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Event Venues

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Show Past Events

Shakespeare Recovered: Durham's First Folio

04 April 2025 - 06 April 2026

11:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Historic Libraries

Our iconic book takes centre stage at Palace Green Library.

  • Exhibition
  • Exhibitions
  • Holiday activities
  • Public
  • Everyone

Journey of a Century: From the Forbidden City to the Palace Museum

26 September 2025 - 31 May 2026

11:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Oriental Museum

Jointly organised by the Palace Museum and the Oriental Museum

  • Exhibition
  • Exhibitions
  • Public
  • Family friendly
  • Global
  • Everyone

Deep Seed: A digital folklore

07 October 2025 - 13 December 2025

11:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Oriental Museum

An installation by artist Ruth Flowers, developed through Place Lab—a creative initiative from Into the Light and delivered by No More Nowt and Ogre Studios.

  • Exhibition
  • Exhibitions
  • Public
  • Family friendly
  • Everyone

Echoes of Friendship: the Squire Family in Meiji Era Japan

25 November 2025 - 22 March 2026

10:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Oriental Museum

A story of cultural exchange and enduring connection

  • Exhibitions
  • Everyone

Saturnalia Trail

01 December 2025 - 04 January 2026

11:00 AM - 11:00 AM

Museum of Archaeology

Explore the ancient Roman festival of Saturnalia.

  • Family friendly
  • Children and families
  • Everyone

Family Activities: Windows on the World

13 December 2025 - 13 December 2025

1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Oriental Museum

Explore our Silk Roads gallery, see our beautiful Islamic window grill and make a window decoration.

  • Accessible
  • Creative
  • Family friendly
  • Children and families
  • Everyone

Little Dragons

17 December 2025 - 17 December 2025

9:30 AM - 11:30 AM

Oriental Museum

Join us at the Oriental Museum on Wednesday mornings for Little Dragons, our FREE session for children under 5 and their families/carers. Each session will be packed full of exploring the museum galleries, fun craft activities, singing, games and stories.

  • Creative
  • Public
  • Family friendly
  • Under 5s

Family Activities: Countdown to Christmas craft workshop

20 December 2025 - 20 December 2025

1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Oriental Museum

Find out how Christmas is celebrated around the world and decorate a Christmas decoration to take home.

  • Accessible
  • Creative
  • Family friendly
  • Children and families
  • Everyone

Family Activities: Toothy Tales from Ancient Egypt

03 January 2026 - 03 January 2026

1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Oriental Museum

Find out why the Ancient Egyptians had bad teeth and make your own set of chompers to take away.

  • Accessible
  • Creative
  • Family friendly
  • Children and families
  • Everyone

Family Activities: Devoted Ducks

10 January 2026 - 10 January 2026

1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Oriental Museum

Get ready for Valentine's day and spot the devoted Korean wedding ducks at the museum and make a quacky companion of your own.

  • Accessible
  • Creative
  • Family friendly
  • Children and families
  • Everyone

Sgraffito Art Workshop

10 January 2026 - 10 January 2026

2:00 PM - 3:45 PM

Oriental Museum

Experiment with layering colour and sgraffito scratch art.

  • Creative
  • Public
  • Workshop
  • Alumni
  • Everyone
  • Friends of the Oriental Museum
  • Lifelong Learners and Community groups

Family Activities: Hello From Here

17 January 2026 - 17 January 2026

1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Oriental Museum

Visit our new exhibition about two British girls who went to live in Japan in the early 1900s. Find out about their lives in Japan and how they stayed in touch with their friends after returning to the north-east. Then design and write a postcard your own postcard - who will you post it to?

  • Accessible
  • Creative
  • Family friendly
  • Children and families
  • Everyone

Family Activities: The Fabulous Phoenicians

24 January 2026 - 24 January 2026

1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Oriental Museum

Spot the ancient Phoenician hedgehog pot in our Silk Roads Gallery and make a super cute pine cone hedgehog!

  • Accessible
  • Creative
  • Family friendly
  • Children and families
  • Everyone

Family Activities: The Eye of Horus

31 January 2026 - 31 January 2026

1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Oriental Museum

Learn all about the Ancient Egyptian god Horus and make an Eye of Horus amulet.

  • Accessible
  • Creative
  • Family friendly
  • Children and families
  • Everyone

Saturday Archaeological Illustration Club-Ceramics and Glass

07 February 2026 - 07 February 2026

11:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Museum of Archaeology

Join the Saturday Archaeological Illustration Club to develop your skills in archaeological illustration. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned illustrator, these sessions offer a chance to refine your technique, interact with real artefacts, and engage with the archaeology community in a relaxed, informal environment.

  • Creative
  • Public
  • Talks, training, seminars & conferences
  • Everyone
  • Lifelong Learners and Community groups
  • Local and family historians
  • Students in HE

Family Activities: Brilliant Birds

07 February 2026 - 07 February 2026

1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Oriental Museum

Learn about birds from the beautiful forests of South Asia and make your own feathered friend to take home.

  • Accessible
  • Creative
  • Family friendly
  • Children and families
  • Everyone

Family Activities: Tick Tock

14 February 2026 - 14 February 2026

1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Oriental Museum

Learn all about our special Chinese clock and make a super star decoration to take home.

  • Accessible
  • Creative
  • Family friendly
  • Children and families
  • Everyone

Family Activities: Crowd Craft!

21 February 2026 - 21 February 2026

1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Oriental Museum

Calling all young crafters! Help us make some decorations for the Oriental Museum's Year of the Horse celebration later this month.

  • Accessible
  • Creative
  • Outreach & community
  • Family friendly
  • Children and families
  • Everyone

Family Activities: Crowns of compassion

25 February 2026 - 25 February 2026

1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Oriental Museum

See a special statue of goddess Guanyin wearing a beautiful crown and make your own bejewelled crown to wear.

  • Accessible
  • Creative
  • Outreach & community
  • Family friendly
  • Children and families
  • Everyone

Saturday Archaeological Illustration Club-Flint and Stone

07 March 2026 - 07 March 2026

11:00 AM - 2:00 PM

Museum of Archaeology

Join the Saturday Archaeological Illustration Club to develop your skills in archaeological illustration. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned illustrator, these sessions offer a chance to refine your technique, interact with real artefacts, and engage with the archaeology community in a relaxed, informal environment.

  • Creative
  • Outreach & community
  • Public
  • Talks, training, seminars & conferences
  • Everyone
  • Lifelong Learners and Community groups
  • Local and family historians
  • Students in HE

Saturday Archaeological Illustration Club- Anything Else!

02 May 2026 - 02 May 2026

11:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Museum of Archaeology

Join the Saturday Archaeological Illustration Club to develop your skills in archaeological illustration. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned illustrator, these sessions offer a chance to refine your technique, interact with real artefacts, and engage with the archaeology community in a relaxed, informal environment.

  • Creative
  • Outreach & community
  • Public
  • Talks, training, seminars & conferences
  • Everyone
  • Lifelong Learners and Community groups
  • Local and family historians
  • Students in HE

What’s on across our venues

Our unique cultural attractions include Durham Castle, Botanic Garden, Historic Libraries at Palace Green, Oriental Museum, Museum of Archaeology and our World Heritage Site Visitor Centre. Whatever your interest, there's something for everyone to enjoy.

Children sitting at a table and smiling during an event