Easter Bank Holiday weekend, and it's the same thing- where do we go today? So, one day, it was off to Beamish Museum, since I hadn't been there since I had taken a class of children, and knew it would be somewhere Little Miss and her friend would enjoy
Beamish museum is an Open air museum and is advertised as a place where "the past comes to life"; by the past, it means specifically 1800s and 1900s. It is set in over 300 acres of countryside, so the great thing is that even if it is the height of the tourist season, you can "lose yourself" in the countryside and enjoy the wide open spaces.
Obviously, we know where it is, but for someone who was unsure, I always think the best way to find a place is on an internet route finder. Failing this, the museum is easy to find by following the A1m and exiting at Junction 63, then following the signs for the museum; they are actually there from the junction.
You know you are at the museum when you go under the large metal bridge structure, and so begins your "in another era" experience
Once there, you can park your car free of charge in the large car park
**How much is it?**
There are different summer and winter prices, but since we are now in summer, and I would never go in winter (far too cold), I will give an indication of the summer prices. Entry for a child from 5-16 is £10, an adult is £16, and a family ticket is £46.
Yes, the prices are steep, but it is an all day experience
**Opening hours**
Like the prices, the opening hours change according to the season, (summer season starts end of
March, just in time for easter visitors) and it's open every day 10am- 5pm, with last admission 3pm. However, it would be a waste of money to arrive late because you wouldn't see enough to warrant the cost.
**What's there?**
As it is set in a large area of land, there is lots of walking to do. Once you have paid your money, step out of the entrance area, and there is the tram and bus stops. Great idea, and even better on the way back when little feet are tired.
We decided to walk it, and once through the entrance area, it was about a 15 minute walk to the 1913 Colliery Village. This has a chapel and school, as well as a row of houses backing onto the railway line. The school is very much as schools were at the turn of the 20th century and there were even "teachers" there, in full costume, to answer questions. Children and adults are encouraged to have a go at writing on the slate boards and then to go outside and play with the stick and hoops- much easier ion the 21st century as they are made of metal and attached to each other, so the hoop can't escape and carry on for miles before caught. The row of houses are set up as they would have been in that era, as are the gardens, complete with chickens, ducks and pigeons, but what seems to strike children most of all is the fact that the bed is in the living room- none of this bedrrom for everyone like now.
The houses in the village have been deconstructed, brick by brick from other areas in the North of England, but next stop on our travels round the museum brought us to Home Farm, which was actually already on the site, as was Pockerley manor and the Drift mine. These three areas are obviously very much as they were at the turn of the century, and what I liked about the place is the fact that there are not rows and rows of small artefacts behind glass cases with labels too complex for children to read and understand; instead, everywhere you go, there are people in traditional dress, ready to answer questions and there is a feeling that you have indeed travelled back in time. There are live animals in the fields, and horses been led around by farm hands and stable boys.
The town has a coffee shop which does sell modern day food and drinks, and this is the only place where it was obvious that the staff were not wearing early 20th century costumes. We stopped off at the Dainty Dinah Tea Rooms in the town and spent about £10 on 4 drinks and some cakes- take a picnic is my advice! Also in the town is the sweet shop, where you can watch sweets been made by traditional methods, and sample them. Obviously, this is an incentive to buy some sweets. Go into the dentists and marvel at the horrors of tooth extraction, and have a look in the bank, Masonic hall and solicitors office. After that, a well earned drink can be bought at the Sun Inn Public House before starting to walk again.
For us, ambling along with no real plan, this was to the fair ground- rides are 31 each or 6 rides for £5. The carousel is, I believe, an old one, and comes complete with horses tipping into the centre, no safety harnesses, and a faster speed than is found today- the children loved it! There is also a small train, a house of mirrors and those 2 person ships, again without safety harnesses- I thought these were a tad dangerous for 5 year olds.
Another feature is the train which takes you for a little ride along to the mine (you can go down it, and are issued with helmets), and the tram and open top bus which take you back to the entrance if you prefer not to walk.
I have touched briefly on the things to see in the area, but really, I think everyone gets something different out of it, depending on their interests and the ages of the people with them.
**Verdict**
I think this is a great day out, but as I mentioned earlier, make it a full day to be sure of getting value for money. One thing to point out here, if you live near Beamish, and would go more than once in a year… it's not until after we had paid that I noticed that you can get a full year's family membership for £52, which is £6 more than a family day ticket. I think it was a bit cheeky that they didn't make this obvious as you go into the museum, because obviously, for people like me, it would be worth paying £6 more.
What strikes me about this place, though, is how safe it seems. There are large areas of open spaces in which children can run, and then for interest, every 15 minutes or so, there is something to look at and explore. As you walk around the area, there are animals and machinery to look at, as well as the station and the signal box, which proved interesting. There are no cars to watch out for, merely the very sporadic bus and tram service, so it's really relaxing, not always having to tell children to watch the traffic.
I have been with classes of children, when the children have dressed up and had a full day of been educated 1913 style, and they have found it a great experience, knowing they can walk away!
We didn't go down the mine this time, but when you go down, there are full explanations given about how the people worked, and men show how the trucks were pushed when the ceiling was so low. Even the very young children find this fascinating as they can relate to children their age working (or think they can!)
With two young children we had a great day, and even the weather was on our side. The staff are helpful and informative, and the whole area is beautifully maintained- no litter, which I always think is a plus. Another major plus is the way in which they seem to have managed to get toilets into most of the buildings. There is nothing worse than having children "caught short" and needing the toilet with a 20 minute walk to the nearest convenience. Not so in Beamish. There are toilets at the entrance, in the eateries, in the back yard of the houses, the Masonic Hall, the farm, etc- all thankfully in the style of 21st century living.
All in all, if you want a good family day out, far from the madding crowds, give it a try. Lots of fresh air and open spaces, plenty for everyone to look at and enjoy, educational, fun, with plenty of modern conveniences.
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Advantages: First person interpretation, an entire day out, suitable for all ages Disadvantages: Expensive, tends to take a "golden old days" view of the past
Collingwood21 20.11.2002 (20.11.2002)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Beamish Open Air Museum
Advantages: First person interpretation, an entire day out, suitable for all ages Disadvantages: Expensive, tends to take a "golden old days" view of the past
Collingwood21 20.11.2002 (20.11.2002)
·
Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Beamish Open Air Museum
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