Industry News

Beamish, The Living Museum of the North is bringing a flavour of the award-winning museum to Durham city centre with the opening of a pop-up emporium.

The Beamish Emporium, which has opened in the Prince Bishops Place shopping centre, is a pioneering project for the museum. Customers can discover the immersive Beamish experience; browse traditional Beamish gifts and souvenirs, including sweets and toys; see museum collections and take part in hands-on activities, including an Edwardian selfie studio.

Visitors can find out more about the County Durham museum, which has recently celebrated the opening of new 1950s and Georgian exhibits, and purchase tickets to visit.

The pop-up Beamish Emporium has been supported by grant funding from Durham County Council under the Meanwhile Uses scheme.

Samantha Shotton, Beamish’s Chief Operating Officer, said: “We’re very excited to be opening the new Beamish Emporium in the centre of Durham city. At Beamish, being part of communities is at the heart of what we do, so having the opportunity to take Beamish into Durham city centre and connect with people in this way is fantastic.

“Our team has worked together to create a taste of the Beamish experience in this pop-up store – it’s great to be able to welcome people in to find out more about the museum and our work, see some of our brilliant Beamish products and take part in activities, perhaps even wearing an Edwardian hat or Suffragette sash for a photo opportunity.

“Beamish is a self-reliant charity, so people’s much-valued support allows us to continue our work, including preserving the region’s heritage for future generations and supporting today’s communities through our health and wellbeing programme, and learning activities for thousands of participants.”

Cllr Amanda Hopgood, Durham County Council Leader and North East Combined Authority Cabinet member for culture, creative, tourism and sport, said: “It is great to see the Beamish Emporium up and running in the city centre, and there is no doubt this will be a very popular addition over the school holidays.

“The arrival of the pop-up store demonstrates our commitment to supporting our high streets and attracting more visitors to all our communities. With much on offer in the Emporium, we are certain the pop-up store will help to strengthen visitor numbers this summer and create an even more vibrant atmosphere in Durham.”

Beamish Museum is the North East’s most visited attraction, welcoming 801,000 visitors last year, and is among the top 20 paid-for attractions nationally. The 350-acre open air museum brings to life the North East’s history, taking visitors on a trip back in time to experience life in the Georgian, Edwardian, 1940s and 1950s eras. With the Beamish Unlimited Pass or Friends of Beamish membership, visitors pay once and can return free for 12 months, including daytime events.

Richard Toynbee, Centre Manager at Prince Bishops Place, said: "We couldn't be happier with the opening of the new Beamish Emporium here at Prince Bishops Place. We feel privileged to be the home of such a well-established and inspirational organisation. The new Beamish Emporium is a great new addition to our city and will bring an element of experiential retail to Durham, creating an engaging and historic shopping experience like never before! 

“Families, customers and visitors of Durham can step back in time and embrace the history of our city, experiencing the living museum of the North right here at Prince Bishops Place! We believe it will be a popular, must-visit location for Prince Bishops’ visitors to enjoy over the coming months."

The museum this month opened a 1950s cinema, toy shop, electrical and record shop in its 1950s Town. This followed the recent opening of the Drovers Tavern and pottery in the Georgian landscape and, later this year, the museum will be opening self-catering cottages for visitors to stay overnight.

The museum recently won the national Visitor Welcome Award at the Museums + Heritage Awards.

The Beamish Emporium in Prince Bishops Place Shopping Centre, Durham city centre, is open daily, Monday to Saturday 10am-5pm, and Sunday 10am-4pm.