A MULTI-MILLION pound exhibition set to transform the experience of visiting Durham Cathedral will unlock its doors on Saturday after three years in the making.

The £10.9m Open Treasure project will give visitors access to the Cathedral’s buildings and collections as never before and is is expected to attract 120,000 visitors annually - helping to maintain free entry to the UNESCO World Heritage site.

Supported by a grant of £3.9 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), the new exhibition route will tell the story of the Cathedral and its place in the development of Christianity in the North-East through the display and interpretation of its magnificent collections.

Unveiling Open Treasure today (July 21), the newly-installed Dean of Durham, The Very Revd Andrew Tremlett said: “I am in awe and in wonder of the splendour of this space.

“From Saturday this world class exhibition will be opened, transforming the cloisters into a living narrative of how Durham comes here to be in this space, it’s part in our history and the culture that has shaped the North-East.

“It will showcase the collections of Durham Cathedral, including from next year the Anglo-Saxon relics of St Cuthbert – some of the most significant early artefacts in the whole of the country."

Embracing the latest in exhibition technology, Open Treasure combines old with interactive experience, as visitors journey through the most intact surviving medieval monastic buildings in the UK.

Among the permanent exhibits in the Weston Gallery, located within the 14th-Century Monks’ Dormitory, is an extensive collection of Celtic, Anglo-Saxon and Roman stones and casts, including the impressive, towering crosses that loom high over visitors’ heads as they enter the Monks’ Dormitory.

Dean Tremlett said: “The economic viability of our churches is an important and sensitive subject and here at Durham Cathedral we pride ourselves on our free entry policy, but just like any ancient building, we have important maintenance work to do and overheads to meet.

"We therefore took the decision to charge a modest entry fee for Open Treasure."

He added: “Open Treasure is so much more than a creation of stunning exhibitions and displays to be enjoyed by all who come and visit.

"It is an imaginative programme of learning and of outreach enhancing the work of the Cathedral that will be expanded with schools and the local community, continuing the monastic tradition of learning."

National Heritage Memorial Fund trustee and member of the Heritage Lottery Fund's North East Committee, Richard Morris said: “A place of worship for thousands and a spectacular attraction drawing visitors from near and far to the city, Durham Cathedral is a heritage treasure in the North-East.

"The Open Treasure exhibition will not only boost the cathedral’s continuing popularity but will also keep its visitors at the heart of its heritage."

Open Treasure will be open Monday to Saturday 10am - 5pm (last entry 4pm) and Sunday 12.30pm - 5pm (last entry 4pm). Tickets to Open Treasure are priced from £2.50 - £7.50, are available at the Durham Cathedral information desk at the rear of the Cathedral Nave and online at www.durhamcathedral.co.uk/open-treasure.