The Remaking Beamish project will add to the museum’s existing attractions. The exciting project includes a 1950s Town, 1950s Farm, transport developments and expansion of The 1820s Landscape, including examples of early industry and overnight accommodation.
Buildings from throughout the region are being moved or replicated, and we have been working with communities to celebrate and share their stories through the new exhibits, retaining in each building a unique local identity. They will create new ways for our visitors to experience the heritage of the North East.
The 1950s has been brought to life at the museum with the opening of Coronation Park (opened May 2022), Front Street terrace, which features John’s Café, Middleton’s Quality Fish and Chips, Elizabeth’s Hairdresser’s and a recreation of the 1950s home of North East artist Norman Cornish, (opened February 2022), and the welfare hall (opened June 2019), alongside the semi-detached houses, police houses and bowling green and pavilion (opened June 2023). A 1950s cinema and shops opened in 2024. Click on The 1950s Town section below to find out more.
1950s Spain’s Field Farm opened at the museum in March 2022. The exhibit shares the story of upland farming life in rural areas in the 1950s and was carefully moved stone by stone to the museum.
The quilter’s cottage, which opened in July 2018, was the first exhibit to open as part of the Remaking Beamish project. The Drovers Tavern and pottery opened in 2024. Discover more about these and the other exciting Georgian developments in The 1820s Landscape section below.
The Northern General Transport Bus Depot houses the museum’s fleet of buses. The exhibit, which opened in November 2019, can accommodate up to eight buses and supports Beamish’s important work of passing on heritage engineering skills. Click on the Transport section below to find out more, including information on the planned trolleybus route.
Thanks to money raised by National Lottery players, the Remaking Beamish project was awarded £11.8m by The National Lottery Heritage Fund – a major milestone in Beamish’s history and the largest investment ever seen at the museum.
