What are the opening hours?

Monday 10am - 5pm Tuesday 10am - 5pm Wednesday 10am - 5pm Thursday 10am - 5pm Friday 10am - 5pm Saturday 10am - 5pm Sunday 10am - 5pm

The Bowes Museum

Home
United Kingdom
Barnard Castle
The Bowes Museum

Outstanding collections of art, fashion & design housed in a beautiful French-style public museum set in gardens and parkland
(1)

Set in beautiful gardens in Barnard Castle, The Bowes Museum is a stunning French-style public museum with world-class art, fashion and textile collections. Founded by Joséphine and John Bowes in 1892, this iconic building is home to 22 galleries, incredible exhibitions and 22 acres of parkland to explore. Discover paintings, ceramics, textiles, clocks and interiors, plus inspiring displays from contemporary artists.

29/05/2026

☀️ Sunshine calls for coffee and cake outdoors ☀️

Make the most of the warmer weather and enjoy a bite to eat or a refreshing drink in Café Bowes’ outdoor seating area, overlooking the beautiful surroundings of The Bowes Museum.

🕚 Open daily from 11am–4pm

28/05/2026

👋 Meet Nina, Co-production Volunteer Manager at The Bowes Museum.

Nina is looking forward to welcoming visitors to our upcoming Volunteering Open Day on Tuesday 2 June, a chance to discover what volunteering at the museum is really like and explore the many ways you can get involved.

Book your place today:
https://thebowesmuseum.org.uk/whats-on/volunteering-open-day/

27/05/2026

✨ Included with Bowes Lates Admission ✨

There’s plenty happening across the museum during Bowes Lates, all included with your ticket.

🎧 Silent Disco
Dance through the decades with classic hits from the 70s, 80s, 90s and 00s using LED headphones.

☀️ Spotlight Tour – Summer Solstice
Join Learning Producer Connor Lagus for an interactive tour exploring midsummer traditions, sun gods and seasonal stories hidden within the collection.

🎨 Artist Workshop – Sounds of the Collection
Create a collage-inspired keepsake with artist Jane Young using sheet music, bird imagery and colourful materials inspired by the sounds of the museum.

🖋️ Lizzie Lovejoy: Poetry Performances
Experience pop-up poetry performances across the museum, ending in a lively final piece celebrating objects, people and place.

🎟️ General Admission: £15
✨ Members go free

Book now: https://thebowesmuseum.org.uk/whats-on/bowes-lates

26/05/2026

✨ Discover what it’s like to volunteer at The Bowes Museum ✨

Join us on Tuesday 3 June for our upcoming Volunteer Open Day and find out more about becoming part of the museum community.

You can expect:
🗣️ An introductory talk about volunteering at the museum
💬 Informal conversations with volunteers and our Co-production Volunteer Manager
🏛️ Tours of the museum and grounds led by experienced volunteers

No previous museum experience is needed — just curiosity, enthusiasm and a willingness to get involved.

From gardening and creative workshops to storytelling, events and exhibitions, there are lots of ways to volunteer with us.

👥 Suitable for ages 18+
📧 To book your place, email: [email protected]

25/05/2026

🦢 Don’t forget, the Silver Swan will perform twice daily throughout the school holiday week.

Catch this iconic automaton in motion at:
🕦 11:45am
🕑 2pm

📍 Green Picture Gallery, Second Floor

A visit to The Bowes Museum isn’t complete without seeing her glide into life ✨

24/05/2026

🎨 A Muse of Epic Poetry

This striking painting depicts Calliope, one of the nine muses of Greek mythology and the muse of epic poetry. Painted by the Florentine artist Cesare Dandini, the work follows descriptions found in Iconologia (1603), a hugely influential guide to symbolism and allegory in art.

Look closely and you’ll spot Calliope resting her hand on three great literary works: Homer’s Odyssey and Iliad, alongside Virgil’s Aeneid - texts said to have been created under her inspiration. Draped across her arm is a laurel crown, symbolising artistic achievement and poetic triumph.

Dandini’s paintings are known for their theatrical elegance and haunting beauty. Calliope’s crimson lips, pale wax-like skin and distant expression combine influences from both Caravaggio’s naturalism and the aristocratic coolness of the Florentine Mannerists.

There’s something dreamlike about the way she gazes beyond the viewer, as though caught between inspiration and memory.

