Beamish Museum opens new 1950s Terrace to visitors
Video report by Kris Jepson
Beamish, the Living Museum of the North has officially opened its new 1950s terrace.
Building on the success of its traditional mining town, the museum has added a street with a fish and chip shop, cafe, hair salon and a replica of the former mining artist, Norman Cornish's house.
Chief Executive of Beamish, Rhiannon Hiles, said: "These are places that were part of communities that everybody can resonate with, everybody remembers. I think the queues here today are a testament to that.
"This is something that they're familiar with. It's typical for them in their places where they lived."
Norman Cornish sketched hundreds of images documenting his time in the North East mines and some of his pictures are represented in a replica of the house he used to live in.
Son, John Cornish, told ITV Tyne Tees that stepping back into the house has been a moving and exciting experience.
He said: "My father himself told the story through his artwork. It's very good, the fact that people can visit the house and see all about Norman Cornish, but also can go on to find out more about the community at large."
Maria Abblawhite's father used to own a cafe in Northumberland. John's Grill has been recreated on the Beamish 1950s terrace, including a seating area, bar, ice cream bar and jukebox.
She said: "Loads of memories come flooding back every time I walk into it now, mainly when I was little and I used to watch the girls, the older girls dancing in the aisles.
"I used to like to listen to the jukebox. My mum and dad were busy working in there for a lot of the time. It was just lovely. Lots of memories."