Beamish, the Living Museum of the North in County Durham

Omg I love this place!!! It’s so cool. One day isn’t enough. I need to return to see everything I couldn’t visit on our first visit.

Omg great place to spend so much time

Been coming here since it was a shed in a field, always something new to see. A fair amount of walking involved, but you can always catch a tram or bus if you’d rather take it easy. Not your typical museum, the staff are very knowledgeable about their bit of history and so many different locations and eras to explore.

Great place to visit. Needs at least two days to explore all the townships.

Great for the whole family. Will definitely be going back to reuse our tickets. You can spend a whole day here if you have the energy for it

Fantastic day out at Beamish living museum. Easy parking and access to the reconstructed living museum buildings. An added bonus is that the reconstructed areas are in a more or less circular direction so you can hop on and off the various trams and trolley buses to jump from one area to another. Staff were friendly and engaging and you get the best of your visit if you stop to chat to the various actors. Lovely cafe with nice sandwiches and cooked food with plenty of indoor seating. I would just say that the trams and trolley buses are not really disabled friendly for obvious reasons. All in all a really good day out for all the family.

A great open air museum for the able bodied. Sadly accessibility, partly due to the size of the site and partly through construction, leaves a lot to be desired for mobility impaired visitors. We hired a mobility scooter but that couldn’t fit on the accessible bus. The path from entrance to the 1900s town is fine on a mobility scooter. A lot of the buildings are period correct, sadly including the fact that in the 1900s the disabled would stay at home so accessibility is poor, especially for the more popular buildings. Sadly the day was reduced to an expensive walk by the time we’d got around the site it was time to take the scooter back (we arrived just after 10 and the scooter had to be back for 4.30.

First time visiting, all day looking around, well worth the visit

Beamish delivered what I expected. A fun learning experience of times gone by. It can be a lot of walking if you like that. If you don't, the trams and buses, will take you instead. Loved it.

A great place to visit with lots of historical information would highly recommend a visit....

Our first visit to the museum and certainly not our last even though we live nearly 300 miles north. We got there shortly after opening and were blessed with sunny weather and not too many other visitors. The site extends to about 350 acres and it is not realistic to "do it all" in one visit, but the entrance ticket is valid for one year so returning for another visit is easy. The trams and buses are an excellent way to rest your legs whilst going from one part of the museum to another. The buildings have been lovingly restored and are beautifully looked after. The staff, who are very knowledgeable, are dressed in period attire. A wonderful day out and one which can be thoroughly recommended.

FANTASTIC - one of the best living museums

Wow! Such an amazing place. So much to see and take in. We spent 2 whole days soaking up as much as we could. Loved the different time periods and everyone we spoke to was so knowledgeable and generous with their time. Such an experience, loved every second of it

Great place to spend the day, and can visit as many times as you want within the validation period of 12 months. So, there is no need to rush around and miss some of the attractions. If you are local, I would advise to go in the afternoon when it appears to be not so busy and visit more than once.

Had high expectations based on all the reviews here, but we were underwhelmed. Felt like there were a lot of missed opportunities e.g. no map to take with us explaining the highlights of each areas (they had run out); no signs explaining what things were or interesting facts to read about the characters or artefacts (some info comes from the 'actors' if you ask but getting into long awkward conversations doesn't suit everyone's preferences - there should also be signs and audio guides); no music from the era playing in the 1950s record shop; no (genuine) films of the era playing in the cinema; the actors could have stayed in character rather than explaining stuff like a lecture; there was only one pig and one horse at the 1940s farm. The mine tour was good (but I think should have been made clearer that you will be bent double for 10-15 mins). There were some other highlights (the dentist's house, the frequent trams, the general pleasant atmosphere and views) but overall, it felt a bit like it was run by volunteers doing their best rather than by a commercial organisation that charges a lot for a ticket.

