The Bowes Museum

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The Bowes Museum Outstanding collections of art, fashion & design housed in a beautiful French-style public museum set in gardens and parkland
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Set in beautiful gardens in Barnard Castle, The Bowes Museum is a stunning French-style public museum with world-class art, fashion and textile collections. Founded by Joséphine and John Bowes in 1892, this iconic building is home to 22 galleries, incredible exhibitions and 22 acres of parkland to explore. Discover paintings, ceramics, textiles, clocks and interiors, plus inspiring displays from contemporary artists.

🕰️ Winter Opening Hours at The Bowes MuseumFrom Sunday 1 November, we'll be moving to our Winter Opening Hours.🏛️ The Bo...
19/10/2026

🕰️ Winter Opening Hours at The Bowes Museum

From Sunday 1 November, we'll be moving to our Winter Opening Hours.

🏛️ The Bowes Museum will open at 10:30am and close at 4pm.

☕ Café Bowes will also open at 10:30am, with last orders at 3pm before closing at 3:30pm.

Whether you're planning a visit to the galleries or stopping by for a warming drink and something to eat, please keep these changes in mind.

We look forward to welcoming you this winter! ❄️

18/10/2026

🎨 Did you know The Bowes Museum has a special connection to the birthplace of Impressionism?

Our co-founders, Joséphine and John Bowes, had a deep appreciation for French art and unusually for the time, they collected works by living French artists.

The couple frequently visited Le Havre, a bustling international port whose thriving artistic culture helped shape the development of Impressionism. Their connection to the port was so strong that its town hall even inspired the design of The Bowes Museum! 🏛️

The opening section of Impressions of Light: Masterpieces from MuMa – Le Havre and The Bowes Museum explores this fascinating history.

Discover intimate harbour scenes by Eugène Boudin, alongside views of Le Havre's expanding docks and factories by Raoul Dufy, Gaston Prunier and Maxime Maufra.

It's a wonderful opportunity to explore the connections between our co-founders, the city of Le Havre and an artistic movement that changed the way we see the world.

✨ Discover Impressions of Light at The Bowes Museum.

🍂 Looking for something to do this October half term?There's plenty to discover at The Bowes Museum, with a packed progr...
17/10/2026

🍂 Looking for something to do this October half term?

There's plenty to discover at The Bowes Museum, with a packed programme of family-friendly activities inspired by our collections, exhibitions and beautiful parkland!

From Saturday 24 October to Sunday 1 November, enjoy:

🎨 Gallery Takeover: Map Makers – explore the galleries before creating your own imaginative map.

🦔 Parkland Explorers: Hedgehog Habitats – discover the natural world around us.

☁️ Wonder Workshop: Cloud Collage – get creative with clouds, weather and art.

🖌️ Stay and Play, Bowes Babies and Artist Makers – creative fun for our younger visitors.

🌳 Daily trails and activities – explore the Create Space and enjoy 22 acres of beautiful parkland.

Plus, discover our major exhibitions, Impressions of Light: Masterpieces from MuMa - Le Havre and The Bowes Museum and Norman Cornish: A Life in Sketchbooks, both exclusive to The Bowes Museum.

💛 Under 18s and full-time students always go free! All activities are included with museum admission or Membership.

Who's joining us this half term?

16/10/2026

🎸 Experience the passion of flamenco live at The Bowes Museum!

Following two incredible performances in 2025, world-renowned flamenco guitarist Juan Martín returns for two unforgettable evenings of live music.

Discover the energy, rhythm and emotion of authentic flamenco, brought to life by one of the world's most celebrated guitarists in the beautiful surroundings of The Bowes Museum.

📅 Friday 23 & Saturday 24 October
🎟️ Tickets from £40
✨ Premium front-row seating available for £45

Don't miss your chance to experience this extraordinary musician live.

🎟️ Book your tickets today: https://thebowesmuseum.org.uk/whats-on/juan-martin-in-concert-at-the-bowes-museum/

🎨 Capture colour, light and atmosphere at Bowes Lates.Inspired by Impressions of Light: Masterpieces from MuMa – Le Havr...
15/10/2026

🎨 Capture colour, light and atmosphere at Bowes Lates.

Inspired by Impressions of Light: Masterpieces from MuMa – Le Havre and The Bowes Museum, Framing the Landscape invites you to create your own landscape scene inside a box frame.

