Palace Green Library

Palace Green Library is Durham University's main exhibition space, housed in a 17th-century building directly between the castle and cathedral. It runs a changing programme of exhibitions drawing on the university's remarkable special collections: medieval manuscripts, early printed books, archives of the Durham coalfield, maps, and more. Entry to exhibitions is usually free or low-cost.

The Archaeology Museum, housed in the same building, displays finds from prehistoric and Roman sites across County Durham, including material from Hadrian's Wall. The library sits on Palace Green itself — the best vantage point for looking at the cathedral's west front — and is a natural stop between a visit to the castle and the cathedral.

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A story
The collection at Palace Green Library includes the Cosin Bible — one of the most important illuminated manuscripts in England — and the original archives of the Prince Bishops of Durham, who for centuries wielded near-sovereign power in the north as a buffer between the English crown and Scotland. The library building itself, a handsome 17th-century structure, was built under Bishop Cosin, who assembled much of the collection.