What’s On Events Calendar
Penned and Printed
27 May 2023 - 31 August 2024
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Historic Libraries
An exhibition of our Archives and Special Collections, telling hidden stories from the shelves and strongrooms.
- Exhibition
- Everyone
Voices: contemporary art and craft from the Middle East and North Africa
29 September 2023 - 12 May 2024
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Oriental Museum
An exhibition celebrating the work of emerging contemporary artists and designers from the Middle East and North Africa recently acquired by the Oriental Museum.
- Exhibitions
- Everyone
Little Dragons
03 April 2024 - 24 April 2024
9:30 AM - 10:30 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
- Under 5s
Little Dragons
03 April 2024 - 24 April 2024
10:45 AM - 10:45 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
- Under 5s
Little Dragons
10 April 2024 - 01 May 2024
9:30 AM - 10:30 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
- Under 5s
Twilight Opening at Palace Green Library
11 April 2024 - 25 April 2024
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Durham World Heritage Site Visitor Centre, Historic Libraries, Museum of Archaeology
Palace Green Library is open until 7pm the 2nd and 4th Thursday of every month.
- Accessible
- Exhibition
- Lates
- Public
- Everyone
Little Dragons
17 April 2024 - 08 May 2024
9:30 AM - 10:30 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
- Under 5s
Little Dragons
17 April 2024 - 08 May 2024
10:45 AM - 10:45 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
- Under 5s
Twilight Opening at Oriental Museum
18 April 2024 - 02 May 2024
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Oriental Museum
Oriental Museum is open until 7pm the 1st and 3rd Thursday of every month.
- Exhibitions
- Lates
- Public
- Everyone
Foraged and Found Collages
20 April 2024 - 20 April 2024
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Oriental Museum
Come and be creative!
- Family friendly
- Children and families
Little Dragons
24 April 2024 - 15 May 2024
9:30 AM - 10:30 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
- Under 5s
Art Social: Life Drawing at the Oriental Museum
24 April 2024 - 24 April 2024
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Oriental Museum
Led by artist Isabel Gotti, join us for life drawing in the museum.
- Creative
- Lates
- Outreach & community
- Public
- Student experience
- Workshop
- Alumni
- Everyone
- Friends of the Oriental Museum
- Lifelong Learners and Community groups
- Local and family historians
- Students in HE
Twilight Opening at Palace Green Library
25 April 2024 - 09 May 2024
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Durham World Heritage Site Visitor Centre, Historic Libraries, Museum of Archaeology
Palace Green Library is open until 7pm the 2nd and 4th Thursday of every month.
- Accessible
- Exhibition
- Lates
- Public
- Everyone
Twilight Talk - Unearthed wonders: Explore the Museum of Archaeology’s collection
25 April 2024 - 25 April 2024
5:30 PM - 6:30 PM
Museum of Archaeology, Historic Libraries, Durham World Heritage Site Visitor Centre
Join our Curator of Archaeology and discover more about the history of the Museum of Archaeology and find out about its remarkable collection.
- Lecture
- Outreach & community
- Public
- Talks, training, seminars & conferences
- Everyone
Blossom Week: 'The Trees Have Spoken'
27 April 2024 - 27 April 2024
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Oriental Museum
Blossom has begun to appear all around us!
- Creative
- Family friendly
- Children and families
Launch event for Alice Dalí AR: A Rabbit Hole Awaits
04 May 2024 - 04 May 2024
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Botanic Garden
Meet the designers and scientists behind Alice Dalí AR, a new augmented reality experience at Durham's Botanic Garden, at this launch event.
- Festival
- Holiday activities
- Partnerships & Collaboration
- Public
- Everyone
Japanese Children's Day
04 May 2024 - 04 May 2024
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Oriental Museum
Come and join in the fun!
- Family friendly
- Children and families
Slow Stitching Workshop
04 May 2024 - 04 May 2024
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Oriental Museum
Join us for a slow stitching workshop which combines relaxation with creative movements. Make a notebook cover from simple stitches and enjoy the calm.
- Workshop
- Everyone
Twilight Talk - Discoveries from the Art Collection auditing project
09 May 2024 - 09 May 2024
5:30 PM - 6:30 PM
Durham World Heritage Site Visitor Centre, Museum of Archaeology
Join the art team as they take you on a journey through the auditing the Durham University Art Collection.
