Beamish Open Air Museum

Beamish Open Air museum is a favourite place of mine, a great place for school trips and a really interesting day out for everyone from toddlers to OAPs. I've been there many times and still haven't got bored with going there.

== Where it is ==

Beamish is in Co. Durham, in the north-east of England. It is approximately eight miles south west from Newcastle and twelve miles north west from Durham city. It is really well ...
...carefully taken down, transported to Beamish and rebuilt. Each one is full of artefacts and historic objects and peopled by costumed staff who talk to you as if they are actually from that period in history. It gives the whole place a lovely atmosphere and is a lot more interesting, especially for children, than looking at objects in glass cases and reading information cards.

On entering the museum gates the first thing you will discover ... more

Beamish Open Air museum is a favourite place of mine, a great place for school trips and a really interesting day out for everyone from toddlers to OAPs. I've been there many times and still haven't got bored with going there.

Where it is

Beamish is in Co. Durham, in the north-east of England. It is approximately eight miles south west from Newcastle and twelve miles north west from Durham city. It is really well signposted from the A1M, Junction 63 and as I can drive there myself and I'm not the most confident of drivers, anyone can do it! You can also catch a bus to the museum entrance from Newcastle or Chester-le-Street.

What is there to do there

The museum has a number of exhibits, but what I really like is that rather than being just cabinets full of objects, the museum is a living museum, built to look like towns and villages of the 19th and early 20th Centuries. What is really great is that the majority of the buildings used are authentic old buildings that have been carefully taken down, transported to Beamish and rebuilt. Each one is full of artefacts and historic objects and peopled by costumed staff who talk to you as if they are actually from that period in history. It gives the whole place a lovely atmosphere and is a lot more interesting, especially for children, than looking at objects in glass cases and reading information cards.

On entering the museum gates the first thing you will discover is the car park, where parking is easy, and even better, free! Go down the steps and you arrive at the entrance, where quite often there are people dressed up with information about any special events that are happening in the park that day. To the left is the gift shop and to the right the payment desks. Once through this section there is a short corridor with old fashioned metal adverts on the walls. Toilets are also to be found here; we usually try to persuade the children to go here. Although there are plenty of toilets within the park, sometimes there's quite a walk in between. Once past there, it's out into the open air.

From is entrance there is more than one direction to head in. We usually go anti-clockwise, for the simple reason that everyone else seems not to, so we get to see many exhibits while they're fairly quiet. You can either walk or there are trams going in either direction. Which option we choose depends upon whether there's a tram waiting or not.

Travelling in an anti-clockwise direction...

Pockerley Manor

I always think of this as being a relatively new exhibit at Beamish as it wasn't part of the museum when I was younger, but in truth it's been open for quite some time! Pockerley Manor is supposedly the home of a well-to-do farmer in the early 1800's. Inside, you can visit the farmer's kitchen, where there is often someone making scones or bread, the dining room, or store room (watch out for the rat!). Up the stairs you can take a nosy into their bedroom and that of the child and maid. Out the back of he house are some very nice walled gardens and if you go left out of the back door you will find stairs up to anther couple of rooms which I think a lot of people might miss. Our children were half enthralled, half appalled when the lady in these rooms showed them a badger skin on the wall and told them the smell kept the mice away...nice!

Coming back down the hill from Pockerley Manor, follow the signs to Pockerley Wagonway, where there is a large shed full of different trains and machinery. I'm not a great fan of this area but my husband finds it scintillating and it would be a must for any train enthusiast. More excitingly, you can ride a short distance on an open topped train, where the (very dirty) workers there make the history come to life with tales of how children should be seen and not heard and that the laws of the time state that it is ok to beat your wife with a stick "no thicker than your thumb". Eek!

Returning from Pockerley Waggonway, it's back on the tram or you can walk into the town, but be warned it's quite a hike, especially on a hot day.

The Town

This is probably my favourite place because there is so much to see and explore. The town is typical of a north-east town from around 1913. Coming into the town the first building you see is the Masonic Hall, a fairly new exhibit and one that is quite a lot grander than the rest of the town.

