Top 10 Budget-friendly Things to do in County Durham, England

The North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) is a stunning landscape of open heather moors, dramatic dales, tumbling upland rivers, wonderful woods, close-knit communities, glorious waterfalls, fantastic birds, colourful hay meadows, stone-built villages, intriguing imprints of a mining and industrial past, distinctive plants and much, much more. As well as being an AONB the North Pennines is also a European and Global Geopark - a status endorsed by UNESCO. The AONB is a distinctive landscape of high moorland and broad upland dales in the North of England. It shares a boundary with the Yorkshire Dales National Park in the south and extends as far as the Tyne Valley, just south of Hadrain's Wall, in the north. Parts of the North Pennines AONB are in the three counties of Cumbria, Durham and Northumberland. An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is exactly what it says it is: an outstanding landscape whose distinctive character and natural beauty are so precious that it is in the nation's interest to safeguard them.There are 46 AONBs in Britain (33 wholly in England, four wholly in Wales, one which straddles the English/Welsh border and eight in Northern Ireland) and they cover 18% of our countryside. AONBs are designated in recognition of their national importance and to ensure that their character and qualities are protected for all to enjoy.

Visit Steam Machine Brewing Company's BREW ROOM for a constantly changing selection of fresh craft beer from our core range, as well as BREW ROOM exclusives. Interact with the brewers in the heart of the brewery. On and off-site sales available, including bottles, gift packs, and growler fills.

The Mining Art Gallery will provide a permanent home for more than 400 works from prominent local artists connected with the regions mining communities, including Tom McGuinness and Norman Cornish. The gallery will be located in the former Old Bank Chambers in the heart of the Market Place. Parking available at North Bondgate car park, DL14 7PG. PLEASE NOTE: We are temporarily closed due to Covid-19.

To ensure the safety and well-being of staff and visitors, Durham University’s museums, galleries and Botanic Garden will remain closed until early 2021. We will be using the closed period to carry out improvements at all our sites. At Durham Castle this will include: • Preparing to launch ‘Heralding Women’, a project celebrating the women of University College and Durham Castle which will run through 2021 • Updating and improving the Tunstall Gallery art displays • Develop new online exhibitions and learning resources for users to engage with from anywhere in the world • Catalogue and digitise more of our collections and share them online via our online database Discover

Experience amazing sights, sounds, smells and delicious tastes as the past comes to life. Beamish is unique - our objects aren't locked away in glass cases, this is hands-on history! Step into the past and explore our 350 acre site, as Beamish tells the story of the people of North East England in the 1820s, 1900s and 1940s. Taste traditional food from a coal-fired range, hop on board a tram or steam train, play schoolyard games together and pop into the Co-op shops. Come back time and time again with your Beamish Unlimited Pass, which allows 12 months free entry to the museum from your visit - including all day time special events!

Durham Cathedral welcomes non-flash visitor photography. We have been a place of worship, welcome and hospitality for almost one thousand years. We rely on donations, and we suggest you give £3 per person to support the Cathedral's future. Located at the heart of the Durham UNESCO World Heritage Site, Durham Cathedral is one of the finest examples of Romanesque architecture in Europe. Built in 1093, the Cathedral is famous as the Shrine of St Cuthbert and the resting place of the Venerable Bede. Durham Cathedral also boasts the most intact surviving set of medieval monastic buildings in the UK. These spectacular spaces house Open Treasure, a world-class visitor experience which reveals the remarkable story of Durham Cathedral and its incredible collections through temporary and permanent exhibits for visitors of all ages. Charges apply to group tours, public tours and Open Treasure.

Following Government advice, Durham University’s museums, galleries and Botanic Garden are temporarily closed. We will be using the closed period to carry out improvements at all our sites. At the Oriental Museum this will include: - completing the new Silk Roads permanent gallery, which will provide an updated introduction to the museum and its collection. - installing the special exhibition, 'Lu Xun’s Legacy in Print Making in Modern China', celebrating the impact of Lu Xun (1881-1936) arguably the most important cultural figure of twentieth century China. Stay in touch on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. From Ancient Egypt to modern China, we are the only museum in the North of England devoted entirely to the art and archaeology of the great cultures of Northern Africa and Asia. The Oriental Museum is normally open Monday - Friday, 10am - 5pm and Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holidays, 12pm - 5pm.

Visit the place where railways were born! Set in our original 1840's railway station follow the history of Darlington and the growth of the railways. We have a shop with souvenirs to suit all tastes and pockets and a varied events programme. There really is something for everyone!

It’s been delighting visitors for more than 100 years, and now a £12m revamp has transformed The Bowes Museum into a must see 21st Century place to visit.A romantic history, stunning galleries, great location, fine dining, top class exhibitions, family fun events, a thriving toddler group – all these can be discovered inside this fabulous listed building which resembles a French chateau.And that’s not all. It’s surrounded by parkland, woodland walks, formal gardens and a newly opened children’s play area.No visit is complete without a browse in our shop, or a delicious snack in Café Bowes.If you’re looking for a great day out, make The Bowes Museum your destination of choice. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook for up to the minute info on what’s on when.