2026 Urpeth Travel Guide: must-see attractions, popular food, hotels, transport & travel experiences (updated in January)

Beamish open air museum is unique in its size, it is the worlds largest open air museum. This means there are several streets and buildings to explore rather than a traditional inside exhibit. Beamish is huge and one of the worlds largest and tells the story of North East England in the late 19th and early 20th century. Due to the size Beamish is more like a theme park with different areas to explore. To get from one area to another there are free trams which run every few minutes, again these are period pieces. Every building in the museum has been taken from the local area and painstakingly taken down brick by brick and reassembled in the museum. The attention to detail is astonishing, every building is open for guests to go inside and there are also actors dressed up to tell the stories of the buildings and old inhabitants. Beamish is easily a full day visit and there are lots of good food and drink options inside, including a fish and chip shop which cooks them in exactly the same way as they did 100 years ago. Public transport to the museum is not the easiest and requires a bus transfer from Newcastle or Durham. However, driving to the museum is easy with lots of local signposts and large car parks which are well organised.

Nestled in the heart of County Durham, Beamish Museum is more than just a museum, it’s a living, breathing time capsule that brings the past to life. Spanning around 350 acres of picturesque English countryside, Beamish invites you to step back in time and experience life in the North East during the 1820s, early 1900s, 1940s, and 1950s. From the moment you arrive, the scent of fresh bread drifts from the bakery, vintage trams and steam trains rumble past, and costumed guides greet you as if you’ve landed in another century. You can explore a miner’s cottage, hop on a period tram, visit a traditional sweet shop, or enjoy a pint in the Sun Inn. all reconstructed with remarkable detail and authenticity. Spit and Sawdust and all 😂. The 1950s town is one of the museum’s most magical additions, complete with a nostalgic cinema, fish & chip shop, period houses, and a recreation ground full of charm. What makes Beamish especially special is its immersive, hands-on atmosphere. Rather than locking artefacts behind glass, many exhibits are interactive, and the stories told come from real North East history, generously shared by staff and volunteers. Whether you’re a history lover, a family looking for an educational day out, or someone who simply wants to unplug and explore, Beamish offers something unforgettable! It’s my favourite local place hands down! 🙌🏽 Travelling there is super easy, they have absolutely tons of parking on site. And buses that run to the location all day! #Beamish #museums #travel #family

#summervacay I visited Beamish Museum last summer, and I absolutely fell head over heels for it! I still can't get enough! 😍 Beamish Museum is an open-air museum located in Durham, Northern England. It perfectly recreates British life from the 19th to the early 20th century. The entire park is bursting with nostalgic vibes and incredible attention to detail, making it feel like you've stepped back in time in an instant! 🕰️🎩 Strongly Recommend: You absolutely must visit the photography studio! (J.R. & D. Edis Framers and Photographers) There's a very special Victorian-era photography studio inside the museum where you can get old-fashioned British photos taken! This place is super popular, so the moment I entered the park, I made a beeline straight for the studio to get a queue number. I highly advise everyone to go early to grab a number, otherwise, you might easily miss out (they were all given out by around 11 AM the day I went!). 📸👑 #BeamishMuseum #Durham #UKTravel #OpenAirMuseum #VictorianEra #EdwardianEra

#christmastrip Around 70 minutes outside of Newcastle Central is Beamish Museum, also called the living Museum of the north in the UK. Since northern England was a popular mining part of the country during that period, Beamish village perfectly showcases life back then. A different periods include 1800s, 1900s, 1940s 1950s town. There are trams and buses that take you around the attraction. One ticket is available for a full year of unlimited visit! Each shop and attraction in each of the town has dedicated staff explaining life back then! They are very helpful and friendly 🤩 Getting There - Newcastle Bus 28/29 Chester Le Street Attractions - Beamish, living Museum of the North Ticket price - £24.95 adult, £18.95 discount Food & Restaurants - available inside attraction Shopping - Town shops and souvenirs #historicallandmarks #familytrip

Beamish Museum is an outdoor museum divided into five eras. You can see the old homes, transportation, and communities of the British. Each era has its own characteristics. Don't worry about the place being too big. There are buses or trams in the town to go to communities of different eras. It is very suitable for a family to visit and you can have fun for a whole day^^