The Story
A place to uncover history and create your own.
Discover the past, celebrate the present and create the future of County Durham
Because this is our story – and we’re all part of it.
Full website coming soon
About
The Story will offer a gateway to the history of County Durham and its people. Bringing together our diverse collections of records and objects for the first time, The Story will chart thousands of years of everyday life in the county. Visit us to explore history from a new perspective with free permanent and temporary exhibitions or, join us to research your own story in our state-of-the-art research facilities. You can even create a new story by getting married or registering the birth of your new one here. And, when it’s time to take a break, our café will offer the perfect place to grab a cuppa and enjoy our beautiful grounds.
Here, fact is more amazing than fiction.
Registration Services
As the new home of the County Registration Service, The Story is where the most important life events of our residents will be recorded for the future. It will provide the central point for the statutory registration of births, deaths, marriages and civil partnerships, as well as becoming a stunning venue for hosting marriages and civil partnerships.
Prior to the opening of The Story, all county registration services can still be found at:
Learning at The Story
Drawing on our combined collections and the many fascinating treasures they hold, our workshops are designed and delivered with the aim of educating and inspiring.
For more information contact: learning@thestorydurham.org.
Get involved
Volunteers are key to unlocking and sharing Durham’s stories, supporting people to discover the past, celebrate the present, and creating the future of Durham.
To find out more contact volunteering: volunteering@thestorydurham.org.
600+
tonnes of historic material
9km
of historical documents
900+
years of records
5
County Durham collections coming together for the first time