The Auckland Project - to reopen June 2021

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. 

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 jewel in Bishop Auckland’s Town, Auckland Castle, the former home of the powerful Prince Bishops of Durham, reopens Saturday 2 November 2019, following three years of conservation. 

The State Rooms and Bishop’s private apartments will return to their Gothic splendour following research into the colour of the walls, the furniture and textiles that filled the rooms and how each space would have originally been used. 

It will also include 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. The castle is also home to Jacob and his Twelve Sons, a rare cycle of paintings by Spanish master painter Francisco de Zurbarán.

Auckland Tower – open

Mining Art Gallery – open

Deer Park – open

Auckland Castle – open from 2 November 2019

Spanish Gallery – in development

Walled Garden – in development

Faith Museum – in development

Visit http://aucklandproject.org to keep up to date with venue openings, as well as exhibitions, events and activities taking place throughout the year.