Beamish is a Registered Museum, that is a museum, which has achieved a recognised standard of collections care, scholarship, and visitor care.
Beamish is also a Designated Museum. The Designation Scheme was landed in 1977 with the aim of identifying and celebrating the pre-eminent collections of national and international importance held in England’s non-national museums. Designated museums have the assured long-term purpose of the stewardship and interpretation of collections for the public benefit.
Care of Collections
The museum has a duty to care for its collections. All collections are carefully documented and wherever possible as much information is recorded about each exhibit. Information is essential for access, security, conservation, research and interpretation as well as for evidence of ownership. Beamish is committed to the conservation of its collection and tries to ensure that exhibits are looked after.
Donations of Objects
The museum is greatly indebted to the people of the region, who have donated objects for the collections over the last forty years. We now have a wealth of material both in store and on display, and now are looking to fill the gaps in the collections.
If you are interested in donating items for the collections, please check in advance to see if they are required.
Regretfully the museum cannot accept items on loan and does not guarantee to display all objects.
The museum is always interested in adding to its collections of old photographs of the region, particularly local scenes, streets, towns, villages as well as people at work.
Volunteers
The Museum always welcomes extra assistance provided by volunteers, who help the museum in a number of ways. Some people like to wear period costume and assist with interpretation in the period areas, whilst others prefer to assist with the cataloguing and sorting of the collections “behind the scenes”. We greatly value the assistance of volunteers who allow us to undertake projects, which would otherwise not be possible.
The Friends of Beamish
The Friends of Beamish have supported the museum since the 1960s. Members come from all walks of life, and from throughout Britain and overseas with the common purpose of wishing to see the museum grow and to preserve their heritage.
Some Friends support by donating their subscription, whilst others prefer to be directly involved as volunteers using their skills to restore exhibits such as horsedrawn vehicles, bicycles, engines and farm equipment. Some work behind the scenes, assisting the museum staff in cataloguing library books and in documentation of the collections.
An increasing number work in costume assisting the demonstrators with interpretation in the period areas, and helping with special events. A specialist group of skilled engineers works on the tramway and another group advises on historic gardening.
The Friends' subscriptions pay for restoration and also for purchases for the museum.
Friends receive a regular newsletter to help them keep in touch with recent developments, as well as free admission to Beamish throughout the year. There is an active programme of talks by visiting speakers, during the winter season.
The Friends of Beamish is a Registered Charity (No 1059957) and a Limited Company. Its Registered Office is at The Friends Office, Beamish, The North of England Open Air Museum, Beamish, Co. Durham DH9 ORG.
Telephone: 0191 370 1104
Web site.. www.friendsofbeamish.co.uk