Heritage Open Day 2026
A day of free activities celebrating Northumberland's coal mining heritage and culture.
Historic Event
This is a historic event or exhibition. It is no longer available to visit and this page is only retained as a record of its details.
Visit our What's On page for current and future event and exhibition details.
Dates
12 September 2026 (historic event)
About
To celebrate Heritage Open Days 2025, we are opening our doors for a special day of FREE entry and activities.
Events throughout the day:
Northumbria Lacemakers
10:00 – 16:00: Northern Rock Gallery/ Drop -in
The Northumbria Lacemakers are a group promoting lacemaking throughout the North East of England. Come along and meet the group, see lacemaking demonstrations and even have a go yourself!
Northumberland Wildlife Trust Nature for Health and Wellbeing Fair
11:00 – 15:00: Workshop Galleries/ Drop-in
Discover how connecting with nature can benefit your mental and physical wellbeing at this free drop-in fair.
Meet more than 20 local charities, organisations and community groups and explore volunteering opportunities, campaigns, training, events and activities taking place across Northumberland. Find out how you can get involved and make a positive difference to the natural spaces and coastal places on your doorstep.
Community of Coal: Talk and Tour
1pm: Entrance to Coal Town
Join a pop-up tour of A Community of Coal: Six Canny Tales from the Woodhorn Collection, curated by the Museum Marras, the Woodhorn collections volunteers. Catherine, Hazel and John will guide you through Coal Town, sharing the stories behind the objects.
Find out more about the trail here.
High Spen Miners Dance Centenary Exhibition
All day: Upper Ground Floor/ Drop-in
Celebrate 100 years of the High Spen Miners Dance, a unique piece of North East mining heritage. Founded in 1926 by miners from the Bute Pit in High Spen, the Rapper Sword Team – known as The Blue Diamonds – continues to perform today thanks to four generations of the Forster family.
This pop-up exhibition explores the history of the dance and its remarkable survival through a century of social and industrial change. Meet fourth-generation custodian Frederick (Ricky) Forster, who will be on hand to share stories of the tradition and the family that has kept it alive.
PLUS...free access to the rest of Woodhorn Museum and the opportunity to explore Northumberand's proud mining heritage.
