Welcome
The Mining Art Gallery will provide a permanent home for the renowned Gemini Collection of Mining Art, which includes more than 420 works by prominent local artists such as Tom McGuinness and Norman Cornish.
Using this powerful imagery the site will help visitors to understand what it felt like to work in the coalmines and shed light on why some miners felt it necessary to paint the dark, clamorous, claustrophobic and arcane world, otherwise denied to the gaze of those above ground.
The Mining Art Gallery will also offer a wide range of opportunities to explore the history of mining and the impact it had, not just on those who worked there, but on County Durham as a whole.

Level access
Hearing
Visual
General
Getting here
Travel by public transport
If travelling by bus you should alight at Bishop Auckland Market Place
The following bus services, service both stops:
Arriva route 6 runs between Durham Barnard Castle via Cockfield, stopping approximately every 30 mins.
Arriva route 18 runs between Durham Barnard Castle via Cockfield, stopping approximately every 30 mins.
Arriva route 56/56A runs between Durham and Bishop Auckland, stopping approximately every 30 mins.
Please check bus routes direct with transport providers. There are additional services that service Bishop Auckland bus station which is located near the Newgate Shopping Centre.
Travel by taxi
We have no affiliation with the suggested taxi services and the information provided is based on current available data at the time of writing this guide. Any suggestions for alternative please inform the accessibility point of contact.
Parking
Blue badge parking bays are available in the market place directly opposite Spanish Gallery. This is also the drop off area.
Additional parking including blue badge spaces is available on North Bondgate which is approximately 0.2 miles / 322 meters.
Arrival
Path to main entrance
Main entrance
Getting around inside
Lift
Lift to all floors
Ticket/ information desk
Reception
Things to See and Do
Gallery 1 - The Art of Mining
Gallery 2 - Coal to Canvas
Gallery 4 - A Dangerous Life
Gallery 5 - Temporary Exhibition
Gallery 6 - Audio Visual Room
• The audio visual room is at times in complete darkness.
• The AV installation changes from time to time and may include flashing images and loud noises.
• Please ask a member of staff for details of the AV content if you have any concerns.
Gallery 7 - Home and Family
Gallery 8 - Community Spirit
There is an alternative staircase leading to and from Gallery 8 if visitors are not comfortable with the main stone spiral staircase.
Public toilet
Public Toilet
There are baby changing facilities available.
Shop
Gift Shop
The gift shop is located within the main foyer near Gallery 1 on the ground floor.
Getting around outside
Customer care support
The Audio Visual installation includes subtitles.
Emergency evacuation procedures
• Our lift must not be used during an emergency evacuation.
• We have an evacuation chair to assist visitors who are unable to use the stairs during an emergency evacuation. In order to provide assisted evacuation a visitor must consent to staff assisting them to move if required from a wheel chair to the evacuation chair. Please do not be offended if a staff member asks you if you would consent to evacuation by evacuation chair in an emergency.
• We are therefore only able to offer access to the upper galleries for one visitor at a time requiring assisted evacuation.
Customer care support
Scooter/Wheelchair storage
• You are welcome to use compact mobility scooters inside the building.
• Larger mobility scooters or wheelchairs that you do not wish to remain seated in while viewing the exhibition can be stored by us at your own risk.