Palace Green and Durham's University Museums

Palace Green is the calm open space at the heart of the Durham peninsula, framed by the cathedral at one end and the castle at the other. Added to the World Heritage Site in 2008, it is ringed by historic buildings, most of them now part of Durham University, and it is the starting point for some of the city's best museums.

A green with a past

Palace Green probably began as Durham's original marketplace in the late eleventh century, while the cathedral was being built. In the early twelfth century Bishop Ranulf Flambard cleared away the commercial bustle and moved the market north to the present Market Place, so that trade would not endanger the cathedral with fire or filth. The green has kept its dignified, ceremonial character ever since.

Palace Green Library and the Museum of Archaeology

The Palace Green Library, run by the university, holds the University Archives and Special Collections, including the seventeenth-century Cosin's Library founded by Bishop John Cosin. Alongside its historic reading rooms it stages changing exhibitions and a permanent gallery telling the story of Durham. Within the library is the Museum of Archaeology, founded in 1833, whose collections span a quarter of a million years, with a particular focus on the archaeology of North East England.

The Oriental Museum

A short walk from the centre, at Elvet Hill, the Oriental Museum is the only museum in the north of England devoted entirely to the art and cultures of Asia and North Africa. Opened in 1960 and run by the university, it holds more than 23,000 objects, with major collections from China, ancient Egypt, Japan, Korea, the Indian subcontinent and the Middle East; its Chinese and Egyptian holdings are recognised as of national importance.

Visiting

Admission to the permanent galleries at Palace Green Library and the Museum of Archaeology is generally free, while the Oriental Museum charges a modest entry fee, and some special exhibitions may carry a charge. Opening times vary, so check the Durham University venue pages before you visit. Together they make a rewarding, quieter counterpoint to the landmarks on the peninsula above.