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A family sitting together reading

Families and Lifelong Learning

Durham University Library and Collections offer a range of fun, engaging and accessible workshops, resources and experiences for people of all ages. Find out more below and we look forward to welcoming you to our venues. 

Families and Children 

Discover the incredible collections in our venues for families of all ages with our wide-ranging family programme suitable for multiple age groups.

A parent and child are sat smiling whilst colouring in a craft activity in the Silk Roads Gallery of the Oriental Museum
Families
Child in high-vis jacket taking part in Durham Archaeology Explorers
Durham Archaeology Explorers
An image of a young boy holding a piece of artwork he and his parent, sat to his left have made together. The boy is stood, his mother is sat on the floor.
Under-fives
Crowd of people taking part in the powder throw at Holi Festival. The people are jumping in the air and are covered in coloured powder.
Festivals

Lifelong Learning

People of all ages want to learn and explore, discover our offer for learners of all ages and abilities. Learn something new, discover incredible stories in our collections and meet like-minded people in our welcoming and friendly spaces.

Learn more

Lifelong Learning Groups

We welcome lifelong learning groups such as the University of the Third Age (U3A), Women’s Institute (WI), Workers’ Educational Association (WEA) and more.
Lifelong learning group member taking part in a workshop handling museum objects.

Creative Age

Creative Age is a free, weekly art group for people living with dementia or other long-term health challenges and their carers.
A pair of older participants at Creative Age

Visiting Clubs and Groups

We welcome lifelong learning groups such as Rainbows, Cubs, Scouts, Brownies, Guides or other adult or children's community groups at all our venues.

Book Club

The Library and Collections Book Club meets on the last Thursday of every month from 5pm - 6pm in the Oriental Museum café.
A group of people taking part in the Book Club

Upcoming events

Family Activities: Good Cat, Bad Cat

Saturday 19 September, 2026
1:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Oriental Museum
Ancient Egyptian cat coffin

Everyday Elegance: Daily Lives of Women in Late Qing China

Saturday 16 May, 2026
12:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Oriental Museum
Heavily embroidered piece of textile

Family Activities: Falling into Autumn

Saturday 26 September, 2026
1:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Oriental Museum
Image of an Autumnal Korean landscape on a scroll. The painting itself depicts a man herding two cows over a windy hillside in the height of autumn. Mountains are shown in the background and the man wears traditional Korean white clothing. The painting uses oranges, browns, blues and black. Accompanying the painting is two columns of calligraphy and this has two red seals next to it.

Gone But Not Forgotten: Remembering Britain's Vanished Species Through Art and Science

Monday 20 July, 2026
10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Museum of Archaeology
Art Work of an Irish Elk by Steven Livingstone
View all upcoming events

 

 

People taking part in an accessible touch tour event and handling museum objects.

Accessibility

Support for neurodiversity, physical access and more information can be found here for our programmes and workshops.

Accessible workshops