I really liked it i might go again there’s a lot to do so something or other might get missed going in the old houses and the bus 🚌 the farm and fair don’t know if they have multi faith room didn’t see one

Lovely living museum, very spacious and well laid out. Have been 4 times now as they add new things.

One of the most beautiful places I love to visit in the United Kingdom

Excellent day out today (helped by brilliant sunshine).....been three times in the past two years after a gap of several decades. Would like to single out the two chaps crewing the accessible bus for wheelchair users who assisted my niece...they were brilliant (as were all the staff we spoke to). The site is huge so the vintage accessible bus is a godsend...just sorry we interrupted their jam tarts...sorry lads. Hopefully back at Christmas!

This past weekend, my wife, our three teenage children, and I had the absolute pleasure of visiting Beamish, The Living Museum of the North. I can honestly say it was one of the most unique family days out we’ve ever had. From the moment we arrived, we felt transported back in time. Beamish isn't just a museum; it's a living, breathing celebration of the North East’s rich history. Every corner of the massive location was bursting with authenticity, from the bustling 1900s Town to the charming 1940s Farm. The staff — dressed impeccably in period costume — were not just informative, but truly brought history to life. Their passion and friendliness added a depth to the experience that no ordinary museum could replicate. Our children, theoretically past museum-going age, were absolutely captivated. They loved hopping aboard the vintage trams and buses. They even marvelled at the old-fashioned sweet shop (where, naturally, we indulged)! Seeing real blacksmiths, bakers, and printers hard at work using traditional methods was just remarkable. Our highlights included visiting the 1900s Pit Village and the incredible 1950s town, complete with its newly opened welfare hall and houses. Each area felt so alive and meticulously crafted, it was like stepping into a time machine. The attention to detail was just outstanding. What really stood out for me, however, was the warmth and enthusiasm of everyone we met. The team at Beamish clearly love what they do, and it shows. They made us feel not like visitors, but like honoured guests in their historic world. Practicalities were also spot on — parking was easy and free, facilities were clean and well-signposted, and the food options were varied and reasonably priced, with delicious traditional treats on offer. In short, Beamish is an absolute treasure. It offers a perfect blend of education, entertainment, and pure joy for all ages. We left with our hearts full, our minds enriched, and a strong desire to return (tickets are valid for the year). It’s a place that doesn’t just tell you about history — it lets you live it. Can’t wait for our next visit. So if you find yourselves up North, make sure you go. Be prepared to spend the day there, it's that good. Consider booking ahead and, big piece of advice — you will want to take a family portrait — make sure you book ahead. It is truly a special day out.

Fantastic day out but need 2 days

It is a nice one day trip. Thought it was not very crowded but bcz of limited food options there were long queues.

Great day out for families! Lots to see : everything is in pristine order, and the staff in period clothes are helpful and friendly. Having trams and buses whizzing round the site makes visiting very easy and they have wheelchair adapted buses. Well worth a visit!

Thought it was great my only criticism the place could do with being sign posted more so you know which exhibit your at and where to go next and some signage to let you know what the exhibits are

Another great day here, second time in as many months, my daughter loves the place, the buses and trams are a particular fav of hers

Outstanding experience with the grand children!

Fantastic, very well organised, plenty of good friendly staff. I'm already to organise another day

This was a really grate day out for our family while we were on holiday. My children loved the day, they learned a lot without realising it. My husband and children went down the coal mine while I went for a little walk on my own. I would really recommend this museum, the bus and tram rides were really good.

We had a lovely time here. This was our fourth visit and the children had a great time “time-travelling”. Girls can get an appointment to have their hair done in 50s style! Don’t expect to see everything in one visit!

Walking into living history! Great riding on original trams & buses. Nice touch having actors around adding to the experience.

