An annual celebration of County Durham’s history and heritage is set to run across two weekends for the first time this year.
The Heritage Open Days event normally runs for four days in September but this year there will be double the opportunity for people to take part, with activities and tours running across two long weekends.
Due to increasing popularity, next month’s event will run from Thursday 6 September to Sunday 9 September, and Thursday 13 September to Sunday 16 September.
Venues across the county will offer free access to members of the public, with special events set up to mark the occasion. Fascinating hidden treasures, not usually open to the public, will be discovered through guided walks.
Cllr Ossie Johnson, Cabinet member for tourism, culture, leisure and rural issues, said: “Take a walk through a fascinating historic landscape, right here on our doorstep. The Open Days bring local history and culture to life, as well as making it so accessible.”
Amongst this year’s events, Durham County Record Office will open the archive strong rooms, with archivists and conservators revealing how the county’s written heritage is preserved through hands on activities. Visitors will even have the chance to see behind the scenes of Durham crematorium, learning about cremation and the beautifully detailed building and its grounds. Unique hidden areas of Durham Cathedral will be accessible and talks offered at the Apollo Pavilion will discuss the unique structure’s place in history as an icon of 20th Century architecture.
From Saxon to Medieval to Victorian to modern, there is something for everyone.
For more information visit www.durham.gov.uk/Heritage-Open-Days