- Lecture
- Outreach & community
- Public
- Talks, training, seminars & conferences
- Everyone
Froggy Friends
11 May 2024 - 11 May 2024
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Oriental Museum
Fascinating froggy friends in the Oriental Museum!
- Family friendly
- Children and families
Autism-Friendly Family Activities
16 May 2024 - 16 May 2024
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Oriental Museum
Join us for some fun, autism-friendly crafts for families at the Oriental Museum when the galleries are quieter. Experiment with colour, shape and pattern and paint your own unique artwork.
- Accessible
- Creative
- Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion
- Outreach & community
- Public
- Workshop
- Family friendly
- Children and families
- Everyone
Buddha's Birthday
18 May 2024 - 18 May 2024
12:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Oriental Museum
Come and celebrate Buddha's birthday with us!
- Festival
- Family friendly
- Children and families
Eternal Ascent: Bentley Beetham and the 1924 Mount Everest Expedition
24 May 2024 - 15 September 2024
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Oriental Museum
This exhibition marks the centenary of the 1924 Mount Everest Expedition, the first Western, and ultimately tragic, attempt to climb the highest mountain in the world.
- Creative
- Exhibition
- Exhibitions
- Partnerships & Collaboration
- Public
- Family friendly
- Everyone
Celebrating Durham Pride
25 May 2024 - 25 May 2024
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Oriental Museum
Come and start the Pride celebrations!
- Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion
- Family friendly
- Children and families
High and Mighty
29 May 2024 - 29 May 2024
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Oriental Museum
Explore our new photography exhibition!
- Family friendly
- Children and families
ART SOCIAL: Feel My Words: The Power of Text in Visual Art
29 May 2024 - 29 May 2024
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Oriental Museum
Join poet, picture-maker and playwright Lizzie Lovejoy in a workshop to combine creative writing and visual art.
- Creative
- Lates
- Performance
- Student experience
- Workshop
- Everyone
- Lifelong Learners and Community groups
- School students
- Students in HE
- Young People
Mythical Beasts
31 May 2024 - 31 May 2024
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Oriental Museum
Can you spot any mythical beasts or lion dogs in our galleries?
- Family friendly
- Children and families
Perfect Perfume
01 June 2024 - 01 June 2024
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Oriental Museum
Explore our beautiful Ancient Egyptian perfume jars, make up items and jewellery.
- Family friendly
- Children and families
ART SOCIAL: SOCIAL!
05 June 2024 - 05 June 2024
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Join us for quizzes and art games in the pub!
- Creative
- Lates
- Public
- Student experience
- Everyone
- Lifelong Learners and Community groups
- Local and family historians
- Students in HE
Make a Rangoli
08 June 2024 - 08 June 2024
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Oriental Museum
Find out about the Indian tradition of Rangoli art, and make your own.
- Family friendly
- Children and families
Wonderful Weather Dolls
15 June 2024 - 15 June 2024
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Oriental Museum
Find out about teru teru bozu - the famous Japanese weather doll and have a go at making one.
- Family friendly
- Children and families
Play Time!
22 June 2024 - 22 June 2024
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Oriental Museum
Explore our new exhibition all about play and toys, then try making your own game.
- Family friendly
- Children and families
Magnificent Manga
29 June 2024 - 29 June 2024
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Oriental Museum
Explore the Oriental Museum's collection of Japanese Manga comics and create your own to take home.
- Family friendly
- Children and families
Tanabata Festival
06 July 2024 - 06 July 2024
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Oriental Museum
Tanabata is the Japanese summer star festival. Find out about this special time of year and make tanabata decorations.
- Family friendly
- Children and families
MG Car Display
07 July 2024 - 07 July 2024
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Botanic Garden
The Durham MG & Classic Car Club was formed in 2001 for local car enthusiasts interested in MG cars, both classic and modern. This informal gathering will showcase cars representing models produced from the late 1940s through to the early 2000s.
- Family friendly
- Children and families
Festival of Archaeology Fun
13 July 2024 - 13 July 2024
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Oriental Museum
Handle some archaeological finds from Ancient Egypt and China and try our special archaeology trail.
- Family friendly
- Children and families
Yak-tastic!
20 July 2024 - 20 July 2024
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Oriental Museum
Did you know that yaks were a vital part of the first attempts to climb Mount Everest? Find out why and make cute yak puppet.
- Family friendly
- Children and families
Toy Box
27 July 2024 - 27 July 2024
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Oriental Museum
Explore our new exhibition, try our new playful gallery trail and make your own game.
