Morning, afternoon, evening in or out of season at a time mutually convenient to yourselves and our guides. We require prior notice for groups of more that 15 during Museum hours.
Cars park at the rear of the Museum.
Larger coaches can off load and pick up at the Museum door. Museum staff will advise where coaches can park.
The Weardale Museum does not serve refreshments.
We have a single toilet with disabled access. To avoid queues we recommend a toilet stop before visiting the Museum.
Group leaders should inform us beforehand of any special needs and we will do our best to provide an enjoyable and worthwhile visit. Two downstairs rooms and the chapel are accessible, the upstairs galleries can be viewed using our ipad and in our big books. There are a number of chairs sited around the building for elderly visitors to take a rest. The Tapestry is upstairs but one of the panels can be carried downstairs.
Our charge of £3 includes a talk in the chapel. To avoid queuing it is helpful if payment can be made by cheque to "The Weardale Museum" or if entrance fees have been collected beforehand.
(1) You should plan your visit to last at least 1¼ hours. This allows for a guided talk in the Chapel, viewing of the Museum, toilets, and disembarkation etc. We need to know beforehand the size of the group and your estimated time of arrival/ departure .It is also helpful to know your itinerary so that we can link our talk into other parts of your excursion.
(2) On arrival your group will be met at the Museum door. A formal welcome will be given to the group in the Chapel.
(3) If there are more than 20 in your group it will probably be necessary to split them into two smaller groups (group A and group B) to ensure that your visit is comfortable, informative and enjoyable. Our steward will do this as part of the introduction in the Chapel.
(4) Group A will first visit the Museum. A steward will be available to answer questions but it is mainly a self guided visit.
(5) For your comfort and enjoyment it is best to spread out in the Museum because it is a small four roomed cottage. There are 2 rooms downstairs and a larger gallery upstairs. Our galleries are explained in plain English but in the Cottage Kitchen room a steward will help to interpret objects. Careful handling is welcomed.
(6) Group B remain in the Chapel - One of the stewards will provide a talk about the origins of the chapel and the early Methodists, putting it into a national context and linking it to the frequent visits of John Wesley.
(7) After about half an hour or halfway through the visit Groups A and B will change places.
Our Museum specialises in visits by groups with members who are mainly in their third age e.g. Historical Societies, Adult Education Classes, Church/Chapel and Christian Heritage groups, Holiday Fellowships, U3A, Age Concern, Probus, Ladies Circle, WI, etc.
Visit as a Group to see our Folk Museum, Tapestry & Historic Chapel - all in one place - What more could you want ?