County Durham shines with award acclaim

County Durham is on a winning streak after scooping a series of national and international awards for its standout visitor attractions and experiences.

Last Friday (June 26), Beamish, The Living Museum of the North, was named Art Fund Museum of the Year 2025 during a live broadcast of BBC’s The One Show, scooping the world’s largest museum prize of £120,000, which was presented to chief executive Rhiannon Hiles at a ceremony held at the Museum of Liverpool.

Rhiannon said: “We are incredibly excited and truly elated to be named Art Fund Museum of the Year 2025.

“To receive such a prestigious award is a real honour, a phenomenal achievement, and is credit to the amazing people who make Beamish such a special place. 

“Thank you to our fantastic staff and volunteers and to our communities, visitors, supporters and partners for their support.”

In London, on the same night, Durham was crowned Best UK Destination at the Group Leisure & Travel Awards, beating stiff competition from the likes of London, Liverpool and the Isle of Wight. 

Beamish also picked up Best UK Attraction, while Kynren: An Epic Tale of England won Best Event for Groups.

Other finalists included Raby Castle, Park and Gardens, in the Best Historic Attraction category, as well as The Auckland Project, for Best Christmas Experience.

This followed success for Raby Castle’s stunning walled gardens, which claimed second place at the 2025 European Garden Awards and are now shortlisted for Historic Houses’ Garden of the Year.

The stunning walled gardens at Raby Castle

Meanwhile, luxury spa hotel Seaham Hall has made global headlines, having been named one of the world’s best by international guide La Liste, placing it alongside iconic venues such as The Savoy and Claridges.

Ross Grieve, managing director at Seaham Hall, said: “We’re absolutely thrilled to be recognised by La Liste. 

“It’s a huge honour to be named alongside some of the most legendary hotels around the globe. 

“This accolade is a testament to our incredible team and their passion for creating unforgettable experiences for every guest who walks through our doors.

“Award success and recognition allow us to shine a spotlight on our fantastic team, as well as the great county we are proud to be part of. 

“This achievement adds to the growing list of awards and accolades being celebrated in County Durham; long may it continue."

Finally, Durham’s newest heritage attraction The Story, marked its first anniversary by being shortlisted at the Constructing Excellence North East Awards and the Royal Town Planning Institute Awards 2025.

Councillor Lyndsey Fox, Durham County Council’s cabinet member for economy and partnerships, added: “We are thrilled with these recent awards and recognition, as it really highlights the incredible quality of the offer we have in the county. 

“The awards also follow our recent economic assessment STEAM results which showed overall visitor expenditure has risen to a record £1.38 billion. 

“Durham continues to grow as an exciting and attractive visitor destination, and it is great to see the impact recent investment and developments have had.

“We will continue to strive to grow the county’s visitor economy even further, which in turn benefits our residents and communities.”

Staff and volunteers at The Story, with councillor Lyndsey Fox, centre

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