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Visit Open Treasure, an outstanding exhibition experience through the UK's most intact medieval monastic buildings.

Interactive Story of Christianity
Treasures of St Cuthbert
Ever-changing exhibitions
Family Fun at Open Treasure
The Pilgrimage and Community Galleries
Book Open Treasure tickets online

Exhibition opening times

  • Monday – Saturday: 10am – 5pm
  • Sunday: 12.30pm – 5pm
  • Last entry is at 4pm.

Winter opening hours: from 1 December 2019 to 18 January 2020, Open Treasure will be open to the public as follows:

  • Monday – Saturday 11am to 4pm
  • Sundays 12.30pm – 4pm
  • Last entry is at 3pm.
     

Closure dates

Open Treasure is closed on Good Friday, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day.

We also need to close when we swap exhibitions over, usually for a week. Upcoming Open Treasure closure dates are listed below.

  • From 4pm Saturday 18 January 2020 until 10am Monday 27 January 2020
  • From 4pm Sunday 10 May 2020 until 10am Tuesday 19 May 2020

Open Treasure ticket prices

  • Adults: £7.50
  • Children aged 5-18: £2.50
  • Under 5s: free
  • Family ticket for 2 adults and up to 3 children: £17.50
  • National Art Pass holders receive 50% discount on ticket price.
  • Students, unwaged, Cathedral Volunteers, Friends of Durham Cathedral, members of Durham Cathedral Choir Association: £6

Annual pass

Think you will be a regular visitor? Our annual pass might be better value.

  • Adult Annual Pass: £15
  • Child’s Annual Pass aged 5-18: £5
  • Students, unwaged, Cathedral Volunteers, Friends of Durham Cathedral, members of Durham Cathedral Choir Association: £12

Combination ticket

Enjoy access to Open Treasure and a guided tour for just £10 when you upgrade your Open Treasure ticket at the Visitor Desk.

Book your tickets online

Some time slots can get very busy. Why not pre-book your tickets using our online Open Treasure ticketing option?

New! Curator-led tours of Open Treasure

16-20 December, 6-10 January and 13-17 January

Delve deeper into the rich history of Durham Cathedral and its treasures with a 45 minute tour from our expert curator team, free with your Open Treasure ticket. Tours will take place each day at 11.30am and 2.15pm.

Ten Minute Talks in Open Treasure

Hear an Open Treasure Gallery Attendant sharing their detailed insights into our collections, exhibitions and buildings in short, informative talks. These talks take place in the Open Treasure exhibition spaces on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 2.00pm. No booking necessary, Open Treasure admission fee applies.

See upcoming Ten Minute Talks on our What's On page

Frequently Asked Questions

How to buy tickets

Buy Open Treasure tickets online

Or you can buy them from the Visitor Desk in the Cathedral on the day or in advance by calling 0191 338 7178.  

Please don’t bring large bags or food and drink

Unfortunately bags larger than hand luggage size cannot be brought into Open Treasure.

We also ask that you don’t eat or drink anywhere in Open Treasure. This helps us to protect the objects and spaces for the future.

Photography

Many of the objects are fragile and can be damaged by photography. Please do not take any photos anywhere in the Open Treasure spaces, apart from the Dress Up As a Monk section.

Toilets

There is one accessible toilet and baby-changing facility half way round the Open Treasure exhibition. This is on the ground floor of the exhibition on the left of the entrance to the Treasures of St Cuthbert.

The main Cathedral toilet block also has accessible toilets.

Watch

The Treasures of St Cuthbert - Dr Janina Ramirez

Accessibility within Open Treasure

Accessing the exhibition spaces

The entrance to Open Treasure is via stairs from the Cloister up to the Monks’ Dormitory. There is an enclosed platform lift to access the first floor and the starting point for the exhibition.

The two main galleries are not at ground floor level so there is no level access route into Open Treasure. The lift and exhibition spaces are unable to accommodate motorised scooters.

The lift is 1.4m deep, and 1.1m wide, with a door width of 90cm.

After the Collections Gallery, there is another enclosed platform lift to take visitors back down to ground floor level.

There are benches throughout the Open Treasure exhibition experience for visitors who wish to stop and rest.

Assistance dogs

Guide dogs, hearing dogs and support dogs are welcome in Open Treasure.

Visitors with a visual impairment

The majority of the Open Treasure exhibition is text based. However gallery attendants and volunteer stewards can explain and give information about exhibits.

There are some tactile exhibits within the exhibition, as well as scents and music.

Touch Tours will soon be available. Dates will be announced in advance and booking will be essential. Please take a look at What's On.

A large print version of the text is available.

Visitors with a hearing impairment

There is currently no audio guide to Open Treasure.

The information desks in Open Treasure are fitted with induction loops.

British Sign Language tours are occasionally available, dates are announced in advance and booking is essential. Upcoming British Sign Language tours will be listed on our What's On page.

Accessible toilets

There is one accessible toilet within Open Treasure. The main Cathedral toilet block near the Shop and Restaurant also has accessible toilets.