This is a great day out regardless of age be you 5 or 105 there should be something to interest…read moreyou. Located on a former wartime Air-base this museum is run by many volunteers, including an ex-rear Gunner and wireless operator who was shot up during a raid over Germany. George Martin can be found in the Air Gunners Exhibition and I can assure you a more interesting bloke with his experiences and memories of this period I have yet to meet. The Museum is spread within several restored wartime sheds which house the various themes on display, along with many restored aircraft outside and in hangers. It also still has the air traffic control tower which displays how things would have been. One of the hangers displays other restored Aircraft including, the Halifax bomber of which nearly 80 were lost during raids over Germany from this base alone. Other more modern planes are also on display including the Buccaneer, Vulcan Bomber, and Harrier to name a few. The museum continues to restore aircraft and long may it continue we had an excellent day out and at an entrance cost of only £5.00 per adult including parking it wasn't going to break the bank.

We went on a slightly miserable but warm morning. When we arrived we were very impressed with the…read moresetup of the museum. It is very well kept with lots if different executions and lots of planes to see. I was particularly impressed with the Halifax bomber! You could also try out a couple of actual cockpits and they had 2 simulators, one to practice landings and the other as a rear gunner! The sun came out and it was a glorious day, we sat outside the NAAFI with a drink and a cake from the canteen. We would highly recommend you take a trip out, the kids would love it at well!!!

Take no notice of the mini-map - it is wrong. The museum is located on Grand Parade. The address is…read morecorrect. We visited on a drizzly June Sunday in 2010 and were pleasantly surprised. Admission was cheap and it passed an hour or so. The exhibits remind you of a bedroom quickly tidied with the arrival of visitors. There is no logic to the displays, they simply are. Famous names sit next to anonymous teddy bears. Virtually every type of toy is represented. Modern toys and games sit alongside favourites of days gone by. We were able to show our 11 and 8 year olds toys which we had as children. The museum is well worth a visit.

Darlington has a lot of history of which it's people should be rightly proud; our role in the birth…read moreof passenger travel by rail is one such event. Built on the oldest passenger line which really ran from Shildon through Darlington to Stockton this is one of the oldest stations still in use. Although eclipsed by the new museum built by the National Railway Museum in Shildon it was Darlington money and enterprise that brought about his transport revolution. The building is so atmospheric, you can almost hear the noise and feel the hustle and bustle of porters trying to get passengers and freight on board in double quick time. The Engines and carriages on show give you a glimpse of past and brings some of the old black and white photos to life. All in all a great way to spend an afternoon before catching a train to the next stop.

The Darlington Railway museum is great for giving the local history of the railways, and is good…read morefor kids as there are lots of big locomotives they can wander around and look at. One special occassions there is a steam train goes up and down a stretch of track outside. There is also a fair that goes in the field outside once a year. Darlington's second railway station (lot of people who live there don't even know there is a second one!) is at the museum and serves local trains.

We have two train-mad kids who were aged 2 and 4 when we visited here -- and they absolutely loved…read moreit. The weather on the day we went was absolutely atrocious, which was a shame because there's quite a bit to do outside; but there was also more than enough to do inside, which was just as well. A lot of the exhibits are suitably interactive and engaging, and if they get tired of those there's always the big old engines to admire. In short, an excellent day out -- and as an added bonus it is all completely free!

Came on a 1st visit when there was supposed to be a steam fair also but unfortunately a flood had…read moretaken place on friday in the main building so the event was cancelled even though the local radio was still advertising it. Anyway the bit I did see was ok & food for thought for another visit. Well not being a train buff but it is close-by decided to return, firstly on a ghost walk on Halloween, it was a bit of fun walking around the trains in the dark with torches. Returned again today for a Christmas fair in the main exhibition hall so ample opportunity to see all the trains in the light & get a great guided tour & talk on the footplate of a steam train. What a great place it is to visit, it's free (donation if you want to) and great for adults & children alike. The whole attraction is well spread out but ample parking at either end of the sidings area. A dry day would be ideal. Visit the web site for activity days which are regular.

When we went in the staff were really friendly, I really found this place interesting not as much…read moreto see as i thought but worth looking at. A bit expensive to get in though, you can get discount if you go to the botanic gardens first, which we didnt find out until after. Some really beautiful pieces of history in this museum, you can tell these items are really good quality and I am sure they would be expensive to buy. I would definately recommend this place.