Next door to this is Barclays Bank, a building my Mum very much enjoys as her first job when she left school was at Barclays and she claims it was quite similar to the bank at Beamish. Again it is staffed and the children (and myself) were left quite baffled when given a lesson in adding up pounds, shillings and pence. Underneath the bank are the vaults, again complete with rats!

Then it's into the main street where you can either visit the garage and workshop to your left, where you can view a range of cars and their spare parts, or if you have any sense you will head right to the sweet shop. The sweet shop smells fantastic and has a range of sweets, some of which you don't seem to see these days. If you arrive at the right time there is sometimes a demonstration of sweet making going in, often with free samples. If this isn't happening when you visit, ask what time the next demonstration is and any staff member will be happy to tell you. Be warned though, the sweet shop is always crammed full of people. Funny that, isn't it?

Next door to the sweet shop is the Newspaper Office and Stationers shop and again you can actually buy items here, such as notebooks, pencils and postcards. Upstairs, there's a printer's shop, again giving demonstrations. Behind here is the stables, especially nice if you like horses next door to the Newspaper office is the pub, The Sun Inn. My Mum gets especially excited here too. No, it's not what you're thinking - it's because it originally came from a town quite near to ours and she can remember it in its original location. You can actually go in and buy alcohol while visiting. We've never done this, although I think my husband would like to! Tea, coffee and sandwiches are also sold here.

Opposite these exhibits is the old fashioned Co-op which has three different departments where you can see old fashioned groceries, hardware and clothing and the staff are quite likely to ask you if you have a dividend card! There are lots of staff available in this area to explain to you what to do with the various articles for sale and you can visit the manager's office and finance office at the back of the shop.

A small set of stairs in the centre of the co-op building leads up to a tea-room, which sounds nice in theory but it's actually just an over-priced café selling mediocre sandwiches and snacks. If the weather's fine, it's far better to pack a picnic and enjoy it in the old fashioned park, complete with bandstand, and the children can have a run around at the same time.

Opposite the park is a small terrace of houses and businesses, including a piano and music teacher, a solicitor's office and a dentist's surgery where staff are only too happy to demonstrate the dental equipment. Apart from the sweet shop, this is the only place I've seen queues really build up. Could the two be connected somehow?

The trams stop at the town if you want to catch one, as does a little bus that travels to the colliery village. A small ice-cream stall is situated at the exit of the town (or the entrance if you travel the opposite way round). If you buy one you have just enough time to eat it on the walk to the next attraction!

The Railway Station

Down a small incline and across an iron bridge you come to the railway station, another place my Mum enjoys as she gets an opportunity to tell us that her friend's dad worked in a similar signal box and they used to visit him after school. At Beamish railway you too can explore the signal box and the various rooms at the station. Often a member of staff is sitting on the bench "waiting for the train". I can't decide whether this would be a really easy job or a really boring one as the train never arrives! Next to the railway station is the Regional Museums store, another one for train enthusiasts but a place I tend to skip!

The Fairground

Just past the railway station, back over another bridge is a large expanse of grass with a few picnic benches and a place of huge excitement for the children. Never mind that it consists merely of a carousel, shuggy boats and a hall of mirrors, children will quite happily spend your money here as the rides all have an additional charge. It is another nice place to eat a picnic though and often there will be special shows and exhibitions in this area, depending upon the time of year.

Home Farm

Following further along the road, there comes a cross roads, where you can either go up the hill to the farm, or down into the colliery village. Going up the hill you come to fields with various bird life in them and a small café, again with picnic benches where you can stop and eat. Be very careful with the birds here. More than once has a goose taken a fancy to our sandwiches and they don't give up easily! Go through the gates by the café to visit Home Farm. Be wary of the road to cross here as it is a real road that outside traffic travels on. Make sure children know that the cars going past might be going fairly fast.

Once across the road, at Home Farm you can visit the blacksmith, or look at the various agricultural equipment, see the animals (usually pigs and horses are in evidence) or visit the farm house itself. The large kitchen is the best place as usually there is someone making scones and often a farmer is by the fire explaining what the day's jobs are.

