Woodhorn Museum

For a taste of Northumberland's history and mining heritage try a visit to Woodhorn - Museum and Northumberland Archives, near Ashington.

Woodhorn is based in original colliery buildings with a stunning new building, inspired by the monster coal cutting machines that were once used deep underground. Its entertaining and interactive displays paint a picture of life in this former mining community.

You can take an emotional journey through Coal Town and learn about the life and loves, tears and tragedies of a proud mining community.

You can also explore the colliery buildings, hum along to a brass band, see the colourful miners' banner and even design your own banner. There's a regular programme of touring exhibitions covering everything from fashion and tattoos to photography and mining art.

Woodhorn is home to The Ashington Group Collection - a unique collection of paintings by the artists more affectionately known as the Pitmen Painters whose story has been celebrated in the award winning play of the same name by Billy Elliot writer Lee Hall.

If you want more history you can visit the Northumberland archives at Woodhorn which house everything from old maps and photographs to church records. With 800 years of history, it's just the thing if you're researching that family tree.

Touch screens will show you how to get started if you want to delve into the past and Woodhorn's study centre welcomes visitors all year round - just bring some id with you.

The separate Workshop Galleries offers visitors some great, large scale exhibitions too. Past exhibitions have included Wallace & Gromit, famous cars of TV and film, even the BBC Walking with Dinosaurs!

Visitors can explore the grade 2 listed colliery buildings, enjoy lunch in the cafe or wander around the country park in which it is all located.

Free admission. (Occasionally some big exhibitions have charges.)