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The Story begins for Durham’s new cultural heritage attraction
Venue provides a home for five important collections of local and military history
A new cultural heritage venue in Durham has welcomed the public through its doors for the first time.
Developed by Durham County Council, The Story brings five important collections together under one roof in Mount Oswald, a Grade II-listed manor house on the outskirts of Durham City.
These include the Durham County Archive, which features six miles of local records spanning 900 years, the Historic Environment Record, which covers archaeological finds, the collection and archive of Durham Light Infantry spanning the regiment’s 300-year history, the Local Studies collection of documents relating to local history, and the Historic Registration collection, which features records of births, marriages and deaths since 1837.
The early 19th-century house has been fully restored, and a contemporary extension has been added along with 291 solar panels and 60 ground source heat pumps.
A free, interactive exhibition space, designed by the exhibition design firm Mather & Co, will share stories from the collections, alongside a programme of activities. The venue also features research areas and a café. It offers state-of-the-art digital tools, including an AI-assisted online search facility.
Alongside a permanent exhibition on the history of County Durham, the venue’s first temporary exhibition, The Forgotten Battle, explores the 1942 Battle of Kohima in South-East Asia, which was fought by the 2nd Battalion of the Durham Light Infantry. The exhibition will run until October 2024.
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The refurbished building also provides council services such as the Durham County Record Office and the County Registration Service.
The venue celebrated its opening weekend from 14-16 June with a series of special activities, including historical re-enactments, pop-up theatre performances, live music and a teddy bears' picnic.
Elizabeth Scott, Durham County Council’s cabinet member for economy and partnerships, said: “We’re absolutely delighted that The Story is now open to the public.
“We’ve loved welcoming everyone, from the official opening on Friday through all the special activities over the weekend. We’ve had nothing but smiles on faces and laughter from old friends and new and it’s been great to show off exactly what The Story has to offer.
“We recognise the importance of conserving historically significant collections such as the Durham Light Infantry for generations to come. This new attraction is a place where County Durham’s heritage is not only preserved but celebrated in a way that we hope will inspire people to find out more. It also gives them the opportunity to create and record their own history.
“We’re really looking forward to The Story reinforcing our standing as the Culture County and supporting the local economy.”
Carolyn Ball, county archivist, said: “We’re all incredibly excited to welcome visitors to The Story. We look after these collections on behalf of the people of County Durham and Darlington in order that anybody can come and access them and understand more about their part in the county’s development.”
The project was supported by a number of organisations including the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the European Regional Development Fund, The Wolfson Foundation and the Banks Group, which gifted Mount Oswald manor house to Durham County Council.