The Colliery Town

Back down the hill from the farm and down a further hill is the colliery town. One of my favourite places there is the school (although that could just be because I work in education). There are two big school rooms and a smaller room for the younger children. It's easy to locate the school by the noise that's usually coming from the rear yard where metal hoops and sticks are available to try. Inside the school house there is usually at least one teacher. Behave yourself as they are quite likely to tell you off for talking or touching something you shouldn't! I can spend ages in the school being quite amused by the various notices and rules.

Next door is the chapel, which is very similar in style to our own local chapel. At various times of the year you might find an actual service going on in here.

Opposite these buildings are the pit cottages, which are a lot smaller and poorer looking than the houses in the town, obviously as they are meant to be owned by the pit workers. You can look through the front windows of the houses; our children were fascinated by the fact that they had beds in the front rooms and you can go into the houses at the back. Often people inside will be cooking or making raggy mats and they are always happy to explain what they are doing. Don't forget to peep in at the ash closets outside - no interior bathrooms here! At the end of the row is the Mine Office where miners would have gone for employment or to receive their wages. Sometimes the person in the office will enquire of our son if he wants paid work as a "pit lad" while annoying my daughter by telling her girls can't work.

Further into the village you can visit the Engine Shed, or if you're really brave go down the mine. If you're tall you will have to stoop though as the ceilings aren't very high. Hard hats are provided though, just in case!

Once finished at the town, either catch a tram or walk a short distance and you're back at the park entrance having travelled in a complete circle.

Special Events

At various times of the year Beamish plays host to special events, such as agricultural fairs or motor shows. They also have various brass bands or choirs visiting and there are celebrations at special times of year such as Christmas, Halloween, May Day and Harvest time. Schools can arrange special workshops where children can find out what it's like to work as a servant or attend school in 1900.

ADMISSION CHARGES

There are two different charges depending upon what time of year you visit. During the winter (until April) only the Town is open therefore prices are cheaper but there isn't as much to do.

Summer Charges

Adult £16
Child £10
60+ £13
Student £13
Family Ticket (2 adults, 2 children) £46
Family Ticket (2 adults, 1 child) £32

Children aged 4 and under are free. If you are travelling with a large group then admission charges are reduced.

If you live locally, or think you might visit more than once in the year, it's cheaper to buy an annual pass:

Adult £21
Student £17
60+ £17
Child £13
Family Ticket (2 children) £60
Family Ticket (1 child) £42

There is so much to do that a one day visit doesn't do it justice so you could easily get your money's worth with an annual pass, plus you can then visit for any special events that interest you, such as the Edwardian Christmas market.

Winter Charges

All tickets are £6, although they sometimes run special offers, for example this weekend all tickets are £5.

Additional Information

Much of the outside of Beamish would be accessible to wheelchairs or pushchairs; however parts of it, due to having narrow stairs would probably be out of bounds. Also there is a lot of ground to cover at Beamish so you need to be reasonably fit - or take the tram everywhere. Wheelchairs can be loaned free from Beamish museum itself - an idea if the distances are too far to walk but you would be able to get out and walk around the attractions.

There are a number of toilets and baby changing facilities available at many of the different areas.

If you missed out on food while in the museum, there is a small coffee shop at the museum entrance.

The gift shop stocks a wide range of items, from books about the area, and surrounding county, to old fashioned sweets, to signs and posters, to children's toys and novelties. My daughter can never visit without buying a pen that looks like a quill; we must have half a dozen of these now. I'd rather have the humbugs!

Would I recommend a visit?

Definitely. It's really interesting to see life as it would have been lived one hundred years ago. I've gone with my own children and on several school trips and they've always been fascinated too. Older people, like my mother, although they weren't living this long ago may be able to remember some of the items from their childhood. The staff are always pleasant and tell great stories so make sure you take the time to talk to them and ask questions. Plus the grounds are lovely although obviously, being an open air museum, it's not half as good if the weather is poor. You will need to go early though as there's a lot to see and you can be hard pressed for time, especially on a first visit. It's definitely a great day out for the whole family. Then go home and feel grateful that you don't have to beat your carpets, bath in a tin bath or go outside on a cold dark night to answer a call of nature!

A version of this review has been published on Dooyoo

 

...less