Great place to visit for people of all ages

Absolutely love this museum, came here 5 times this year and enjoyed every single time. Staff very knowledgeable. Only downside is they never make enough sausage rolls in the bakery, even on a bank holiday there should be more staff catering for this because they're absolutely heavenly, way better than greggs! Only managed to catch them twice out of 5 visits. 🙈

Had a fabulous day visiting all Beamish has to offer. Transport was frequent, accessible and fun 😁 to ride. We literally stepped back in time. We went on Easter Sunday 🐣 but didn't feel overcrowded. Queues were long at the entrance but managed quickly and efficiently. We will be back!!!

Great museum, we are very lucky to have this on our doorstep.

Brilliant afternoon visit with family. No trams as the tramway was under repair. Visited the new areas: cinema, electrical shop and record shop. Fish and Chips at Davey's is a must.

Great place. Was overjoyed and got very emotional and excited. Was a great day

Beamish Museum is a beautiful place to be.

Fabulous place for a day out. Genuinely interesting recreations of life across the last century. Everyone is engaging and helpful with lots of information.

Brilliant place to visit. Our son loved it. Very friendly and knowledgeable staff. Great food.

Thoroughly enjoyed our visit especially new attractions added since last time we were there . Only had about five hours as we were on a coach excursion will be sure to visit again this summer

I live in a charity housing place called praxis services in Newcastle and we visited beamish which we all enjoyed we brought our own pack lunches and I am glad we did as the food prices were very steep even in the gift shop but overall it was a great day out

Fab experience! All of the family love it. Plenty places for the kids to run around. Places to buy food and places to sit with a picnic too. Very educational for all ages too. The staff are very friendly, helpful and polite too.

Takes you back in time.. worth a visit, lovely and friendly staff.

Stayed on site in a cottage - highly recommend it! The visit was really enjoyable and we just about covered everything in 7 hours. It was lovely to visit without the children, who would have loved the trains, buses, trams and playground but, you know, another time!

Went 19/04, didnt book online so had to go in the buy now queue and took about 1hr to get in as seemed to be only 2/3 desks open to deal with non pre booked tickets. Tried to book online when in queue but data signal non existant and their wifi may as well not be turned on. Once in was impressed by what we saw but again long queues for Fish & Chips and at the bakers - both seemed to be understaffed to be honest. For the cost of the tickets to get in, i did feel a few things (staff management) could be improved to ensure fee paying customers weren't kept waiting long periods. It was Easter Saturday so wont have come as a suprise to management that it would be busy.

Stayed in the Drovers Rest holiday cottage within the museum grounds. If you fancy "A night at the museum" then this is for you

Such a wonderful experience, very educational and fascinating with lots of information about many periods of British history, unfortunately limited vegan food options and expect very large ques for food outlets, all of the actors were very informative and polite.

Excellent day out. So much to see and experience

Absolutely recommended. If you want to experience more of life in England in the 1900s and 1950s, you should go here. Absolutely authentically made museum. You should definitely take the time to interact with the staff. They have lots of interesting stories to tell.

Fantastic day out highly recommend for all ages

Great museum for all ages! Lots to see and do to keep the whole family entertained. This is a large site, so good walking footware is recommended! There are lots of transport options available to get around the site also, including trams and buses, which run on a very regular basis. I would definitely recommend purchasing tickets in advance, as the queues can get very long. My only recommendation would be for more places to eat and drink. We visited in the Easter holidays and they had run out of a lot of food options in the shops, no sausage rolls, no ice cream and very limited choice for vegetarians (as the fish and chips are cooked in beef dripping). Next time, i would definitely take a picnic!

Good bit of history to go back to the 1900s seeing how they lived. Bus and trams every 20 mins (free). Really nice fish and chip shop, pub and sweet shop. Went with my 12yr old son. He really enjoyed it

As always beamish was great! We have been sooo many times. However the shops, fish shops and cafe are very expensive

Travelled 6 hours to get here but it was completely worth it! It's awesome to get immersed in the different time periods and travel around in the different areas. It was a bank holiday so quite busy but as it's such a large place it didn't feel packed. Long queues for the fish & chip shop and sweet shop but again definitely worth it! The staff live and breathe the time period they work in which just adds the the experience as well! Can't wait to go again.

