Walking and Cycling

Barnard Castle is on the route of the W2W cross-country cyle route and many scenic walks. The Museum has bike racks.

By Public Transport

Public transport travel information can be obtained by contacting Traveline on 0870 6082608 or can be planned online at www.travelinenortheast.info.

The nearest railway station to The Bowes Museum is Darlington (17 miles). Situated on the East Coast Main Line, the station is approximately 2.5 hours by train from London, or 35 minutes from Newcastle.

From the station, Barnard Castle is approximately 30 minutes by taxi (obtainable at the station) or 1 hour by bus from Tubwell Row, Darlington (10 minute walk into town centre from railway station). The Arriva number 75 and 76 buses and the Compass Royston number 70 bus all operate from this location to the centre of Barnard Castle, from which it is less than a 10 minute walk to the Museum. The number 70 bus stops at the Museum gates.

Buses can also be obtained from Richmond - Hodgsons number 79 (01833 630730), and from Bishop Auckland - number 8 (www.arriva.co.uk). These journeys take approximately 50 minutes.

Visitors traveling by public transport are entitled to £1 off the admission price to the Museum, on production of a valid transport ticket.

By Air

The principle airports are Newcastle and Durham Tees Valley (the latter may still be labelled as Teesside Airport on some signs and airline websites).

Entrance and Reception

There is a terrace laid with gravel at the front of the building. To avoid the gravel visitors can take a York stone path which runs around the perimeter of the terrace and across to the Museum’s entrance. Four broad steps then take you up to the main doors.

An alternative accessible entrance is located at the east end of the building for those with mobility issues, fitted with an intercom system that links to reception. Once reception is aware, a member of staff will direct you into the building and the front desk.

Large Print information (18 point) is available from the Reception desk.

Gallery plans (free) and Museum guidebooks (£3) can be obtained from the Reception desk.

The Museum has an Audio Guide available for some aspects of the collections (approximately 40 minutes long). A refundable deposit is required for the guide.

Lockers and cloakroom facilities are available free of charge upon request.

A range of seating can be found both in the reception areas and galleries.

A portable induction loop is available at Reception if required.

The Museum has three different sized wheelchairs available for use. They can be found in the main entrance area. It is recommended that you book in advance to ensure availability.

Public Areas – General information (internal)

Attendant staff are available to assist the visitor in any way they can.

The Museum is served by a grand staircase to both public gallery levels. It has handrails to both sides. The public galleries can also be accessed by a lift, operated by a member of staff.

The floors of most of the galleries are constructed of wood, laid in a herringbone pattern, and are part of the Museum’s heritage listing. Due to the age of the building, the floors do move a little when walked upon.

On the first floor, there are areas of flooring constructed of small, multi-coloured ‘terrazzo’ marble chips. Carpet is also used in small areas.

Many of the galleries have rope or elastic cord barriers at about 30 cm high from the floor around the displays to help protect the collections.

On the ground floor, there is level access to the Reception Desk, The Streatlam Galleries, the accessible toilet, Shop and Café Bowes.

There is seating provided throughout the public galleries.

Lighting levels can vary in different parts of the building and at different times of the year. Due to the sensitive nature of some objects in the collection they must only be displayed in very low levels of light, which can be an issue for visually impaired visitors. Some rooms allow daylight to enter, the strength of which can vary depending on the month of the year (the Museum is South-facing).

Public toilets

The Museum has public toilets on the first floor. Pictograms are used to identify the toilets. An Accessible toilet can be found on the ground floor along to the East side of Reception. A radar key is used to lock this toilet and is available from the Reception desk. In addition, there are public toilets outside at the rear of the building which are available from 8 am – 4pm in the summer months.

Café Bowes

The Bowes Museum’s café is located on the ground floor. It is open from 10 am - 3.45pm daily (1 Nov – 29 Feb) and to 4.45 pm (1Mar – 31 Oct). The cafe serves a selection of hot and cold food and drinks, with much of its menu based on locally sourced produce. Hot food is available from 12 – 3pm, including vegetarian options. Catering staff can provide meals for visitors with other special dietary requirements if advance notice is given.