A Rainy Day in Durham: Indoor Things to Do

Durham does dramatic weather rather well — the cathedral looks all the more brooding under a grey sky — but there are only so many soggy riverside walks a family can take. Happily, this is a compact city with plenty to do under cover, much of it free and most of it within a few minutes of the market place. Here are our favourite indoor things to do in Durham when the rain sets in, for grown-ups and children alike.

Durham Cathedral

The obvious refuge, and one of the best. Durham Cathedral is free to enter, warm and dry, and endlessly absorbing, from the massive Norman columns of the nave to the Shrine of St Cuthbert and the cloisters familiar from the Harry Potter films. There are charges for the tower climb and some exhibitions, but you can happily spend an hour under that great vaulted ceiling for nothing. A working cathedral, it also has a cafe and shop when you need a sit-down.

Best for: Free, atmospheric and vast — the classic wet-weather bolthole.

Palace Green Library and the Museum of Archaeology

A minute's walk away, Palace Green Library houses free exhibition galleries including the Museum of Archaeology, the Durham World Heritage Site Visitor Centre and rotating displays from the university's collections. It is a manageable size for younger visitors and tells the story of Durham from prehistory onwards, making it an easy, dry hour right in the heart of the peninsula.

Best for: Best for a quick, free museum fix without the crowds.

The Oriental Museum

A little further out towards the university, the Oriental Museum is the only museum in the north of England devoted entirely to the art and cultures of Asia and the Middle East, from Ancient Egypt to China and Japan. There is a modest admission charge, but the collections are genuinely world-class and there are often family trails and activities to follow, which makes it a rewarding rainy-afternoon destination for curious children.

Best for: Best for a proper museum outing with plenty to discover.

Bertie's Play Village

For younger children, Bertie's Play Village is an indoor soft play centre right in the middle of town, inside the Prince Bishops Place shopping centre. It caters for ages 0 to 8, with a soft play frame and a separate sensory baby zone, and runs as a straightforward stay-and-play with no need to book and adults going free. Its central spot makes it an easy way to work off some energy between other stops.

Best for: Best for under-8s who need to let off steam.

Durham Climbing Centre

Older children, teenagers and adults after something more active can head to Durham Climbing Centre at Meadowfield, one of the largest dedicated indoor bouldering centres in the country. Bouldering needs no ropes or experience, shoe hire is available, and induction sessions ease beginners in, so it is an easy sport to try for the first time on a wet day. It is a short hop from the city centre.

Best for: Best for burning energy and trying something new indoors.

Gala Theatre and Cinema

When you just want to sit down in the warm, the Gala Theatre on Millennium Place has two cinema screens alongside its 500-seat theatre and a stylish cafe bar. It shows a mix of mainstream and independent films, and there is usually something on stage in the evenings too, from touring shows to pantomime in season. It is a comfortable, central choice to round off a rainy day.

Best for: Best for an easy afternoon at the pictures in the city centre.

Durham Market Hall

Finally, the Victorian Durham Market Hall is free to wander and entirely under cover, its iron-and-glass roof sheltering more than fifty independent traders selling books, records, cheese, flowers and more. It is a characterful place to browse out of the rain, grab a coffee and pick up something for tea, and it sits right on the Market Place in the middle of the city.

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Know a great indoor spot in Durham we have missed? Get in touch and we will take a look.