NORTH-EAST community groups were given a behind-the-scenes look at the wealth of treasures at an award-winning open-air museum yesterday.

David Miliband, Education Minister with responsibility for School Standards and MP for South Shields, was at Beamish Museum, near Stanley, County Durham, to help launch a month of events at museums and galleries in the region.

At the Back Stage Pass launch event, groups were given exclusive guided tours of the Regional Museums Store, which houses a range of large objects from the Beamish and Tyne and Wear Museums collections.

Accompanied by experts, parties from Cleveland, County Durham and Tyneside were able to view at close quarters the 120-tonne Doxford marine engine, Grubb Parsons telescope, 1928 Northern bus, 54ft Tyne wherry and more.

The event, funded by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council as part of its Renaissance in the Regions programme was to mark the beginning of Museums and Galleries Month, which runs from today until May 31.

Museums and Galleries Month is a celebration of the best of the UK's museums and galleries, and the theme for this year's events is Travel and the Art of Travelling.

The theme celebrates several major anniversaries including the 200th anniversary of the first steam engine and, more recently, the tenth anniversary of Eurostar.

Nineteen museums and galleries across the North-East, from Berwick to Middlesbrough, are hosting a series of events to cater for a variety of ages and interests.

To find out more about events and activities, visit www.may2004.org.uk

Published: 01/05/2004