Skip to main content

What’s On

Find out what’s on at our venues across Durham. From major exhibitions to family friendly craft sessions, tours, lectures and art workshops. We have something to interest everyone. You can also find out more about our regular groups and online exhibitions and events.
Group of people at an exhibition

Special exhibitions

Explore exciting events and exhibitions across our venues.

‘There was light’: Amunhotep III and his Dazzling Age

Using the collections of the Oriental Museum, this exhibition focuses on the family of Tutankhamun and the courtiers who surrounded them.
Egyptian statue from Oriental Museum

Tunstall and the Tudors: The Calculating Bishop

Meet Cuthbert Tunstall: bishop, scholar, diplomat and builder, and author of England’s first maths book, celebrating its 500th year.
Looking down the Tunstall Gallery in Durham Castle, featuring wooden panelling and the museum displays.

Guardians of the Silk Road’s Heritage: Women of the mountains of Central Asia

Showcasing the artists and craftswomen who are preserving traditional knowledge and skills and popularising Central Asian folk art.
Woman with woven rugs silk road exhibition
View more

Upcoming events

Signs of Spring in March

Wednesday 1 March, 2023
10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Botanic Garden
A bird sitting on a branch

Meet the Diver

Saturday 8 April, 2023
12:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Museum of Archaeology
Image of Gary Bankhead, underwater archaeologist standing with filming equipment in front of a river.

Annual Easter Chick Hunt

Sunday 9 April, 2023
10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Botanic Garden
Chick in a field of lavender

Fragments of History: Family Stitching Morning Workshop

Friday 14 April, 2023
10:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Durham Castle
A family walking through an exhibition
More upcoming events

Online exhibitions

Explore our collections from home with our online exhibition programme.

Journeys: Reading the World

Explore themes of travel, adventure and exploration using the rare books, diaries, maps and letters in Palace Green Library special collections.
Collage image of items included in the Journeys exhibition, including a giant from Gulliver’s Travels, a tourist with binoculars, Notre Dame Cathedral, a plane, a world map, three arctic explorers and an aeroplane.

Hidden Stories From the River Wear

Explore the collections of underwater archaeologist, Gary Bankhead, in an exhibition by students from Durham University.
River Wear Exhibition logo showing outline of the river and map of Durham from above

Taxila in Focus: 100 years Since Marshall

This exhibition focuses on the ancient site of Taxila, around 32 kilometres from Pakistan’s federal capital, Islamabad.
Half of the image is in black and white, showing the site in the early 20th century. The other half is a colour 21st century image.
View more online exhibitions

Join our Friends

Our Botanic Garden, Oriental Museum and Palace Green Library all have Friends organisations which organise events and lectures including special members-only experiences.

A group of people stood examining a piece of artwork

Regular activities

Durham University Library and Collections offer a range of fun, engaging and accessible workshops, resources and experiences for people of all ages.

  • Creative Age

    Creative Age is a free, weekly art group for people living with dementia or other long-term health challenges and their carers.
    Journey, a collaborative artwork made by the Creative Age group and artist Marián Hernandez Villada.

  • Durham Archaeology Explorers

    Our archaeology club for children aged 7 - 11, meeting monthly at the Oriental Museum as well as trips to local archaeological and heritage sites.
    Child in high-vis jacket taking part in Durham Archaeology Explorers

  • Little Dragons

    Come along to Little Dragons under-fives group and explore the Oriental Museum's fantastic collections and exhibitions.
    Toddler enjoying Little Dragons under-fives session

Creative Age

Creative Age is a free, weekly art group for people living with dementia or other long-term health challenges and their carers.
Journey, a collaborative artwork made by the Creative Age group and artist Marián Hernandez Villada.

Durham Archaeology Explorers

Our archaeology club for children aged 7 - 11, meeting monthly at the Oriental Museum as well as trips to local archaeological and heritage sites.
Child in high-vis jacket taking part in Durham Archaeology Explorers

Little Dragons

Come along to Little Dragons under-fives group and explore the Oriental Museum's fantastic collections and exhibitions.
Toddler enjoying Little Dragons under-fives session
Find a session

Follow us