Dorman Museum

Dorman Museum is a local and social history museum located in Linthorpe within the borough of Middlesbrough and the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire, England. From its official opening on 1 July 1904 initial thematical leanings were towards the natural sciences, although galleries of the local Linthorpe Pottery, work by eminent Victorian industrial designer Christopher Dresser and the history of Middlesbrough, have largely replaced this emphasis. The remains of the original Victorian/Edwardian collection of stuffed and mounted animals is now in a single room, the Nelson Room, and consists of various taxidermied birds in their original cases with painted decorative backgrounds, and a variety of birds’ eggs.

The museum was founded by Sir Arthur Dorman of the Dorman Long engineering company in honour of his son George Lockwood Dorman, who died of enteric fever at Kroonstad in the Second Boer War.

Kirkleatham Old Hall Museum

With a woodland trail, minibeast area, bird hide, maze and a sensory garden to explore as well as a fantastic play area, Kirkleatham Museum site provides the perfect day out. You can also gain access into Kirkleatham Woods. Sophellies café and Kirkleatham Owl Centre are also on site

Durham Light Infantry Museum and Durham Art Gallery

With the story of the Durham Light Infantry’s band and bugles at its heart, the display looks at military music throughout history – from its use as a tool for communicating battlefield commands, to ceremonial purposes, and how it came to shape regimental traditions.

It also tells the tale of individual soldiers and how music helped them rally their regiments, keeping morale alive in the darkest and most dangerous of times, and helping their spirits triumph.

Chertsey Museum

Chertsey Museum is the local authority museum for the Borough of Runnymede and is funded by Runnymede Borough Council with support from the Olive Matthews Collection Trust.

The museum is staffed by a full time Curator, full time Education Officer, part time Keeper of Costume and six part time Museum Assistants, and is supported by volunteers and The Friends of Chertsey Museum.

Chertsey Museum first opened in 1965 in the Old Town Hall, Chertsey. At this time it was run by volunteers and was run by Chertsey Urban District Council. In the early 1970s two significant events happened. Firstly, CUDC went in to partnership with the Olive Matthews Trust and the museum moved to its current home,The Cedars, and secondly the two District Councils of Chertsey and Egham merged to form the Borough of Runnymede. From this point onwards, Chertsey Museum became the local museum for the whole borough.

In 2003 Chertsey Museum expanded with an extension to The Cedars; this education space has enabled the museum to continue to grow and meet the needs of the local community.

Head of Steam – Darlington Railway Centre & Museum

Head of Steam, formerly known as the Darlington Railway Centre and Museum, is a railway museum that is located on the 1825 route of the Stockton and Darlington Railway, which was the world’s first steam-powered passenger railway. It is based inside the station building at the North Road railway station. Its exhibits are devoted to the area formerly served by the North Eastern Railway with a particular focus on the Stockton & Darlington Railway and the railway industry of Darlington.

Soldiers of Gloucestershire Museum

T

he museum collection was begun in 1927, when it was housed with the headquarters of the Gloucestershire Regiment at Horfield Barracks in Bristol. In 1980, having spent the previous 30 years located in Westgate Street, Gloucester, it was moved again to the former Custom House in Gloucester Docks, and the new museum was formally opened by HRH The Duke of Gloucester. It was significantly remodelled in the late ’80s, reopening on 24 June 1990, and was further refurbished with a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund in the new millennium, reopening again on 14 April 2014. The museum tells the story of two regiments of the British Army, the Gloucestershire Regiment, including its antecedents the 28th (North Gloucestershire) Regiment of Foot and the 61st (South Gloucestershire) Regiment of Foot, and the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars, both of which recruited heavily from Gloucestershire and Bristol.

The items on display have been accumulated over the last 300 years and exhibits include life size dioramas, sound effects, archive film and many fixed displays reflecting campaigns in the Napoleonic Wars, The First Anglo-Sikh War, Second Anglo-Sikh War, The Indian Mutiny, The Boer War, The First World War, The Second World War, The Korean War (including The Battle of the Imjin River), and peace keeping duties in Cyprus, Bosnia, Kosovo and Northern Ireland. Since amalgamation in 1994, first into the Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment and then into The Rifles, the museum has maintained the currency of its exhibits and current campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan are also represented.

The Victoria Crosses of Herbert Taylor Reade of the 61st Regiment, and Daniel Burges and James Carne, both of the Gloucestershire Regiment, are held by the Museum.

The library and archives of the Gloucestershire Regiment are also housed in the same building and may be viewed by prior appointment.

The museum also has its own website offering on-line databases, including details of approximately 10,000 soldiers from the 18th and 19th centuries, 43,000 individuals who served in World War I, and 12,000 artefacts with images and descriptions.

The museum continues to receive new exhibits and the most recent significant acquisition is a service revolver collected from Gloster Hill, where the Glosters made their last stand on 25 April 1951 at the culmination of the Battle of the Imjin River.

Morpeth Chantry Bagpipe Museum

Learn about aficionado and expert William Alfred Cocks and see his remarkable collection of pipes from around the world which belongs to the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle upon Tyne. Find out how this master clock maker devoted his life to the instrument beginning his pipe collection during WWI before applying his fine craftsmanship to making his own instruments. Read how his expertise and experimentation influenced other makers.

Enjoy the atmosphere of the ancient Chantry building. Originally a place of worship, it was granted a charter by Edward VI in 1552 and operated as a school until 1846. Having been used for a wide variety of purposes from a cholera hospital to a mineral water factory, today the building is also home to the Northumbrian Craft Centre.

Berwick-Upon-Tweed Borough Museum and Art Gallery

Have fun and learn about the history of Berwick-Upon-Tweed as you walk through the alleys of the old town recreated in the Window on Berwick displays. Meet some of its fascinating characters and find out about the old ways of life including the Mayor’s power to sentence to death! Peep into homes, shops and other commercial properties before visiting The Red Lion – just one of 103 town taverns in 1870. Find out how the land and sea shaped the industries from agriculture to mining and fishing to seaside resort and spa.

Be transported back to the turbulent Middle Ages and find out about the weaponry and fortifications of this strategic border town. Discover Medieval religious beliefs too illustrated with beautiful objects from the Burrell Collection.

Weardale Museum

We provide a sense of place for those who live and visit Weardale by telling the stories of its history and heritage. Attached is High House Chapel, the oldest Methodist Chapel in continuous use. We also specialise in providing family history research for people who have ancestors from Weardale.

Chesterholm Museum – Vindolanda

Welcome to the North East’s best day out on Hadrian’s Wall. The Vindolanda Charitable Trust bring you two exciting and unmissable tourist attractions dramatically exploring Roman life on the edge of the empire 2000 years ago. Come and enjoy the world famous Vindolanda Writing Tablets, live archaeology in summertime, the exclusive Eagle Eye 3D film and much more all in the heart of beautiful Northumberland National Park and central section of Hadrian’s Wall