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Durham University’s Museums and Attractions promote learning and education for all. We have something to offer just about everyone!
A family exploring the glasshouse at the Botanic Garden.

Our Venues

Durham University is home to internationally important collections from across history and around the globe. We welcome visitors to our museums and galleries and garden. Located in two clusters, at the heart of the UNESCO World Heritage Site and to the south of the city, our venues are open year-round and are open to all.

Durham Castle Courtyard
Durham Castle
A family exploring the glasshouse at the Botanic Garden.
Botanic Garden
Aerial view of Oriental Museum
Oriental Museum
Museum of Archaeology
Palace Green Library Exterior
Historic Libraries
Aerial View of Palace Green, Durham Castle, and Durham Cathedral
World Heritage Site Visitor Centre
Know Thyself - Finola Finn, 2017, Lumiere Installation
Art

Special exhibitions

Explore exciting events and exhibitions across our venues.

Eternal Ascent: Bentley Beetham and the 1924 Mount Everest Expedition

Marking the centenary of the 1924 Mount Everest Expedition, the first Western, and ultimately tragic, attempt to climb the world's highest mountain.
Climbers walk between mountain peaks

Under Durham: the Untold Stories

This exhibition explores the past of Durham through the ordinary people who lived and worked here.
View of the River Wear to historical Prebend’s Bridge arches in the summer sunshine.

Repair and Care: the Norman Chapel Project

This exhibition explores the history of construction and building conservation at Durham Castle, with a particular focus on the Norman Chapel Project.
Photograph looking in to the Norman Chapel and Durham Castle, showing several illuminated stone columns beside thick stone walls
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Upcoming events

Under Durham: The Untold Stories

Friday 24 May, 2024
10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Museum of Archaeology
A photograph of Prebends' Bridge

Discover Anubis

Saturday 23 November, 2024
1:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Oriental Museum
Ancient Egyptian Anubis statue depicting a seated dog painted black which has flaked away revealing the white clay underneath. The dog has long pointed ears and a red collar around its neck.

Twilight Talk: From function to form - medieval seals within Durham Cathedral Archive

Thursday 28 November, 2024
5:30 PM to 6:30 PM
7 Owengate, Historic Libraries, Museum of Archaeology
A coloured photograph of a Medieval seal

Festive Wreath Making Workshop

Saturday 30 November, 2024
12:00 PM to 2:00 PM
Botanic Garden
FWM SE
More upcoming events

About us

Durham University’s museums, collections and Botanic Garden welcome hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. 

Our aim is to be a front door to Durham University, sharing the wealth of knowledge and research generated by students and academics from all over the world who use our collections. Find out more about who we are and how you can get in contact.

Aerial photograph of the Durham Peninsula, showing the landscape. The u-shape, and the river made this an ideal site for a castle to the north end.

Learn

Our Learning and Engagement Team offer a range of interactive taught programmes and events for schools, community groups, families and life-long learners.

Schools and home education

Find out more about our range of curriculum-linked sessions from Early Years to Post-16.
Children sitting at a table looking into a plastic tub

Families and lifelong learning

We offer a range of fun, engaging and accessible workshops, resources and experiences for people of all ages.
A child colouring in a picture

Online resources

Explore our range of collections-centred interactives, videos, podcasts and downloadable content.
Image of documents
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Want to get involved?

There are lots of different ways you can get involved with our venues and collections.

Find out more about joining one of our Friends organisations, volunteering your time or donating to the collections. Learn more about our opportunities for artists and creative practitioners.

Group of people around a table covered in crafts
Group of stone objects with ties around them to attach labels, with museum object numbers tied to them

Research

We welcome anyone who wishes to study our collections and archives. We offer a range of research facilities at our museums and other collections sites for pre-booked research visits.

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Latest news

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  • MA Students Produce New Archaeology Exhibition

    A diverse group of international students, including participants from North America, China and India, have worked together to produce the latest exhibition on display at the Museum of Archaeology. ‘Throwing it Out There: The Archaeology of Ritual, Rivers and Rubbish’ will open on 15 June. The students have created this exhibition as part of their course, the MA Museum and Artefact Studies, in the Department of Archaeology.
    Museum of Archaeology
    range of small objects surrounded by blue shapes to denote a river

  • Oriental Museum hosts ‘Remembering Hiroshima and Nagasaki’ exhibition

    A new exhibition opening soon at our Oriental Museum depicts the horrors of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki nuclear bombing.  
    Oriental Museum
    The ruins of a cathedral surrounded by rubble

