to face resources

From Pack Horse to Steam Horse KS 2 & 3

Take a trail through our industrial past with a visit to the 1820s mills, packhorses and Waggonway, then experience the early days of steam with a railway ride.
Group size - 1 class.
Duration 1 hour.
Additional charge applies.

Creator

Beamish Education Team

How to obtain

Book via Beamish Education Team, tel 0191 370 4011/4012 or 0191 370 4054/4055.

Hands-on History KS 2, 3, 4

Sutdying local history ? DOn't know where to start ? Book a session at the Beamish Regional Resource Centre, access our incredible archive and get a behind-the-scenes glimpse of our 'hidden' collections.
Group size - half a class.
Duration - 1 hour.
Additional charge applies.

Creator

Beamish Education Team

How to obtain

Book via Beamish Education Team, tel. 0191 370 4011/4012 or 0191 370 4054/4055.

Mind Our Business - GNVQ & Double Award GCSE

Inside information for students about this award-winning tourist attraction and multi-million pound business. Find out how we make it work !
Group size - up to 50 students.
Duration - 1 hour.
Additional charge applies.

Creator

Beamish Education Team

How to obtain

Bookings via Beamish Education Team, tel. 0191 370 4011/4012 or 0191 370 4054/4055.

Murder Mystery (KS 2 & 3)

There's a dead body in The Railway Station ! Use your detective skills to find the clues. Quiz the townspeople, they will be able to tell you who, what, when, where and how. A great way to develop thinking skills, a fun way to find out ablout town life.
Group size - 1 class.
Duration - 1 hour.
Additional charge applies.

Creator

Beamish Education Team

How to obtain

Book via Beamish Education Team, tel. 0191 370 4011/4012 or 0191 370 4054/4055.

Suffragettes on the High Street (KS 3 & 4)

Children take on the roles of the different groups in the big issue of the time, march up the high street and debate pro or anti 'should women have the vote ?'
Group size - 1 class.
Duration - 1 hour.
Summer (April to October)only.
Additional charge applies.

Creator

Beamish Education Team

How to obtain

Booking via the Beamish Education Team, tel. 0191 370 4011/4012 or 0191 370 4054/4055.

digital and online resources

How Did They Do That? Deconstruct Buildings and Furnish the Masonic Hall

Have you ever wondered how a building is moved, brick by brick, then rebuilt to look exactly as it did in 1913? Or how the interior of a period building is researched, then furnished exactly as it should be?
Why are key architectural features numbered before being dismantled? How do we know what colour to paint the walls? Where does the furniture come from, and the paintings, ornaments and soft furnishings?
Find out how buildings are prepared for deconstruction stone by stone to be rebuilt at Beamish, and how the magnificent interior of the Masonic Hall was accurately recreated.

How to obtain

This section of the website goes into detail explaining how Beamish rebuild and recreate historic buildings, with photographs and explanations of how this research was done.

Beamish
County Durham
DH9 0RG
England

Website

General Information

A selection of artefacts, images and publications from the Beamish collections

E-mail