Great place to visit and lots of places to go for walks....

Absolutely fantastic day spent here! The staff are really lovely! Will definitely be back again!!

It was my first visit to living museum and the experience was great. It covers large area and it has multiple sites which can take about 5 hrs approximately to visit. It has multiple trams and old style buses for visitors to experience old styles transport and also to commute from one site to another. It was a good hike as well for us and we enjoyed learning about past life. We went late so could not finish seeing all the sites but the best part is the ticket is valid for 12 months.

Lovely day out but you need at least 2 days so much to see and do fantastic work

Go, go and go again. The most amazing day out and sooooo much to do, recommend the fish and chips in the pit village, some of the best fish and chips we have ever had. Staff amazingly friendly/knowledgeable will resist if back in the area anytime soon.

Absolutely amazing place. You need more than one day to see it all

Fantastic day out for all the family. Plenty to do over 2 days.

Fantastic day out for all staff are brilliant with the public very knowledgeable too great educational day out for all

Amazing place. Well worth a visit.

Worth every penny. The new 1950s area is good. Nice big playground for children. Can get very busy and queues for food and drink can get quite long. Lots of rides and lots of different areas.

Probably one of the best museums in the country, only it does get busy with family's and prams

Went to look at the drover,s tavern it was interesting,we had a bowl of vegetable soup with toasted bread. It was wonderful.

Can't do it all in a day. So much to see and do. It really is a living , working museum. The staff ( the workers ) really know they stuff. Can't wait to go back.

We go a lot , one of my top favourite days out to go. Would recommend waiting for your lunch around 11 as the restaurants get busy very quickly. Captured all the era's perfectly. Lovely staff. Cannot wait to go again

We had a great family day out here. Lots to see and do and really fun and educational for the children. My only disappointment is that we had to pay for fairground rides and that there is no Blue Light discount (it's a very expensive day out!).

Everything about the place is magic , it's a living history lesson , details are brilliant and staff are very approachable, only downside is the ques, not for the main attractions , the tram going clockwise and the shops , the sweetshop in 1900 town , chip shop in the pit village and the one in the 1950's town , plus the ice cream stall which personally I stood for half an hour to purchase but was well worth it , highly recommend this place in pleased the ticket lasts for a year because there is no way you can see everything in one day or even a Weekend

Had a brilliant day, fab trip down memory lane... one recommendation wear good foot wear quite a lot of walking... but well worth it...

We had a great day out with our 1 and 3 year old. I would definitely recommend a visit. All staff/ volunteers we interacted with were fantastic. You have to pay £2.50 per fair ground ride and if you have to go in with them it is £5. This feels quite high when you have paid to go in. If you are not going to be a repeat customer this is quite a lot. More signs and maps are needed. It was very confusing to work out where to go or what was on offer.

Great day out , plenty to see and do, and really helpful and friendly staff

Always a great day out and a chance to step back in time...

I love this place. A lot of history and learning to be had here. The way it's set up is amazing with different time zones and areas. Some excellent shops and the buses and trams are an added bonus. Fun fair for the kids too. There is something for everyone. Cinema, bank, shops, farms, garages, school, church and more. You need more than a day to get around here. Now the downside. It can get busy and access to things like the shop and chip shop takes a while and prevents you seeing other things. Moral. Get there extra early and plan for the complete day.

Gorgeous day out with the family, plenty of steps, and happy faces all round! Even got photo bombed by one of the train drivers haha

Wonderfully, nostalgic place to visit. From the 1800's to the latest edition the 1950s. With an annual pass of around £25-30 an adult you can visit as many times as you like in a 12 month period. Fantastic for families.

Very nice experience to learn about the social history of Britain. The staff’s explanations are very informative and interesting. A must see attraction in N. England.