  • New exhibition reveals Stories of the River Wear

    'Stories from the River: Exploring the history of Durham, the finds of underwater archaeologist Gary Bankhead', launches on Monday 20 February at the Museum of Archaeology within Palace Green Library. The exhibition explores the stories connected through objects discovered in the River Wear, evoking the social history of Durham’s past 800 years.
    Museum of Archaeology
    Artefacts from River Wear from Gary Bankhead

  • Step into spring celebrating Holi Festival at the Oriental Museum

    Join students and community volunteers when they spring into action to help celebrate the spectacular Indian festival of Holi at the Oriental Museum on Saturday 11 March, 12 noon – 5pm.
    Oriental Museum
    People throwing coloured power to celebrate Holi at the Oriental Museum

  • Year of the Rabbit

    We would like to wish all those preparing for and celebrating the arrival of the Year of the Rabbit a very happy and healthy New Year. A range of exciting celebrations will be taking place across the University and City to mark the special occasion.
    Oriental Museum
    Image showing Chinese lanterns and a rabbit on a red and purple background

  • Oriental Museum welcomes Master Japanese Potter

    Master Japanese potter Keigo Kamide is visiting the Oriental Museum on Wednesday 23 November, to give a free talk about his art and the ancient craft of Kutani. His talk will be illustrated with a selected display of his works for visitors to enjoy.
    Oriental Museum
    Keigo Kamide Pottery event at Oriental Museum

  • Conserving Durham City’s oldest standing building

    Work has started on conserving and improving the oldest standing building in Durham City – the 11th century Norman Chapel inside Durham Castle.
    Durham Castle
    Interior of the Norman Chapel, Durham

  • Join us for Community Fun Day 2022

    We are so excited to be hosting our Community Fun Day once again, and we are inviting you to join us! Come along to enjoy an exciting range of activities from across the County to celebrate the best of Durham community projects. The event will be taking place on a marquee on Palace Green from 10am until 3pm on Saturday October 29.
    Durham World Heritage Site Visitor Centre
    Community Fun Day Promotional image

MA Students Produce New Archaeology Exhibition

A diverse group of international students, including participants from North America, China and India, have worked together to produce the latest exhibition on display at the Museum of Archaeology. ‘Throwing it Out There: The Archaeology of Ritual, Rivers and Rubbish’ will open on 15 June. The students have created this exhibition as part of their course, the MA Museum and Artefact Studies, in the Department of Archaeology.
Museum of Archaeology
range of small objects surrounded by blue shapes to denote a river

Oriental Museum hosts ‘Remembering Hiroshima and Nagasaki’ exhibition

A new exhibition opening soon at our Oriental Museum depicts the horrors of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki nuclear bombing.  
Oriental Museum
The ruins of a cathedral surrounded by rubble

New exhibition reveals Stories of the River Wear

'Stories from the River: Exploring the history of Durham, the finds of underwater archaeologist Gary Bankhead', launches on Monday 20 February at the Museum of Archaeology within Palace Green Library. The exhibition explores the stories connected through objects discovered in the River Wear, evoking the social history of Durham’s past 800 years.
Museum of Archaeology
Artefacts from River Wear from Gary Bankhead

Step into spring celebrating Holi Festival at the Oriental Museum

Join students and community volunteers when they spring into action to help celebrate the spectacular Indian festival of Holi at the Oriental Museum on Saturday 11 March, 12 noon – 5pm.
Oriental Museum
People throwing coloured power to celebrate Holi at the Oriental Museum

Year of the Rabbit

We would like to wish all those preparing for and celebrating the arrival of the Year of the Rabbit a very happy and healthy New Year. A range of exciting celebrations will be taking place across the University and City to mark the special occasion.
Oriental Museum
Image showing Chinese lanterns and a rabbit on a red and purple background

Oriental Museum welcomes Master Japanese Potter

Master Japanese potter Keigo Kamide is visiting the Oriental Museum on Wednesday 23 November, to give a free talk about his art and the ancient craft of Kutani. His talk will be illustrated with a selected display of his works for visitors to enjoy.
Oriental Museum
Keigo Kamide Pottery event at Oriental Museum

Conserving Durham City’s oldest standing building

Work has started on conserving and improving the oldest standing building in Durham City – the 11th century Norman Chapel inside Durham Castle.
Durham Castle
Interior of the Norman Chapel, Durham

Join us for Community Fun Day 2022

We are so excited to be hosting our Community Fun Day once again, and we are inviting you to join us! Come along to enjoy an exciting range of activities from across the County to celebrate the best of Durham community projects. The event will be taking place on a marquee on Palace Green from 10am until 3pm on Saturday October 29.
Durham World Heritage Site Visitor Centre
Community Fun Day Promotional image
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