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Two visitors stand close together in a gallery, looking at artworks on a wall filled with framed paintings, including a mix of portraits and landscapes.

Heritage Open Days

Celebrate England’s largest festival of history and culture with a free day out at The Bowes Museum during Heritage Open

4 Jun 2026
A wall display of graphic T‑shirts mounted against a bold yellow‑and‑white striped background. The shirts are arranged in a grid across several rows and feature printed slogans, illustrations, and photographic images in black, white, and muted colours. Visible text on some shirts includes phrases such as “CLIMATE REVOLUTION” and large block lettering reading “YOUR SELF.” The display is lit by gallery spotlights within a dark exhibition space.

DIY Designer T-Shirts

Inspired by Vivienne Westwood: Rebel – Storyteller – Visionary, you can design your own DIY Designer T-shirt in this drop-in

20 May 2026
Visitors sit around a table set with plates and drinks inside a museum gallery, with easels and a wall of framed paintings behind them. One person in the centre looks down at materials on the table while others sit nearby in conversation.

Brush & Bubbles

Artist Betty Barnet Brown will introduce you to a selection of striking portraits in the Blue Picture Gallery, each featuring

19 May 2026
Visitors sit around a table set with plates and drinks inside a museum gallery, with easels and a wall of framed paintings behind them. One person in the centre looks down at materials on the table while others sit nearby in conversation.

Bowes Lates

Art and culture after hours… Experience The Bowes Museum like never before at Bowes Lates. Step inside after hours and

11 May 2026
Two people wearing protective gloves carefully handle a mechanical bird object, with its beak and internal mechanism partially exposed, in a museum conservation or workshop setting.

The Wonder Workshop

Have you ever wondered about the museum’s collection? How the swan moves? Why Joséphine and John Bowes collected the objects

6 May 2026
Two people stand beside a glass display case in a museum setting, looking at a book or printed material together, with shelves of books and archival items visible in the background.

Volunteering Open Day

Discover what it’s like to volunteer at The Bowes Museum at our upcoming Volunteering Open Day. Enjoy short talks, museum

6 May 2026
Two young children examine a small museum display case in the Curiosity Gallery using magnifying glasses. The display contains botanical elements. Around them are various museum objects, including textiles and vintage instruments, all arranged in bright, modern exhibition shelves.

Gallery Takeover

Take a closer look at the art around you, then make something inspired by what you find. It might be

22 Apr 2026
A child sits at a bright yellow table drawing on a large sheet of white paper with a red marker. The child leans forward with one arm resting on the table while drawing a small coloured shape near the centre of the page. Containers filled with coloured pens and pencils sit on the table to both sides. In the foreground are small cardboard cut‑out shapes, and in the background a display plinth holds an object within a well‑lit indoor museum or gallery space.

Artist Makers

Make time for making; join in and get creative. An opportunity to try out new techniques, materials and experiment with

22 Apr 2026
A child holds a homemade cardboard tube up to their eye like a telescope while standing at a craft table in a brightly coloured room with orange walls. The child wears a patterned headband and a smartwatch. On the table are craft supplies, including markers, scissors, and a cardboard box decorated with drawings. An adult stands nearby, partially visible.

Nature Spotters

Gather with us in an outdoor-inspired campsite in the Conversation Gallery. Discover the fascinating world of wildlife in the parkland,

22 Apr 2026