Brenda Alexander at Beamish, The Living Museum of the North in County Durham on what’s new for groups and booking advice.
There has been so much going on lately, tell us the highlights please.
We’ve had a very exciting couple of months at Beamish Museum with the opening of a Drovers Tavern and Georgian pottery as well as opening a cinema, milk bar, electrical shop, record shop and toy shop in our 1950s Town.
As well as the new exhibits, the museum was named the most visited attraction in the North East, and the 17th most visited paid-for attraction nationally in VisitEngland’s annual Survey of Visits to Visitor Attractions.
Why is 2024/25 a great time for groups to visit?
With so many new exhibits to explore, there’s never been a better time to visit Beamish.
Hop aboard a traditional tram or bus and travel through time to discover what life was like in the North East in the 1820s, early 1900s, 1940s and 1950s.
From an underground tour of a coal mine and delicious fish and chips to a spot of Edwardian shopping and a trip to our new 1950s cinema, there’s something for everyone. You can even follow in the footsteps of film stars – did you know part of the Downton Abbey movie was filmed at the museum?
What advice would you give to a group organiser looking to visit?
The best advice I can give groups is to book several months in advance, if possible, especially in the peak summer and Christmas seasons. We are a 350-acre open air museum, with so many wonderful things to explore and experience. So, we suggest giving yourself a full day (or more if possible) to make the most of your visit.
Why do you love working with groups?
I am the first point of contact for groups wanting to book their visits with us and it is lovely to build a rapport with and recognise our regular group organisers. There is nothing better than receiving a thank you message from a group that you helped tailor a visit for.
What’s your favourite thing about Beamish?
Being immersed in the sheer variety of sights, sounds, smell and tastes of the past. No two visits will ever be the same. Staff and volunteers across the museum work very hard indeed to deliver a fantastic visitor experience and I love how we work so closely as a team. I think that really shines through so clearly to our visitors.
How would you describe it to somebody who hasn’t been before?
Beamish Museum is a unique place, with an enduring quality heritage experience like no other. One minute you can simply be strolling along with a cup of coffee and a slice of gingerbread from our 1900s bakery in hand, enjoying the local birds and wildlife, and the next be fully immersed in Georgian life as a servant at Pockerley Old Hall or as an Edwardian miner or mine owner.
There’s simply only one thing for it – and that is to come and see it for yourself.
Brenda Alexander is bookings co-ordinator at Beamish, The Living Museum of the North. To find out more about group visits head to beamish.org.uk/plan-your-visit/group-visits/
