What’s On Events Calendar

An exhibition of our Archives and Special Collections, telling hidden stories from the shelves and strongrooms.

• Exhibition
• Everyone

Visit the Student Art Prize 2023/24 exhibition and explore this years theme of Paradise.

• Creative
• Everyone

A student-led, family-friendly summer exhibition showcasing toys from across Asia and Egypt to celebrate a simple fact of humanity: we all love to play.

• Creative
• Exhibition
• Exhibitions
• Public
• Family friendly
• Everyone

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

When you think about the history of Durham, what comes to mind? Beautiful architecture, rich and powerful people and the history you find in textbooks. But how often do we stop and think about the lives of ordinary people? This exhibition explores the past of Durham through the ordinary people who lived and worked here.

• Exhibition
• Everyone

Have you ever looked at an ancient castle and wondered how it’s still standing? This exhibition will explore the history of construction and building conservation at Durham Castle, with a particular focus on the Norman Chapel Project, a long-term endeavour to preserve the oldest free-standing building in Durham.

• Exhibition
• Everyone

Living Objects shows a display of poems by DU Poetry Society

• Exhibition
• Exhibitions
• Children and families
• Everyone
• Friends of the Oriental Museum
• Lifelong Learners and Community groups
• Local and family historians
• School students
• Students in HE
• Teachers / Home Educators
• Young People

Explore our new exhibition, try our new playful gallery trail and make your own game.

• Family friendly
• Children and families

Get a free mini sketchbook and try some easy, fun drawing ideas.

• Workshop
• Family friendly
• Children and families

Oriental Museum is open until 7pm the 1st and 3rd Thursday of every month.

• Accessible
• Exhibitions
• Lates
• Public
• Everyone

Learn about the Chinese terracotta army, and make your own terracotta warrior from clay.

• Family friendly
• Children and families

Find out why many Ancient Egyptians had terrible teeth and make a set of chompers from plasticine.

• Family friendly
• Children and families

Decorate a glass jar with your favourite colours.

• Family friendly
• Children and families

Palace Green Library is open until 7pm on the 2nd Thursday of this month.

• Accessible
• Exhibition
• Lates
• Public
• Everyone

Experiment with colour and try paper marbling.

• Family friendly
• Children and families

See our huge Ancient Egyptian temple frieze and then make your own relief sculpture.

• Family friendly
• Children and families

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

Explore the sights and sounds of the Himalayas and make a cool mountain zine.

• Family friendly
• Children and families

A youth group for 12-18 year olds to learn practical art skills.

• Creative
• School students

Get interactive with our Crazy Creatures who are visiting the Garden for the day.

• Family friendly
• Children and families

Explore our new exhibition all about toys and games, then play some fun games like Ancient Egyptian senet, snakes and ladders and more - all while the museum galleries are generally quieter.

• Accessible
• Creative
• Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion
• Outreach & community
• Public
• Workshop
• Family friendly
• Children and families
• Everyone

Oriental Museum is open until 7pm the 1st and 3rd Thursday of every month.

• Accessible
• Exhibitions
• Lates
• Public
• Everyone

See a beautiful boat on display and make your own watercolour sail boat.

• Family friendly
• Children and families

Find out about the ancient Egyptian obelisk on display and create your own 3D model to take home.

• Family friendly
• Children and families

Learn some Chinese characters and try writing your own.

• Family friendly
• Children and families

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

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

Find out about the Shang Dynasty of China and make a scary taotie mask with embossed metal detail.

• Family friendly
• Children and families

Create your own Indian-style miniature painting.

• Family friendly
• Children and families

Create your own mini mosaic from glass tiles.

• Family friendly
• Children and families

Get creative and make a mini Japanese Zen garden.

• Family friendly
• Children and families

Find out about ancient Egyptian life and make your own sandy pyramid.

• Family friendly
• Children and families

Join us for a creative workshop led by artist Victoria MacLeod.

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

A youth group for 12-18 year olds to learn practical art skills.

• Creative
• School students

See our fabulous Korean Moon Jar - then create a mini one from clay.

• Family friendly
• Children and families

See the magnificent horse on display in the China Gallery and make a hobby horse.

• Family friendly
• Children and families

Drawing on the objects and photographs of the main donors to the Korean collection at the Oriental Museum, Knitted Together details Richard and Joan Rutt’s 20 years living in South Korea in the immediate aftermath of the Korean War (1950 – 1953).

• Creative
• Exhibition
• Exhibitions
• Public
• Family friendly
• Everyone

Find out about Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year festival, and make a shofar musical instrument.

• Family friendly
• Children and families

A youth group for 12-18 year olds to learn practical art skills.

• Creative
• School students

A youth group for 12-18 year olds to learn practical art skills.

• Creative
• School students