The Remaking Beamish project, supported by Heritage Lottery, is the largest capital development programme in the museum’s history, key to regenerating parts of the museum for existing and new audiences. The centrepiece is the 1950s Town, allowing Beamish to once again include a period exhibit within living memory. Important elements have also been added to the Georgian landscape, centred on Pockerley Farmhouse to grow and regenerate a previously underutilised area of the museum.
The three-year project was the largest and penultimate phase of the wider ReMaking Beamish project. Consequently, the summer of 2024 saw the museum open the following 1950s exhibits:
- The recreated 300 seat Grand Cinema from Ryhope, Sunderland.
- Romer Parrish toy shop
- A. Reece Ltd. Radio and Electrical shop with Record shop above,
- The ‘Milk Bar’
- A STEM learning space
- Associated period appropriate facilities and outdoor spaces
And the following Georgian exhibits created using existing Georgian and Victorian outbuildings in the curtilage of the grade II* Pockerley Pele Tower and grade II Pockerley Farmhouse:
- Drovers Tavern & Courtyard
- Rural pottery & beehive kiln
- 2 holiday lets exhibited as Georgian farmworker’s cottages
Each of these incredible exhibits has its own special story and connection to the region which is reflected in the design of each space.
An openness and commitment to community involvement throughout the design process has resulted in buildings with an outstanding level of detail. The popularity of the new spaces has enabled the museum to welcome over 800,000 visitors in 2024/25 as well as helping Beamish to become more sustainable financially through the inclusion of five income generating exhibits and enhancing environmental performance.
Three Winning Facts:
- The project has created a series of period accurate museum pieces dating from the Georgian, Edwardian and 1950s periods using existing historic buildings adjacent to listed heritage assets and new build elements; all with entirely different sets of construction techniques, materials, and architectural styles, while using existing or reclaimed materials, meeting modern building regs, environmental health standards and taking into account visitor journeys, accessibility and business/retail needs.
- The full team has ‘made it all believable’ and made it feel almost like they’d always been there!… while considering the customer journey and the ‘magic of Beamish’. This is crystalised with how well the new exhibits worked into the museum’s offers, particularly their Christmas experience.
- Strong and close working relationship between the client team, architectural team and contractor which was able to withstand the ongoing unique set of challenges posed by the project.
