North East England | Northumberland | Museums |

The Heritage Centre, Bellingham, is a small local museum founded by volunteers in 1994. Exhibitions include a fantastic display of old and new photographs, artefacts and memorabilia of the Border Counties Railway (1855-1958), which ran from Hexham on the Newcastle to Carlisle Railway, up the North Tyne Valley via Bellingham and Kielder, and into Scotland where it joined the Carlisle to Edinburgh line at Riccarton Junction. There is also a re-creation of an old-fashioned photographer's shop based on one that was in the village at the beginning of the 20th century, with a large collection of the photographs of W P Collier (1875-1937), an exciting display on the Border Reivers, their weapons and armour, and a new exhibition on local Mining Heritage. There is a children's corner in a small Victorian schoolroom area, with quizzes, games and colouring activities. A new local studies workroom features a public-access database of local names and genealogical data for the family history enthusiast.