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Photo: Benjamin Smith, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
This is in the 17th century church of St-Mary-le-Bow, next to the cathedral and often missed by visitors heading there. It displays town history from medieval times to the 20th century.
Durham Museum was a museum in Durham, England. It detailed the history of the City of Durham from medieval times to the present day. The museum was located in the redundant church of St Mary-le-Bow, close to the World Heritage Site of Durham Cathedral and Durham Castle, which is bounded on the north and east by Hatfield College; on the south by Bow Lane, and the west by North Bailey. The costs of maintaining the building forced the museum's closure in 2024. The museum was mainly run by volunteers.
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Durham bishopric was founded in 995 AD by monks from Lindisfarne, fleeing Viking raids, and bringing their holy relics with them. Early Norman bishops were of royal status - hence their title "Prince Bishop" - and they built the present cathedral from 1093. It's a magnificent structure, part of a World Heritage Site, with a soaring nave and 66 metre tower. The relics of Saint Cuthbert and the Venerable Bede, and hundreds of ancient artefacts, are on display in the museum (M-Sa 10AM-5PM, Su from 12:30PM, adults £7.50). The northwest (or "Galilee") tower is visited on booked guided tours, adults £7.50, 137 steps and a fair bit of pigeon poo. The cathedral is a working church, please respect services and private prayer, and there may be part-closures at short notice eg for funerals.
Built by the Normans from 1072, it was much altered in the 19th century, and is part of a World Heritage Site. It's now part of University College Durham, and can only be visited on a one-hour tour (hours vary) conducted by current students. Some of them reside within the original Keep, the oldest student accommodation in the world.
Crook Hall is a manor built early 14th century and expanded in the 17th and 18th. In modern times it was used as a wedding venue but went bust in 2020. It was acquired by the National Trust, who re-opened its gardens.
Part of Durham University, this museum displays artefacts from across Asia and North Africa. Search their online data base for material not on display.
10-hectare woodland gardens run by Durham University, with many exotics.