What’s On Events Calendar

Enjoy our new special exhibition exploring the rich prehistoric and Roman archaeology of Durham.

• Exhibitions
• Everyone

The ancient Egyptian king Amunhotep III was the grandfather of the famous boy king Tutankhamun.

• Exhibitions
• Everyone

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

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

An international touring exhibition from the Japan Foundation.

• Public
• Everyone

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

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 by Prof Kathryn Stevens, Fellow, Corpus Christi College, University of Oxford

• Lecture
• Friends of the 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

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

Find out how Easter is celebrated around the world and make a cute bunny to take home.

• Outreach & community
• Everyone

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

Join us at the Oriental Museum on Wednesday mornings for Little Dragons, our FREE session for children under 5 and their families/carers. Each session will be packed full of exploring the museum galleries, fun craft activities, singing, games and stories.

• Creative
• Public

Check out our dhow boat and make your own boat.

• Outreach & community
• Everyone

Palace Green Library is open until 7pm the 2nd and 4th Thursday of every month.

• Exhibitions
• Lates
• Public
• Everyone

Join us for this family-friendly stitching workshop in the Bishop’s Dining Room, Durham Castle. After a guided tour of our new exhibition Fragments of History, participants will be able to learn about stitching techniques from the past and, with the help of expert stitchers, try them out.

• Public
• Workshop
• Everyone

Join us for this family-friendly stitching workshop in the Bishop’s Dining Room, Durham Castle. After a guided tour of our new exhibition Fragments of History, participants will be able to learn about stitching techniques from the past and, with the help of expert stitchers, try them out.

• Public
• Workshop
• Everyone

Come along for messy clay fun. Create your own sculptures and pots inspired by the Oriental Museum.

• Outreach & community
• Everyone

Vaisakhi is the Sikh New Year festival. Find out how Sikhs celebrate and make a Khanda symbol mosaic.

• Outreach & community
• Everyone

Local green woodworker, Chris Helliwell, will be demonstrating his traditional wood-turning craft skills using a pole lathe and shave horse, and giving people an opportunity to have a go.

• Public
• Everyone