See Beamish Museum's new 1950s cinema, toy shop and 1800s tavern
A first look at Beamish Museum's newest attractions reveals how the 1950s Town has grown on the County Durham site with a cinema and more shops alongside the expansion of its Georgian area with a tavern and pottery - part of the biggest development in the museum's history
Families have their chance this weekend to see inside the first of the major new additions at Beamish Museum which range from an 1800s tavern to its eagerly-awaited 1950s cinema.
Following lengthy building projects at the County Durham visitor attraction, the new developments are now complete and Chroniclelive was invited along to a preview event to see the results. It has revealed that visitors are in for a treat, with a chance to visit the expanded Georgian site now and the public unveiling of the 1950s cinema, toy shop and electrical shop to follow on July 6.
This behind-the-scenes peek shows inside the cinema - a painstaking recreation of The Grand cinema which was in Ryhope, Sunderland - where visitors soon will be able to watch Pathe news and short period films on the big screen. And they will be able to immerse themselves even more in the 1950s with a trip to shops from that era.
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They include an electrical and record shop - called A Reece Ltd Radio and Electrical Services - showcasing 1950s technology and appliances, adding to the 1950s Town's existing high street attractions of the cafe, chip shop, hairdresser's and recreation of the home of late artist Norman Cornish. And a new toy shop there, named after Romer Parrish in Middlesbrough and including a dolls' hospital, promises a nostalgia-fest for those of a certain age with its range of toys and games, some of which will be available to buy.
The images also show the Georgian Drovers Tavern, serving a specially-brewed ale and Georgian-inspired food - such as potted ham, rarebit, soup, stew and salmagundi which is a Georgian salad - plus in the museum's 1820s Landscape, where there's also a pottery capturing an example of Georgian industry. This weekend these new additions will be celebrated with traditional Georgian music and clog dancing; pottery sessions; music and demonstrations of 'coopering' - the making of of wooden beer casks bound with metal hoops.
The latest developments, which also include a fifties milk bar and a STEM - science, technology, engineering and maths - learning space, are part of the Remaking Beamish project, supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. This project, which also includes the site's 1950s Farm and bus depot, is the biggest development programme in the museum’s history and this summer it also will see the opening of the first two Georgian-theme self-catering cottages.
These cottages, housed in original farm buildings, will allow visitors to stay overnight at the museum for the first time. Beamish chief executive Rhiannon Hiles said of the culmination of all the work: “This is a major moment in the museum’s history and an incredibly proud and exciting time for Beamish."