The Auckland Project

About

Journey through a thousand years of history, art, culture and faith within the beautiful surroundings of The Auckland Project. 

On arrival we recommend you start your visit at Auckland Tower, where you’ll receive a warm welcome and can buy tickets for Auckland Castle and Gardens, The Mining Art Gallery and The Spanish Gallery.

You can then climb our 15-metre-high viewing tower and take a bird’s eye view across the Deer Park, Castle and town. On the way down, drop into the first floor and discover a special exhibition looking at the origins of Auckland Castle and its historical residents, the mighty Prince Bishops.

Experience life through the eyes of prominent mining artists at The Mining Art Gallery, which is home to the Gemini Collection. The collection contains more than 420 pieces of mining art. The gallery displays work by a wealth of artists, many of whom worked in the Great Northern Coalfield, including Tom McGuinness, Tom Lamb and Bob Olley. 

The Spanish Gallery tells a story of Golden Age Spanish art during the 16th and 17th centuries, exploring how its artists expressed the tension between man’s yearning for eternity and the self-evident transience of life.

Get a taste of Spain in El Castillo, our new Tapas Bar in the heart of Bishop Auckland's historic Market Place. Our tapas combines the rich flavours of Spanish cuisine with the best our region has to offer.

In Auckland Castle, the State Rooms and Bishop’s private apartments have been returned to their Gothic splendour following research into the colour of the walls, the furniture and textiles that have filled the rooms and how each space would have originally been used. The castle is also home to Jacob and his Twelve Sons, a rare cycle of paintings by Spanish master painter Francisco de Zurbarán.

It also includes the Bishop’s Kitchen café, a shop and the Bishop Trevor Gallery. Housed in the North Apartments of Auckland Castle, the  gallery presents treasured pieces of art from private and esteemed collections.

Visit The Auckland Project website to keep up to date with venue openings, as well as exhibitions, events and activities taking place throughout the year.

For more information about Group visits to The Auckland Project visit the website