- Family friendly
- Children and families
Sketchbook Workshop
31 July 2024 - 31 July 2024
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Oriental Museum
Get a free mini sketchbook and try some easy, fun drawing ideas.
- Workshop
- Family friendly
- Children and families
Awesome Armies
02 August 2024 - 02 August 2024
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Oriental Museum
Learn about the Chinese terracotta army, and make your own terracotta warrior from clay.
- Family friendly
- Children and families
Terrible Teeth
03 August 2024 - 03 August 2024
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Oriental Museum
Find out why many Ancient Egyptians had terrible teeth and make a set of chompers from plasticine.
- Family friendly
- Children and families
Gorgeous Glass
07 August 2024 - 07 August 2024
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Oriental Museum
Decorate a glass jar with your favourite colours.
- Family friendly
- Children and families
Paper Marbling Workshop
09 August 2024 - 09 August 2024
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Oriental Museum
Experiment with colour and try paper marbling.
- Family friendly
- Children and families
Sculpture Saturday
10 August 2024 - 10 August 2024
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Oriental Museum
See our huge Ancient Egyptian temple frieze and then make your own relief sculpture.
- Family friendly
- Children and families
Teddy Bear's Picnic
12 August 2024 - 12 August 2024
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Botanic Garden
Join us for a fun-filled day of exploring bear habitats on an interactive guided walk through the Garden, a messy bear art workshop and all your favourite bear stories.
- Family friendly
- Children and families
Mountain Zine Making
14 August 2024 - 14 August 2024
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Oriental Museum
Explore the sights and sounds of the Himalayas and make a cool mountain zine.
- Family friendly
- Children and families
Crazy Creatures
15 August 2024 - 15 August 2024
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Botanic Garden
Get interactive with our Crazy Creatures who are visiting the Garden for the day.
- Family friendly
- Children and families
Sail Away
16 August 2024 - 16 August 2024
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Oriental Museum
See a beautiful boat on display and make your own watercolour sail boat.
- Family friendly
- Children and families
Awesome Obelisks
17 August 2024 - 17 August 2024
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Oriental Museum
Find out about the ancient Egyptian obelisk on display and create your own 3D model to take home.
- Family friendly
- Children and families
Chinese Writing Workshop
21 August 2024 - 21 August 2024
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Oriental Museum
Learn some Chinese characters and try writing your own.
- Family friendly
- Children and families
Elizabeth Baker, StoryTeller
22 August 2024 - 22 August 2024
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Botanic Garden
Join storyteller, Elizabeth Baker, for a whole host of stories and legends from some of the different countries where the wonderful plants in our Garden grow.
- Family friendly
- Children and families
Beautiful Bastet
23 August 2024 - 23 August 2024
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Oriental Museum
Bastet was the Ancient Egyptian goddess of protection. Find out why she was so important and make a fun cat painting.
- Family friendly
- Children and families
The Shang Dynasty of China
24 August 2024 - 24 August 2024
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Oriental Museum
Find out about the Shang Dynasty of China and make a scary taotie mask with embossed metal detail.
- Family friendly
- Children and families
Mughal Miniatures
28 August 2024 - 28 August 2024
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Oriental Museum
Create your own Indian-style miniature painting.
- Family friendly
- Children and families
Make a Mosaic
30 August 2024 - 30 August 2024
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Oriental Museum
Create your own mini mosaic from glass tiles.
- Family friendly
- Children and families
Glorious Gardens
31 August 2024 - 31 August 2024
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Oriental Museum
Get creative and make a mini Japanese Zen garden.
- Family friendly
- Children and families
Walk Like a Pharaoh
07 September 2024 - 07 September 2024
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Oriental Museum
Find out about ancient Egyptian life and make your own sandy pyramid.
- Family friendly
- Children and families
Magnificent Moon Jar
14 September 2024 - 14 September 2024
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Oriental Museum
See our fabulous Korean Moon Jar - then create a mini one from clay.
- Family friendly
- Children and families
Horse Play
21 September 2024 - 21 September 2024
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Oriental Museum
See the magnificent horse on display in the China Gallery and make a hobby horse.
- Family friendly
- Children and families
Celebrating Rosh Hashanah
28 September 2024 - 28 September 2024
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Oriental Museum
Find out about Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year festival, and make a shofar musical instrument.
- Family friendly
- Children and families
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.