Always a great day out with the family, no complaints, smooth access to all attractions just not enough time in the day to see it all with 2 youngsters! Overall 10/10

3rd visit today and still finding things we have not seen before worth the 140 miles each way

Excellent visit staff all excellent, new areas in development

Amazing. Loads of new stuff to see.

Great place to visit and take a trip back in time. It's fascinating to see and be immersed in the different time periods. The museum is a good surface level introduction and the staff knowledgeable about the area and time periods. The facilities are good, toilets are not clearly signed posted and could do with a lot more outdoor seating. The two disabled toilets we used were clean and with plenty of space. It is tricky for wheelchair users as it's quite steep and spread out. Not all exhibits are disabled access but that's obvious as they're historical buildings. We can't wait to come back.

Absolutely incredible experience! Had been meaning to visit Beamish for years. Well worth the 5 hour journey to get there.

Came here from York due to girlfriend having a family voucher through work so was a big drive. Parked up no problem. The site is split into segments which can be done via walking, tram or bus which are regular. We walked all the way around with tram at end. Looking at a map before hand will give you some idea of a planned route. We landed at the pit village first. Was quiet and a walk around,then moved around the various sites. The place is nice and clean, a suntrap at old fairground with an impressive carousel sound. The 1900s town is a delight, the shops (real and made up) are superb. The sweet shop was very busy as well as the ice cream place. Interesting buildings and set up but the 50s farm was middle of nowhere and felt off beaten track. Plenty of toilets around on the site due to segments. The staff were all in period dress and were impressive as well as helpful, spot on. They should've done a military type area, a tank with a few shops nearby, a kids obstacle course type would make an absolute killing there... Kids love tanks! Stayed there 6 hours taking in food, walking and general exploring. Admission prices look expensive but definitely worth it if you take your time, walk around and see everything. Only downside was lack of info into what people did (pit village/pit) hours etc and a missed opportunity for war period type area. A great day out... Bring a picnic too.

It's a brilliant site for a day out, lots of walking. It has enough sites for multiple days out without repeating things. The ticket is also a season ticket.

Great place. Plenty to see and do. Lots of new buildings. Staff wonderful

Been 3 times now each visit 3-4 years apart. Most recent visit April 2025. Slightly disappointed on this occasion some staff excellent and really engaging others not so much so. As ome prices very expensive £4.50 for glass of flavoured milk for example. Fairly dog friendly, queues for buses and trams (which are included in the ticket price) worth a visit but probably best making sure its on one of its many activity days so there is something going on.

We are very lucky to have this on our doorstep. Amazing staff, been four times and still not been able to see everything yet. Highlights include: Getting photos taken wearing old clothing, 1950s town, the fun fayre with the merry go round

An amazing day that all the family enjoyed, so much to see and experience and learn, we will be back this year for sure

A great experience bringing back childhood memories of my grandparents and Great grandparents houses and furnishings. It's so large it's well worth planning ahead so you know how to enjoy your day. The 12 month return means you can split things into multiple visits if you have the opportunity.

Fantastic, took two full days to visit everything, from someone born in the 50s the whole place is a nostalgia overload, my own house was built in 1912 so it was great to see how it could have looked, can not recommend this place enough

Had an absolutely brilliant time at Beamish.

Would recommend any day of the week full of interesting places. Not to mention the old sweet store, bakery and the fish and chips 😄

Fantastic! The entry fee covers a years entry. We visited over two days. Lots to see. Walk or jump on the old style buses and trams for free. Nice traditional ale and bitter available at the 1950's style pub and at one of the farm buildings.

After so many visits, it never fails to impress. Such a unique and special place.

A great day out. Lots to see and do. The staff were amazing.

Not amazing but definitely worth it because its different from the usual attractions

First time back in well over 10 years, it grown enormously since our first visit back then, the buses going round the huge site anticlockwise every 20mins is a brilliant idea, so much to see, I’d recommend going midweek and out of school holidays 👍

Fabulous day out with the family. There is a lot to do and see, great for all ages.