Beamish invites visitors to celebrate Christmases past
The festive spirit has been generously sprinkled right across the County Durham attraction
Beamish Museum has launched its ever-popular festive programme, opening a season of events that run until Christmas Eve.
The open-air museum has transformed its 1820s, early 1900s, 1940s and 1950s, showcasing how Christmas was marked across different eras.
Visitors are invited to move through and soak up more than a century of seasonal traditions across the County Durham site.
At Pockerley Old Hall, the focus is on Georgian greenery and food displays, while the 1900s Pit Village offers a miners’ Christmas and the popular Elf Wood trail. The Edwardian town is trimmed with period decorations, with Herron’s Bakery, Jubilee Confectioners and market stalls trading festive goods.
The Christ-mouse trail adds an extra family activity to enjoy.
Further on, the 1940s Farm highlights a wartime Christmas through rationing and make-do gifts, and the 1950s town and Spain’s Field Farm present mid-century décor, community activities in the welfare hall and period styling at Elizabeth’s Hairdresser’s.
Across weekends and school holidays, Father Christmas or Mrs Claus will be travelling through the Museum by traditional transport. The Rowley Station Goods Yard Grotto is also open, with advance booking required.
Paul Foster, Beamish Museum’s events manager, said: “The magic of Christmas past will come to life at Beamish Museum right up until Christmas Eve.
“Join us as we tell the story of the North East during the 1820s, early 1900s, 1940s and 1950s. Stroll around the beautifully decorated museum, enjoy the traditional tastes of Christmas and make unforgettable memories with your loved ones.”
The museum has also opened its Grand Christmas Cinema in the 1950s venue, screening classic titles including Miracle on 34th Street (1947), The Holly and the Ivy (1952), White Christmas (1954) and more recent family films such as Elf (2003) and Arthur Christmas (2011). These screenings require separate tickets and pre-booking.
Christmas daytime events are included in standard admission and free for Unlimited Pass holders and Friends of Beamish members.
The museum will follow its Christmas run with Twelfth Night celebrations from December 27 to January 4 and weekend performances of Dick Whittington and his Cat by the Beamish Amateur Dramatic Society in January and February.
For more information and bookings, visit the Beamish website.