Be sure to visit Beamish, The Living Museum of the North and enjoy a whole summer of fun, including traditional transport, football fun, Georgian games and creative crafts.
There are fantastic fun-filled activities lined up every day during the summer holidays at Beamish for the Summer of Fun event, which runs from 2nd July to 31st August.
Celyn Gurden-Williams, Beamish Museum’s Acting Assistant Director – Engagement, said: “Join in with a range of fun activities at Beamish this summer. From sketching and football activities to traditional transport and Georgian games, there’s plenty to get involved with every day during the summer holidays.
“As with all daytime events, visitors can use their Unlimited Pass or Friends of Beamish membership to enjoy our amazing Summer of Fun.”
Take part in football fun at the newly-opened Coronation Park and Recreation Ground, plus create a 50s-inspired comic and release your inner artist with our sketching activity in the 1950s welfare hall.
Enjoy farm-related fun including hobby horses and traditional toys at Spain’s Field Farm and admire period transport in action around the museum during Transport Thursdays.
Get creative and colour in 1940s characters Pete the Potato and Doctor Carrot at The 1940s Farm.
Join in with Georgian games such as knurr and spell, nine men’s morris, card games and draughts at 1820s Pockerley Old Hall and try traditional crafts in The 1900s Pit Village including proggy mat making.
The MG Car Club will be celebrating its Tyne-Tees Golden Jubilee event at Beamish on 7th August, and learn about Lumberjills, Land Girls, make do and mend and ration cooking, as you discover life on the Home Front during the Second World War at Beamish’s Dig for Victory event from 1st to 4th September.
Plus, enjoy traditional live music, including Singaround Sundays, Musical Mondays and brass band performances, taking place throughout the summer. Click here for more information.
There’s lots to see and do during a visit Beamish! Swing by the museum’s latest exhibit, Coronation Park and Recreation Ground, and enjoy the 1950s-style playground, miniature golf course (small charge applies), sandpit, giant draughts board and football area.
Visit Spain’s Field Farm to discover the story of upland farming in the North East during the 1950s and see the farm animals. Initially open weekends and bank holidays only.
Be sure to pop by 1950s Front Street terrace – try tasty traditional ice cream from John’s Café, enjoy mouth-watering fish and chips from Middleton’s, get a 1950s hairstyle at Elizabeth’s Hairdresser’s and discover the recreated home of artist Norman Cornish at No. 2 Front Street.
Experience a slice of 1950s social life at the Leasingthorne Colliery Welfare Hall and Community Centre. Join in with activities and learn more about the birth of the NHS.
In The 1900s Town visit exhibits including the bakery, chemist’s, Co-op, Ravensworth Terrace, garage, sweet shop, Sun Inn pub and bank. Be sure to pick up a sweet shop inspired ice cream from Beamish Delicious Ices – which flavour will you choose?!
Pop over to The Fairground and have a go on the gallopers, helter skelter and chair-o-planes (small charge applies to Fairground activities).
In The 1900s Pit Village see what’s growing in Francis Street gardens, visit the band hall, school and chapel. In The 1900s Colliery go underground in the drift mine and explore the engine shed, heapstead and winding engine house.
Visit The 1820s Landscape and admire the views from Pockerley Old Hall and pop over to St Helen’s Church. Take a ride through the Georgian landscape on Pockerley Waggonway (Thursday to Sunday).
Take a walk around The 1940s Farm, be sure to say hello to the Land Girls in Garden Cottage.
The museum’s trams and buses are running and the wheelchair accessible vehicle continues to operate on an on-call basis.
Visitors can buy a Beamish Unlimited Pass or Friends of Beamish membership which gives a year of free return visits to Beamish, including daytime events and activities.
Spain’s Field Farm and The 1950s Town are part of the £20million Remaking Beamish project, which also includes transport developments and an expansion of The 1820s Landscape.
Work on the project is progressing – the 1950s terrace, Spain’s Field Farm (initially open weekends and bank holidays only) and Coronation Park and Recreation Ground opened recently.
Thanks to the money raised by National Lottery players, the Remaking Beamish project was awarded a £10.9million grant by The National Lottery Heritage Fund in 2016. Beamish is still fundraising for the remaining project match funding, and there is a fundraising plan in place to guide this work. Click here for more information on the project.
All visitors to Beamish aged five and over need to pre-book an entry timeslot online if visiting before 1pm and also require a valid Beamish Unlimited Pass or Friends of Beamish membership (these can be purchased online with timeslot). If visiting from 1pm onwards, you won’t need to pre-book (last admission is one hour before closing time). Timeslot entry tickets for up to 30th October 2022 are available to book now, please click here.
Beamish is open daily from 10am to 5pm until 30th October 2022 (inclusive).