What’s On Events Calendar
Building closure - upcoming dates
Due to extensive roofing works at Palace Green Library, there will be times when we have to close the building to visitors between summer 2024 and spring 2025, with no access to Museum of Archaeology, Cosin’s Library, Penned and Printed exhibition and World Heritage Site Visitor Centre.
Visit our Tickets and Times pages at each venue for more information.
Museum of Archaeology Gallery
01 January 2022 - 01 December 2023
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Museum of Archaeology, Historic Libraries
Enjoy our new special exhibition exploring the rich prehistoric and Roman archaeology of Durham.
- Exhibitions
- Everyone
'There was light': Amunhotep III and his Dazzling Age
01 October 2022 - 21 May 2023
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Oriental Museum
The ancient Egyptian king Amunhotep III was the grandfather of the famous boy king Tutankhamun.
- Exhibitions
- Everyone
Guardians of the Silk Road's Heritage: Women of the mountains of Central Asia
01 October 2022 - 21 May 2023
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Oriental Museum
This exhibition showcases the work of the professional artists and craftswomen who do so much to preserve and transfer traditional knowledge and skills, adapting them for new audiences and popularising Central Asian folk art. Alongside photographs of the women practicing a variety of traditional craft techniques will be examples of their textile work.
- Exhibitions
- Everyone
Photographing Tutankhamun
09 December 2022 - 17 July 2023
12:00 PM - 12:00 PM
Outdoor Art Gallery
This exhibition explores how photography turned Tutankhamun into a global sensation. It shows the most famous photographic images in archaeology, from the most famous of archaeological finds: the tomb of Tutankhamun. Marking the 100th anniversary of the tomb’s discovery in November 1922, this exhibition created by Durham University academic, Prof Christina Riggs, examines the striking images created by photographer Harry Burton during the decade-long excavation.
- Exhibitions
- Everyone
Contemporary Wood-carved Netsuke
20 January 2023 - 14 May 2023
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Oriental Museum
An international touring exhibition from the Japan Foundation.
- Public
- Everyone
Stories from the River: Explore the collection of Gary Bankhead, underwater archaeologist
20 February 2023 - 23 April 2023
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Museum of Archaeology
The exhibition explores the stories connected through objects discovered in the River Wear, evoking the social history of Durham’s past 800 years. It has been co-curated by underwater archaeologist Gary Bankhead and the Museum of Archaeology. It will feature around 200 of the 13,500 artefacts that have been found in the River Wear by Gary since 2008, in a friendly-family display.
- Exhibition
- Everyone
Signs of Spring in April
01 April 2023 - 30 April 2023
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Botanic Garden
Pick up a spotter sheet from the Visitor Centre and see what you can discover in the garden (subject to availability of leaflets).
- Holiday activities
- Public
- Everyone
Friends of the Oriental Museum lecture: The Greeks in Asia
04 April 2023 - 04 April 2023
7:30 PM - 9:00 PM
Oriental Museum
Friends of the Oriental Museum lecture by Prof Kathryn Stevens, Fellow, Corpus Christi College, University of Oxford
- Lecture
- Friends of the Oriental Museum
The Wild Escape
05 April 2023 - 05 April 2023
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Oriental Museum
We are celebrating all things wild with this national event to imagine a better future for wildlife. Explore the animals hidden in the galleries, write a wild poem and make a colourful tiger hanging decoration.
- Creative
- Holiday activities
- Outreach & community
- Public
- Everyone
Meet the Diver
08 April 2023 - 08 April 2023
12:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Museum of Archaeology
Visit our temporary exhibition "Stories from the River: Exploring the history of Durham, the finds of underwater archaeologist Gary Bankhead" today, and meet underwater archaeologist Gary Bankhead.
- Exhibition
- Public
- Everyone
Celebrate Easter
08 April 2023 - 08 April 2023
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Oriental Museum
Find out how Easter is celebrated around the world and make a cute bunny to take home.
- Outreach & community
- Everyone
Annual Easter Chick Hunt
09 April 2023 - 10 April 2023
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Botanic Garden
Easter Chicks are hiding in the Garden. Pick up your spotter sheet and see how many you can find in this fun family event.
- Holiday activities
- Public
- Everyone
What’s on across our venues
Our unique cultural attractions include Durham Castle, Botanic Garden, Historic Libraries at Palace Green, Oriental Museum, Museum of Archaeology and our World Heritage Site Visitor Centre. Whatever your interest, there's something for everyone to enjoy.