Experiment with expressive brushstrokes and vivid, transparent paints as you explore movement, colour and light, taking inspiration from the atmospheric landscapes featured in the exhibition.

Whether you’re a confident artist or simply fancy trying something new, this hands-on workshop is the perfect opportunity to get creative and take home your own framed artwork.

🎟️ £25 per person, including museum admission
💛 £10 for Members, carers, full-time students and under 18s

Book your space now: https://thebowesmuseum.org.uk/whats-on/framing-the-landscape/

Part of Bowes Lates – Saturday 21 November, 6–9pm.

📢 We're hiring! Join The Bowes Museum as our new Facilities Coordinator.We're looking for an organised and proactive ind...
14/10/2026

📢 We're hiring! Join The Bowes Museum as our new Facilities Coordinator.

We're looking for an organised and proactive individual to help care for and maintain our beautiful museum building and grounds.

As Facilities Coordinator, you'll play an important role in keeping the museum safe, secure and running smoothly. From coordinating maintenance and supporting health and safety compliance to helping deliver projects, you'll work with teams across the museum to protect and care for this remarkable place.

📍 The Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle
💰 Salary: £27,128.40 per year
📅 Closing date: Friday 6 November, 12pm

Sound like the role for you, or someone you know?

Apply today and become part of The Bowes Museum team: https://thebowesmuseum.org.uk/jobs-and-volunteering/facilities-coordinator/

🍂 Autumn has arrived at The Bowes Museum!What better way to celebrate the season than with this charming figure represen...
13/10/2026

🍂 Autumn has arrived at The Bowes Museum!

What better way to celebrate the season than with this charming figure representing Autumn, dating from around 1780?

Part of a group depicting the Four Seasons, this beautifully detailed figure captures the spirit of harvest time, with bunches of grapes and foliage gathered in a dish and scattered at her feet. 🍇

Look closely and you'll spot her brownish-red dress, turquoise-green coat details and a distinctive wide-brimmed hat decorated with a flower.

Standing on a base designed to resemble tree roots and a stump, she's a wonderful example of how the changing seasons have inspired artists and makers for centuries.

What's your favourite season? 🍁

Figure: Autumn, c. 1775, Maker Unknown, x.4380

📚 Bowes Book Club returns this weekend!Spend a cosy Sunday afternoon where books meet art, design and history at The Bow...
12/10/2026

📚 Bowes Book Club returns this weekend!

Spend a cosy Sunday afternoon where books meet art, design and history at The Bowes Museum.

📅 Sunday 18 October
⏰ 2:30–3:30pm

Each curator-led session combines conversation about the chosen book with expert insights and connections to objects from the museum’s collection.

This month, Collections Manager Jane Whittaker will introduce the session by sharing objects connected to the Medici court, including portraits and furniture. You’ll also have the opportunity to see a portrait of a Medici official in the Picture Gallery, bringing the story beyond the page and into the collection.

📖 Book your space today: https://thebowesmuseum.org.uk/whats-on/bowes-book-club/

12/10/2026

🎶 What a fantastic start to our Autumn Concert Series!

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us over the weekend for two wonderful evenings of live music at The Bowes Museum.

It was a pleasure to welcome Fyfe Dangerfield and St Catherine's Child to the museum, and we hope everyone who attended enjoyed the performances as much as we did! 💛

If you missed out, don't worry – there's still time to book tickets for our upcoming concerts.

🎥 Take a look at this brilliant video for a taste of what you can expect, then secure your tickets for the next performance.

https://thebowesmuseum.org.uk/in-concert-at-the-bowes-museum/

🎨 Awesome artwork spotted in the Create Space!We encourage everyone who visits The Bowes Museum to unleash their inner a...
11/10/2026

🎨 Awesome artwork spotted in the Create Space!

We encourage everyone who visits The Bowes Museum to unleash their inner artist, designer or maker in the Create Space.

We love this piece, inspired by Impressions of Light: Masterpieces from MuMa – Le Havre and The Bowes Museum. 🌊✨

After exploring the galleries, why not take inspiration from what you’ve seen and create something of your own?

Address

Newgate
Barnard Castle
DL128NP

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 5pm
Tuesday 10am - 5pm
Wednesday 10am - 5pm
Thursday 10am - 5pm
Friday 10am - 5pm
Saturday 10am - 5pm
Sunday 10am - 5pm

Telephone

+441833690606

Website

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