Frank had visited Scandinavian folk museums in the early 1950s and was inspired to create an open air museum for the North East. He realised the dramatically-changing region was losing its industrial heritage. Coal mining, ship building and iron and steel manufacturing were disappearing, along with the communities that served them.

Frank wanted the new museum to “illustrate vividly” the way of life of “ordinary people” and bring the region’s history alive.
Beamish remains true to his principles today and brings history to life for hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.

Frank passed away on 30th December 2014. Click here to read more about his amazing life.

1958: Frank Atkinson, then director at the Bowes Museum in Barnard Castle, presented a report to Durham County Council, recommending items of everyday history were collected to eventually form part of an open air museum. A policy of “unselective collecting” – “you offer it and we will collect it”- saw an army camp of 22 huts rapidly filled with objects ranging from steam engines to sewing machines.