This place is smaller than I first expected. It has always been very quiet when we have visited and…read moreis a place whre you do need to keep a very close eye on children. There is a dressing up box for children and some hands on exhibits. Occassionally there is live music which is fabulous.

Interesting museum with a displays about various aspects of the criminal justice system locally…read more Quite expensive for a small museum but worth the money. There is a rather good audio commentary but unfortunately it does not work as intended because there is a very poor mobile signal and the free Wi-Fi does not work in the main exhibition areas, it only works close to reception. Doubtless this is due to the thick walls of the former jail, but if the investment in Wi-Fi that covered the whole place could be made, it would enable visitors to make full use of some good material (which I listened to later when connected elsewhere). Anyway, that aside, it is an interesting place with plenty of exhibits and explanations about the misery of being a prisoner in that building, and memorabilia relating to the police.

Great day out packed full of interesting things to see. I've been coming here since I was a kid,…read moreand always enjoy a visit, learning something new about the local history each time. With free entry, and in town, it's definitely worth including it in your day travels.

Another nice and interesting museum in Newcastle, definitely a city of cultural delights. The…read moreDiscovery Museum mostly focuses on telling the story of the city and of the Northeast in general. It goes through the good times and the bad times in the city, including the coal mining boom, the poverty, the World Wars, the politics, everything is covered. There are real life examples- interviews with real Newcastle people over the years, and plenty of interesting memorabilia as well. It's a very cool place. There are also sections devoted to science and technology, and the discoveries made by people from the area. There is a good café with excellent prices, and a nice little shop too. A big advantage of this museum for families is that the exhibits are quite interactive, and should keep children interested as well. Best of all, it's all free. However, if you can, please do donate to keep important institutions like this one accessible to all.

Finally had the opportunity to visit the museum with its history and all related to James Herriot…read more So glad. It is very interesting. Lots of activity for the kiddies too. Allow about and hour and half.

I have allways loved the James herriot books and was keen to visit this place. I wasn't…read moredisappointed and there was so much to see.It was more real than I could have dreamed.A lot is just as it was and you could imagine them in the dining room and the dispensry was amazing. We sat in the gardena and it was like something out of my childhood and I allmost expected to see a young Herriot sleeping in a pram.A lot of the kitchen stuff etc. were things I remembered seeing in use years ago.I watch the repeats of the programmes with new eyes.

We visited the Beamish Museum 7 years ago and came back for the second time. It is a great living…read morehistory museum. We visited this time specifically the 1900's and 1950's villages. Most houses and shops are accessible with people in period outfits providing explanations. Of course, we also bought stuff in the vintage shops. Getting around happened on the great vintage bus and tram service. Altogether, a great day out. Note: tickets are not cheap, but valid for a year. Do book online to avoid the queue.

Wow! I visited from Edinburgh and had the best time! Beamish museum is such a magical place, like…read morebeing on a movie set with people all in traditional clothing walking around, working in the 1900's chemist where you can buy soaps, lip salve, and other things, the confectionery shop and bakery for pies and cakes and sweets, sit in the sun inn pub for a pint, ride on the many trams for free as the conductor yells 'hold tight' as you travel very slowly around the town, jumping on and off at various tram stops eg: 1900's town, Rowley station, 1900's pitt village, 1940's farm, 1950's town and farm where you can go into an air raid shelter and visit the homes and some of the residents. There is also the 1820's colliery, Pockerley waggonway, old hall and the transport depot all to explore. It is such an experience and I found myself grinning from ear to ear the full 6 hours I was there. Everyone keeps in character that at one point when i was visiting the community hall the lady was sweeping the floors talking about cleaning up after entertaining children and I couldn't tell if she was playing a character or if it was real as there were schools of children visiting that day but thats how it is, its a full immersive experience and I honestly loved it!

This is a fantastic little volunteer run air museum. Staff extremly helpfull & friendly. We went on…read morea Sunday arfternoon & was pleasantly supprised at the access to the aircraft, especially the Vulcan Bomber. There is a well informed museum, It was a pleasure not to surrounded by hordes of people. Good athentic location next to Carlisle Airport. I didn't realise there was a voucher availible untill writing this review but am more than happy to support volunteers efforts. No cafe but the reception did provide hot & cold drinks, crisps.