Open Treasure at Durham Cathedral - temporarily closed

About

Open Treasure is an award-winning museum which guides visitors through some of Durham Cathedral’s most spectacular spaces, including the fourteenth-century Monks’ Dormitory and the monastic Great Kitchen. Suitable for all ages, discover 2000 years of history and explore some of the best-preserved medieval monastic buildings in the UK as the story of Durham Cathedral and its incredible collections is revealed.

The journey begins in the magnificent Monks’ Dormitory, which boasts one of the best-preserved medieval oak-beamed ceilings in the UK, with a series of interactive exhibitions and activities for visitors of all ages to enjoy. Discover the fascinating and often turbulent history of Christianity in North East England, from the life of St Cuthbert to the Reformation.

The Open Treasure experience continues in the new state-of-the-art Collections Gallery, which houses curious treasures from the cathedral’s collections and loaned objects from other institutions as part of an ever-changing exhibition programme.

Continue to the Great Kitchen, one of only two surviving medieval monastic kitchens in the UK. This spectacular space houses the Treasures of St Cuthbert, including his pectoral cross, ivory comb, coffin and portable altar.

The Pilgrim’s Gallery gives visitors the opportunity to leave their own mark on history, before exiting the Open Treasure experience via the Covey and returning to the medieval Cloister at the heart of the Cathedral’s medieval precinct.

By opening up public access to the Cathedral’s collections and most spectacular architectural spaces, Open Treasure  inspires visitors of all ages to see Durham Cathedral in a new light.