Skip to main content

What’s On

Find out what’s on at our venues across Durham. From major exhibitions to family friendly craft sessions, tours, lectures and art workshops. We have something to interest everyone. You can also find out more about our regular groups and online exhibitions and events.
Group of people at an exhibition

Special exhibitions

Explore exciting events and exhibitions across our venues.

Voices: contemporary art and craft from the Middle East and North Africa

An exhibition celebrating the work of emerging contemporary artists and designers recently acquired by the Oriental Museum.
photographic artwork

Celebrate the arrival of Spring

Enjoy blossom themed displays throughout the Japan gallery at the Oriental Museum
view through a museum display case with a kimono hanging in it to displays behind

Penned and Printed

An exhibition of our Archives and Special Collections, telling hidden stories from the shelves and strongrooms.
Penned and Printed Exhibition logo showing various items from Palace Green Library Special Collections
View more

Upcoming events

Foraged and Found Collages

Saturday 20 April, 2024
1:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Oriental Museum
A collage of crafted textiles

Little Dragons

Wednesday 3 April, 2024
9:30 AM to 10:30 AM
Oriental Museum
Child at Little Dragons

Little Dragons

Wednesday 3 April, 2024
10:45 AM to 10:45 AM
Oriental Museum
Child at Little Dragons

Art Social: Life Drawing at the Oriental Museum

Wednesday 24 April, 2024
5:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Oriental Museum
Art Socials
More upcoming events

New Chinese ceramic displays

Following a major refurbishment, the MacDonald Gallery of China at the Oriental Museum has now reopened

Enjoy the highlights from our amazing Chinese collections ranging from ancient bronze weapons to magnificent jades carved for the emperor and his court and follow a timeline of Chinese ceramic history from the Neolithic period to the 21st century.
Find out more about our Chinese collections
museum display cases filled with Chinese objects

Online exhibitions

Explore our collections from home with our online exhibition programme.

Journeys: Reading the World

Explore themes of travel, adventure and exploration using the rare books, diaries, maps and letters in Palace Green Library special collections.
Collage image of items included in the Journeys exhibition, including a giant from Gulliver’s Travels, a tourist with binoculars, Notre Dame Cathedral, a plane, a world map, three arctic explorers and an aeroplane.

Hidden Stories From the River Wear

Explore the collections of underwater archaeologist, Gary Bankhead, in an exhibition by students from Durham University.
River Wear Exhibition logo showing outline of the river and map of Durham from above

Taxila in Focus: 100 years Since Marshall

This exhibition focuses on the ancient site of Taxila, around 32 kilometres from Pakistan’s federal capital, Islamabad.
Half of the image is in black and white, showing the site in the early 20th century. The other half is a colour 21st century image.
View more online exhibitions

Join our Friends

Our Botanic Garden, Oriental Museum and Palace Green Library all have Friends organisations which organise events and lectures including special members-only experiences.

A group of people stood examining a piece of artwork

Regular activities

Durham University Library and Collections offer a range of fun, engaging and accessible workshops, resources and experiences for people of all ages.

  • Creative Age

    Creative Age is a free, weekly art group for people living with dementia or other long-term health challenges and their carers.
    Journey, a collaborative artwork made by the Creative Age group and artist Marián Hernandez Villada.

  • Durham Archaeology Explorers

    Our archaeology club for children aged 7 - 11, meeting monthly at the Oriental Museum as well as trips to local archaeological and heritage sites.
    Child in high-vis jacket taking part in Durham Archaeology Explorers

  • Little Dragons

    Come along to Little Dragons under-fives group and explore the Oriental Museum's fantastic collections and exhibitions.
    Toddler enjoying Little Dragons under-fives session

Creative Age

Creative Age is a free, weekly art group for people living with dementia or other long-term health challenges and their carers.
Journey, a collaborative artwork made by the Creative Age group and artist Marián Hernandez Villada.

Durham Archaeology Explorers

Our archaeology club for children aged 7 - 11, meeting monthly at the Oriental Museum as well as trips to local archaeological and heritage sites.
Child in high-vis jacket taking part in Durham Archaeology Explorers

Little Dragons

Come along to Little Dragons under-fives group and explore the Oriental Museum's fantastic collections and exhibitions.
Toddler enjoying Little Dragons under-fives session
Find a session

Follow us