The Light

There is a new museum in Durham city, The Light. It is a sister museum to The Story and continues to demonstrate how good The Durham Light Infantry (DLI) was, with first hand experiences recounted.

I was only expecting to be in this museum for half an hour. I am not an avid military history kind of gal, but the stories and snippets of information had me entranced, some emotive, heroic, amusing and so odd. To purists, some of the links may appear attenuated, so if you wish to delve deeper for information, you can request specific information from The Story.

The Light is a £17 million-funded redevelopment of the former DLI Museum, which closed in 2016. It opened in August 2026. The surroundings have a rural feel, and there are many ancient trees. They even left a huge lime tree in the car park, thank goodness.

The area is where Ackley Heads Colliery was.

As you walk in, the lighting arrangement even looks like an exhibit pertaining to light. Spot the naughty carrion crow over the café serving area.

The DLI exhibition is in darkened rooms, with many display cases and illuminated photographs. It is worth reading the small print at the bottom.

Let's take a peep at some of the displays. The first display that caught my attention was about sporting prowess, and it had an equestrian polo theme in which the Durham Light Infantry won 17 matches in India, where Rudyard Kipling wrote his polo story 'The Maltese Cat'.

The scientist Sir William Herschel (1738 to 1822) is known for discovering Uranus and infrared light. He was also a composer, so while living in the North East he became the inaugural bandmaster for the Durham Militia. He did not play with them, but taught and composed music.

You can see modern day infrared equipment on display.

You may recognise many of the features in other displays. There are a couple that Ray Lonsdale has depicted, like the Bradford Boys and The Belsen Stragglers.

There are references to Captain Richard Wallace Annand (1914 to 2004) who is featured in a bust at Durham Town Hall and a statue at South Shields Town Hall.

I liked the display of guns, especially the gatling gun-type handle used to operate it.

In another display was a Christmas card depicting gallows humour.

Many armies brought back large wooden crosses that had been used during the wars and there is one here, where a moment of observation can be taken. Dangling beside it are discs commemorating men of the Durham Light Infantry.

Outside on the terrace you can have a cuppa and there is a sweeping view of a weeping willow and pond.

The Durham Light Infantry exhibition is free, but if light and colour is your thing, 'Victory Over the Sun' is an exhibition that costs £12 to visit and is on until early 2027. The website tells us:

'From the invention of the light bulb to contemporary light art, discover how artificial light transformed the modern world and inspired generations of artists.'

The L symbol reminds me that its creator may have got inspiration from an off-cut when putting in a new kitchen worktop.

There is onsite parking of which is currently £1 hour. We used it to go over to Wharton Park where parking can be 60p per half hour. Both cost more because they are near the railway station.