Woodhorn Museum

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Woodhorn Museum Woodhorn Museum is a museum and heritage colliery site in Ashington, Northumberland. Woodhorn brings Northumberland’s proud mining heritage to life.
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Did you know that at its peak, over 2,000 people worked underground at the site? A whopping 600,000 tonnes of coal was mined from the pit each year. Come along and visit the North East’s most complete colliery heritage site which including the most powerful winding engine in the region. Our modern museum Cutter Building showcases our impressive banner collection, Coal Town exhibition and, of course, our iconic Ashington Group Collection. With so much to see and do at Woodhorn Museum it’s an experience to remember. Visit our website to find our more and to plan your visit, our Annual Pass is fantastic value at only £7 for unlimited visits plus kids go free! Woodhorn Museum is managed by Museums Northumberland, the public brand of Woodhorn Charitable Trust | Registered as a company in England and Wales under registration number 6893854 | Woodhorn Charitable Trust is registered as a charity number 1129712

We hope you can join us for our popular Birds of Prey display on Saturday 31 October 🦅Discover the fascinating world of ...
27/10/2026

We hope you can join us for our popular Birds of Prey display on Saturday 31 October 🦅

Discover the fascinating world of birds of prey and see spectacular displays with the team from Ridgeside Falconry.

The interactive flying displays take place at 12 noon and 2pm (weather dependent) and Ridgeside Falconry will also be on hand to answer your questions about the birds of prey alongside their static display from 11am – 3pm.

This event is included with Annual Pass Admission.

UPDATE Tue 27 Oct – Arborialis Luminarium▪️We are planning to OPEN the Luminarium at Woodhorn Museum today (Tuesday 27 O...
27/10/2026

UPDATE Tue 27 Oct – Arborialis Luminarium

▪️We are planning to OPEN the Luminarium at Woodhorn Museum today (Tuesday 27 October) and the event to go ahead as planned.

▪️There are some high winds forecast intermittently today and our Luminarium team will be onsite to monitor the weather during the event.

▪️As an inflatable structure, the Luminarium may need to close temporarily for the safety of our visitors and staff.

▪️This does mean there is a chance that Luminarium ticket holders may not be able to access Luminarium for the exact time booked or at all.

▪️If this does happen updates will be published on our website, social media pages and ticketholders notified by email as soon as possible.

▪️If we do need to cancel any sessions, we'll also share further information for visitors who purchased Annual Passes specifically to visit the Luminarium.

▪️Woodhorn Museum will remain open even if the Luminarium must close. There is still plenty to enjoy during half term!

*LUMINARIUM CLOSED TODAY*Due to the high winds over the weekend there has been some damage to the Luminarium so we've ha...
26/10/2026

*LUMINARIUM CLOSED TODAY*

Due to the high winds over the weekend there has been some damage to the Luminarium so we've had to make the difficult decision to cancel today's (26 October) Luminarium sessions.

We are sorry about the short notice, the extent of the storm damage was only visible to our Luminarium team after the structure had been fully inflated this morning.

We were looking forward to welcoming you to the Luminarium and are very sorry for any disappointment this news will cause.

We have emailed all ticket holders. Although the Luminarium will not be open today, Woodhorn Museum remains open and there is still plenty to enjoy during half term, including our Pumpkin Trail, Mining for Memories activity and Birds of Prey display on 31 October.

The Luminarium team is working to repair the damage today and we are continuing to keep a close eye on the weather forecast. We will contact ticket holders about whether the Luminarium can go ahead on 27, 28 and 29 October as soon as possible and post updates on our website and our social media pages.

We expect to receive a high volume of enquiries following this announcement, so please bear with our team. We'll respond to emails and messages as quickly as we can.

Thank you for your understanding and support. We hope to welcome you to Woodhorn Museum soon.

Arborialis Luminarium update for Mon 26 Oct 🌈 We're delighted to confirm that the Arborialis Luminarium by Architects of...
25/10/2026

Arborialis Luminarium update for Mon 26 Oct 🌈

We're delighted to confirm that the Arborialis Luminarium by Architects of Air will be OPEN on Monday 26 October at Woodhorn Museum.

We will monitor the weather throughout the day. Safety is our priority. As an inflatable structure, the Luminarium may need to close temporarily during high winds.

Advance tickets for the Luminarium are fully booked. We have very limited capacity for walk-ups but cannot guarantee entry to the Luminarium if you don't already have a ticket. The museum is open and we have plenty of other activities to enjoy.

We can't wait to welcome visitors inside this beautiful world of light and colour for an unforgettable experience, and our friendly events team will be on hand throughout the day to answer any questions and help you make the most of your visit.

A few things to remember before you arrive:

▪️Please arrive at least 20 minutes before the time shown on your ticket.
▪️Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult at all times
▪️You’ll take off your shoes inside (it’s part of the experience!) – so bring a spare pair of warm socks to stay comfy.
▪️Prams and pushchairs can be left at the entrance.
▪️The Luminarium is accessible to wheelchair users, and a limited number of wheelchairs and mobility scooters are available to borrow on site.
▪️There will also be plenty of other activities to enjoy across the museum during your visit including our Pumpkin Trail and Mining for Memories activity.

Before your visit, please take a moment to read the FAQs on our website event page for important information about tickets, accessibility and what to expect.

We look forward to welcoming you!

