From 11 July to 2 November 2025, the Museum has welcomed almost 30,000 visitors, more than 40% above the predicted visitor figures. The last week of the exhibition, which also coincided with October half term, saw a record-breaking number of visitors to the Museum since it opened in 2016, with over 2,500 people flocking to see the documents before the exhibition ended.
Andrew Usher, Chief Officer: Visitor Experience and Enterprise at Durham Cathedral says,
The extraordinary documents remain enduring symbols of social justice in the world today. The story of the documents was also brought to life with a number of contemporary artworks and interactive installations throughout the cathedral, which also engaged thousands more cathedral visitors throughout the run of the Magna Carta and the North exhibition.
The last time the Magna Cartas and the Forest Charters were on display at Durham Cathedral was in the summer of 2017 when almost 19,000 people came to see them over an 11-week period.
Andrew continues,
“We care for an extensive medieval archive here at Durham Cathedral and the Magna Cartas and Forest Charters are some of the most remarkable documents within it. The exhibition has now closed and these fragile documents have once again gone into storage to allow them to 'rest' and be carefully looked after as they have been for the last 800 years.”
Elements of the Magna Carta and The North exhibition can still be viewed online, including how these rare documents are cared for whilst not on display to the public.
