Some of the Durham Light Infantry’s most treasured objects will go on public display when The Light opens at Aykley Heads on Saturday 22 August. Durham City’s newest cultural venue will combine a free permanent exhibition about the DLI with major contemporary art exhibitions, educational activities, community spaces and a café overlooking the grounds.
The venue is being created by Durham County Council in the former home of the DLI Museum and Durham Art Gallery. Its permanent exhibition, We Are The Durhams, will explore the regiment’s history from its formation in 1758 to the laying-up of its colours in 1968, as well as the story of its modern successors, The Rifles.
Rather than presenting only a military timeline, the exhibition will focus on identity, belonging and community. Visitors will encounter images, sounds, hands-on activities and sensory experiences designed to show the human stories behind the uniforms, including the experiences of servicemen and their families.
DLI objects being prepared for display
The DLI Collection and Archive is held at The Story, the sister venue of The Light. In recent months, its team has been preparing objects for transfer and display in the new gallery.
Among the items examined during a visit by Durham County Council’s deputy Armed Forces Champion, Councillor Adrian Schulman, and Colonel Ted Shields MBE, chair of the trustees of the Former DLI, were a St Dunstan’s Badge, a Silver War Badge and a wedding ring belonging to Private Tom Smith of Boldon Colliery.
They also viewed medals awarded to Sir Thomas Bradford, the eldest of the “Fighting Bradfords”, a family believed to be the most decorated of the First World War. Other objects include a miniature copy of the monument to the 2nd Battalion DLI at Kohima and body armour worn by Lieutenant Colonel Nick Kitson while commanding 3rd Battalion The Rifles in Afghanistan in 2009 and 2010.
“The DLI is such an important part of County Durham’s heritage, as well as being integral to the personal histories of so many of our residents.”
Councillor Schulman said The Light would provide a new way to showcase that heritage, while its contemporary art programme was expected to attract a wider audience and introduce more visitors to the DLI story.
“We Are The Durhams will inform and inspire today’s generation, help us to reconnect with our past, to understand what our forebears endured and overcame, while standing in testament to what can be achieved even in the darkest of days.”
Colonel Shields described the new gallery as an important opportunity to present the county’s armed forces heritage. He said The Light would be a destination for people with connections to County Durham and the DLI, as well as for visitors interested in culture and history.
Contemporary art, tickets and opening hours
The Light’s opening exhibition will be Victory Over the Sun: Encounters with Light. It will feature works by artists including Tracey Emin, Dan Flavin, Olafur Eliasson and Chila Burman, and is scheduled to run until Sunday 17 January 2027.
Tickets for the exhibition are available online at thelightdurham.org.uk. A two-hour timed entry costs £10 for adults and £2.50 for children under 18. An exhibition season pass costs £25. Tickets will also be sold on the door after opening, priced at £12.50 for adults and £2.50 for children.
Entry to The Light itself and the We Are The Durhams exhibition will be free. During August, the venue will open every day. Its hours will be 10am to 5pm on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday; 10am to 8pm on Thursday; and 10am to 4pm on Sunday. The café will open from 10am to 4pm.
From September, The Light will close on Mondays and Tuesdays, while the other stated opening hours will remain unchanged. The building will also include dedicated spaces for education and community activities, flexible rooms for meetings and events, and a café with an outdoor terrace.
The existing 1960s building has been remodelled and extended to create a larger venue for exhibitions. Further information is available through The Light’s website and its Facebook and Instagram accounts.