*IMPORTANT UPDATE* Woodhorn Museum and site will be closed to all visitors tomorrow (Sunday 25 October) and the Luminari...
24/10/2026

*IMPORTANT UPDATE* Woodhorn Museum and site will be closed to all visitors tomorrow (Sunday 25 October) and the Luminarium is cancelled today AND tomorrow (Sunday 25 October).

Unfortunately, due to the high winds forecast as a result of Storm Boelo, we've had to make the difficult decision to cancel Arborialis Luminarium sessions on Saturday 24 October and Sunday 25 October and to close the whole site to visitors on Sunday 25 October when the storm is forecast to be at its peak.

The safety of our visitors and staff is always our top priority, and we're sorry for the disappointment this will cause to everyone who was looking forward to visiting.

All ticketholders will be contacted by email with an explanation about their options.
Woodhorn Museum remains open today.

We will provide another update as soon as possible about whether the Museum can open safely on Monday.

We will also update you about Luminarium sessions on 26, 27, 28 and 29 October.

There's still plenty to enjoy this half term, including our Pumpkin Trail, Mining for Memories activity and Birds of Prey display on 31 October – all free with your Annual Pass.

Please bear with us – our team will respond to emails and messages as quickly as we can.
Visitor safety is always our top priority. Thank you for your understanding and support 💛

IMPORTANT UPDATE: Luminarium cancelled on Saturday 24 October AND Sunday 25 October.Unfortunately, due to the high winds...
23/10/2026

IMPORTANT UPDATE: Luminarium cancelled on Saturday 24 October AND Sunday 25 October.

Unfortunately, due to the high winds forecast as a result of Storm Boelo, we've had to make the difficult decision to cancel Arborialis Luminarium sessions on Saturday 24 October and Sunday 25 October at Woodhorn Museum.

The safety of our visitors and staff is always our top priority, and we're sorry for the disappointment this will cause to everyone who was looking forward to visiting.

All ticketholders will be contacted by email with an explanation about their options.

Woodhorn Museum remains open on Saturday.

We will provide another update as soon as possible about whether the Museum can open safely on Sunday.

We will also update you about Luminarium sessions on 26, 27, 28 and 29 October.

There's still plenty to enjoy this half term, including our Pumpkin Trail, Mining for Memories activity and Birds of Prey display on 31 October – all free with your Annual Pass.

Please bear with us – our team will respond to emails and messages as quickly as we can.

Visitor safety is always our top priority. Thank you for your understanding and support 💛

**UPDATE: Arborialis Luminarium (24–29 October)**We're keeping a close eye on the weather forecast, with strong winds cu...
23/10/2026

**UPDATE: Arborialis Luminarium (24–29 October)**

We're keeping a close eye on the weather forecast, with strong winds currently predicted for both Saturday and Sunday due to Storm Boelo.

The safety of our visitors and staff is always our top priority, and if wind speeds are too high, we may need to make the difficult decision to cancel Luminarium sessions.

We're hopeful conditions will improve, but if a cancellation is necessary, we'll aim to make a decision the day before and will contact all ticketholders by email as soon as possible, as well as updating our website and social media channels.

As Luminarium sessions are fully booked, in the event of cancellation, unfortunately we wouldn't be able to transfer bookings to another day.

If we do need to cancel, we'll also share further information for visitors who purchased Annual Passes specifically to visit the Luminarium.

Whatever the weather brings, there will still be plenty of events and activities to enjoy across the museum during half term, including our Pumpkin Trail, Mining for Memories activity and Birds of Prey display on 31 October.

Thank you for your understanding and support. We'll continue to share updates.

As we celebrate 20 years of Woodhorn Museum, we're continuing our journey through the archives.Behind every shift and an...
22/10/2026

As we celebrate 20 years of Woodhorn Museum, we're continuing our journey through the archives.

Behind every shift and and every day at the colliery were the people who kept Woodhorn running. These photographs capture some of the men who worked here and helped shape our mining community.

Do you recognise anyone in these images? We'd love to hear their names, stories and memories.

Share your memories in the comments below.

Join us this Saturday 24 October at 2pm for a special performance by Backworth Male Choir, celebrating the recent restor...
22/10/2026

Join us this Saturday 24 October at 2pm for a special performance by Backworth Male Choir, celebrating the recent restoration of the Backworth Banner, now proudly on display here at Woodhorn. 🎵

Founded by miners from Backworth Colliery and marking its 75th anniversary this year, the choir has deep roots in North East mining heritage.

Enjoy an afternoon of music in the unique surroundings of Woodhorn Museum and see the beautifully restored banner in all its glory.

Time: 2pm, Learning Room
Price: Free with annual pass admission

21/10/2026

🖤 Mining for Memories

Woodhorn is a special place for so many people.

This October term, help us celebrate 20 years of Woodhorn Museum by sharing your memories.

Create your own paper black diamond to hold a special memory, then add it to a beautiful growing display celebrating the people, stories and experiences that make Woodhorn so special.

Created by artist Bethan Maddocks, this creative activity is suitable for all ages and abilities.

Come along, take a moment to reflect and be part of the display.

📅 Saturday 24 October – Sunday 1 November, 11am–3pm

🎟️ Free with annual pass admission

Address

Woodhorn, QEII Country Park
Ashington
NE639YF

Opening Hours

Wednesday 10am - 4pm
Thursday 10am - 4pm
Friday 10am - 4pm
Saturday 10am - 4pm
Sunday 10am - 4pm

Telephone

+441912772410

Website

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