The Auckland Project

About

Come and see over a thousand years of history, art, culture and faith, within the beautiful surroundings of The Auckland Project.

Auckland Castle - Auckland Castle is one of the best-preserved bishops’ palaces in the whole of Europe and is at the centre of The Auckland Project.  Positioned high above the meandering River Wear, Auckland Castle was the seat of the Prince Bishops of Durham, a lineage of incredibly powerful men.  The Bishop’s Kitchen café, a shop and the Bishop Trevor Gallery. Housed in the North Apartments of Auckland Castle, the gallery presents treasured pieces of art from private and esteemed collections. 

Auckland Tower - You can then climb the 15-metre-high viewing tower and take a bird’s eye view across the Deer Park, Castle and town. On the way down, drop into the first floor and discover a special exhibition looking at the origins of Auckland Castle and its historical residents, the mighty Prince Bishops.

The Mining Art Gallery - With three permanent rooms and one temporary exhibition space on the ground floor, the gallery explores working life in the coal mines through original artefacts and artworks by prominent mining artists such as Tom McGuinness and Norman Cornish.

The Spanish Gallery - tells a story of Golden Age Spanish art during the 16th and 17th centuries, exploring how its artists expressed the tension between man’s yearning for eternity and the self-evident transience of life.