Find out about changes to our services and Christmas opening times on our Festive information page. To find out when your bin will be collected over the festive period, visit Changes to County Durham bin collections at Christmas.

Due to maintenance, the following systems will be unavailable from 11.45am on Tuesday 24 December until 8.00am on Thursday 2 January: our online Council Tax, business rates and housing benefit services, and our welfare assistance form. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

Aykley Heads Cultural Venue

As the UK's National Centre for Light Art, this new venue will draw on County Durham's many associations with light, from the Venerable Bede's Lunar Calendar to Durham University's work on James Webb Space Telescope and the Lumiere festival, the UK's Light Art Biennial.

Occupying the site of the former Durham Light Infantry Museum and Art Gallery (DLIMAG) building and its surrounding grounds, it will bring together art and science to look to the future, and celebrate the county's potential and creativity.

View of proposed building from the south west

What it will offer

exhibitions of high quality contemporary art and culture
a place for people to meet
unique surroundings that educate and inspire
an opportunity for quiet reflection
a creative hub for the Durham Innovation District
a space for events, activities, collaboration, experimentation and exhibition

How to get there

The venue is near Durham City and part of the Durham Innovation District. There are good walking and cycling routes to it, and it is near main roads, bus routes and Durham Railway Station.

Links to sister venue The Story

The venue will be twinned with The Story, which provides the permanent home to the DLI Collection. The two venues will work together, along with other attractions across the county, to support a local, regional and national visitor offer that celebrates our history and heritage.

When it will open

The venue will open to the public in 2026.