23/05/2026

🌼 School’s out! May Half Term at The Bowes Museum

Dive into a fantastic programme of family-friendly activities inspired by the museum collection, nature in the parkland and exhibitions you won’t see anywhere else.

✨ Enjoy:
🎨 Daily self-guided creative activities & trails
🗣 11am Spotlight Tours
🌿 22 acres of parkland to explore

🦋 Special activities on Tuesday & Wednesday:
🐞 Bug Hotels
👗 Step Into Westwood: A Family Adventure Through Fashion Rebellion
🌱 Botany at The Bowes Museum

👶 Little ones can also enjoy Stay & Play and Bowes Babies on Thursday.

🎨 Artist Makers sessions take place on Wednesday and Saturday, with creative activities available daily in the Create Space.

✨ All activities included with admission or Membership.

22/05/2026

🎶 Marshall Gilmour Webbs live at The Bowes Museum

Experience an unforgettable evening of live music as Marshall Gilmour Webbs join us at The Bowes Museum.

Fresh from their appearance at the Cropredy Festival, and ahead of their appearance at the Edinburgh Fringe, Marshall Gilmour Webbs will stop off at the museum to play in the intimate setting of the museum’s Jubilee Room.

Featuring:
✨ Louise Marshall (celebrated vocalist from the Jools Holland band)
✨ Romany Gilmour (of the hit “Between Two Points”)
✨ Hattie Webb & Charley Webb (known for their work with Leonard Cohen and Tom Petty)

Expect music by The Roches, Dolly Parton, Billy Joel, Minnie Riperton and more, alongside original material.

🗓 Doors: 6:30pm
🎶 Performance: 7:30pm
🍷 Licensed bar available

Why not make an evening of it? Café Bowes will be serving supper before the performance.

🎟 First two rows: £45
🎟 Standard: £40

Tickets available now: https://thebowesmuseum.org.uk/whats-on/marshall-gilmour-webbs-in-concert-at-the-bowes-museum/

21/05/2026

📢 Two more exciting opportunities at The Bowes Museum

We’re recruiting for two new roles that will help shape visitor experiences and exhibitions across the museum.

🎨 Experiences and Learning Manager
⏰ 37 hours per week | Permanent
💷 £32,781.81
🗓 Closing date: 5 June 2026

Lead the development of ambitious public programming, large-scale events and creative learning experiences connecting audiences with the museum’s collections, building and parkland.

🛠️ Production Assistant
📅 3 days per week | Permanent
💷 £15,279 (actual salary)
🗓 Closing date: 12 June 2026, 5pm

Support the delivery of exhibitions, displays and loans through a varied role combining logistics, administration and hands-on production work.

🔗 Learn more and apply: https://thebowesmuseum.org.uk/jobs-and-volunteering/

20/05/2026

✨ Special events at Bowes Lates ✨

Make your evening at The Bowes Museum even more memorable with two creative after-hours experiences:

🎨 Brush & Bubbles
💷 £50 per person | Member discount available

Join artist Betty Barnet Brown in the Blue Picture Gallery for a relaxed sip-and-paint session inspired by flamboyant portraits, extravagant hats and dramatic hairstyles from the museum collection.

Create a copy, transform a portrait into yourself, or invent an entirely new character, all while enjoying a glass of something fizzy and a bite to eat.

👕 DIY Designer T-Shirts
💷 £25 per person | Member discount available

Inspired by Vivienne Westwood: Rebel – Storyteller – Visionary, fashion designer Kelly Ewing will guide you through creating your own bold wearable design in this creative drop-in workshop.

19/05/2026

🚌 All aboard the new Durham Explorer bus service

Getting to The Bowes Museum just got even easier.

Travel to the museum using the brand new Durham Explorer service and enjoy a 2-for-1 offer on a day ticket.

🌞 Running on selected dates throughout the summer season: 23 May - 31st August, every weekend and bank holiday.

A perfect way to explore County Durham this summer.

This is Durham Durham County Council

🔗 Find out more: https://www.thisisdurham.com/durhamexplorer

Address

Newgate
Barnard Castle
DL128NP

Opening Hours

Monday	10am - 5pm
Tuesday	10am - 5pm
Wednesday	10am - 5pm
Thursday	10am - 5pm
Friday	10am - 5pm
Saturday	10am - 5pm
Sunday	10am - 5pm

Telephone

+441833690606

Website

http://www.thebowesmuseum.org.uk/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when The Bowes Museum posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Want your museum to be the top-listed Museum in Barnard Castle?