Spanish Gallery
Gallery of Spanish Golden Age art and culture in Bishop Auckland, part of The Auckland Project, with works by El Greco and other masters.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Spanish Gallery grew out of the story of Auckland Palace, where Francisco de Zurbarán's paintings of Jacob and his twelve sons have hung for more than 250 years. The gallery tells how these paintings travelled from Spain to England nearly 300 years ago and presents them in the wider context of Spanish art and culture.
It is run by The Auckland Project, the charity that also looks after Auckland Palace, the Faith Museum, the Mining Art Gallery and Auckland Tower. The gallery occupies four floors in two Grade II listed buildings in Bishop Auckland, and describes itself as the first gallery in the UK devoted to the art and culture of the Spanish Golden Age.
The displays draw on objects from the Zurbarán Trust, a sister charity founded in 2012, whose holdings of paintings, furniture, sculpture, drawings and prints span nine centuries. Highlights include El Greco's Christ on the Cross, a large altarpiece by Juan Bautista Maíno and Francisco Ribalta's almost three-metre painting of Saint Michael overcoming Lucifer.
Highlights
- El Greco, Christ on the Cross
- Juan Bautista Maíno, The Copatronazgo of Saint James and Saint Teresa of Avila
- Francisco Ribalta, Saint Michael the Archangel overcoming Lucifer
- The Virgin of the Assumption attributed to Alejo de Vahía
- The story of the Zurbarán paintings of Jacob and his twelve sons, which hang in Auckland Palace
Permanent exhibition
- Spanish Golden Age collection – Paintings and objects of Spanish Golden Age art across four floors, with works by El Greco, Maíno and Ribalta and the story of the Zurbarán paintings of Auckland Palace.
- Founded
- 2021
- Operated by
- The Auckland Project
Admission & discounts
| Adults | £12.50 |
|---|---|
| Children & teens | £6free up to age 4 · Child ticket £6; children aged 4 and under enter free. |
| Visitors with disabilities | –companion free · A free ticket is available for a personal assistant or essential carer, shown with proof of ID. |
| Groups (10+ people) | –Group discounts apply to pre-booked groups of 10 or more; one free driver ticket per coach or minibus. Groups can book by phone or through the online form. |
| Families | £18.50Family 1: one adult and up to four children aged 4 to 15 (under 3s free). |
| Family 2 (two adults and up to four children aged 4 to 15) | £31Under 3s free. |
| Annual Pass (adult) | £30Covers the Spanish Gallery, Auckland Palace and gardens, the Mining Art Gallery, the Faith Museum and Binchester Roman Fort; child £13.50, Family 1 £45, Family 2 £75. Kynren and the Weardale Railway are not included. |
| Local Annual Pass (adult) | £24For residents of postcodes DL4, DL5 and DL13 to DL17, with proof of address; bought in person only. |
Art Pass holders and Friends of The Auckland Project enter free. Annual passes are discounted with a valid rail or bus ticket dated for the day of the visit.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The gallery is wheelchair accessible, with a lift to each floor, and accessible toilets are provided in each venue of The Auckland Project. A hearing loop is available at the welcome desk. Verified assistance dogs are welcome and should be kept on a short lead. A small number of manual wheelchairs can be borrowed by arrangement. The accessible car park is North Bondgate, about 650 metres from the palace along a mostly flat route with some gravel. A free ticket is available for a personal assistant or essential carer. An access guide for the gallery and restaurant is available online.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Bishop Auckland railway station · 15-min walk
Bishop Auckland railway station is about a 15-minute walk from Market Place, with hourly trains from Darlington taking about 25 minutes. Go North East runs The Castles Express bus from Newcastle to Bishop Auckland.
By car
Paid parking
North Bondgate car park (postcode DL14 7PG) costs £1 for up to two hours and £4 for all day, charged 24 hours a day including Bank Holidays, and has electric vehicle charging points. Free coach parking is available at North Bondgate and Park Head Hotel but must be booked in advance by email.
Coach passengers can be dropped off at the Market Place bus stop or the loading bay outside the Spanish Gallery. Bike racks are in Market Place. Bishop Auckland is about 12 miles south of Durham, 13 miles north of Darlington and 30 miles south of Newcastle upon Tyne.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
El Castillo, a tapas restaurant, is in Market Place, and the Bishop's Kitchen café is in Auckland Palace. Dogs other than assistance dogs are not allowed inside the galleries.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | A guided tour starts at 11:00, and free-flow entry runs from 12:00 to 16:00. Further guided tours can be booked online, and educational and group visits are handled by the groups and learning teams. |
