Culture House

About Culture House

Culture House opened on Keel Square on 12 September 2026, giving the city centre a four-floor public building that combines Sunderland's City Library with exhibition space, digital collections and rooms that community groups and businesses can book. A tall central atrium runs from the ground floor to the roof, and the building faces the open square at the top of High Street West, close to the Fire Station and the Empire.

The University of Sunderland's Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art has moved into the building, opening with a solo exhibition of the artist Audrey Amiss that runs until January 2027. The venue also hosts events and talks and offers venue hire. Culture House is open every day from 10am to 6pm. While Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens is closed for its redevelopment, Culture House is one of the main places in the city centre to find exhibitions and access to local heritage collections.

Featured in These Guides

Blog posts and guides that feature Culture House.

Riverside Sunderland Explained: What Is Being Built on the Old Vaux Site

A plain guide to Riverside Sunderland: what has been built on the Vaux site since 2019, the homes still to come at Vaux, Farringdon Row and Sheepfolds, and what you can visit now.

The History of the Sunderland Empire Theatre

From Vesta Tilley's opening night in 1907 to Tommy Steele, the Beatles, Sid James and today's touring musicals: the story of the Sunderland Empire on High Street West.

St Peter's Church, Monkwearmouth and the Venerable Bede

The story of St Peter's, Monkwearmouth: Benedict Biscop's monastery of 674, the boyhood of Bede, the books made here, the layers of the building and how to visit today.

Shipbuilding on the Wear: The Yards, the Liberty Ship and the SD14

The story of Sunderland's shipyards, from Thomas Menville in 1346 to Thompson's Liberty ship design, the SD14 and the 1988 closure, with where to see the river's shipbuilding past today.

Sunderland Glass and Pottery: From Bede's Windows to Pyrex and Lustreware

How Sunderland became a glassmaking and pottery town: Hartley's plate glass, Jobling's Pyrex, lustreware bridge jugs, the National Glass Centre years and the Glassworks planned for 2028.

What Is a Mackem? The Word, the Accent and the Identity

What Mackem means, where the word may come from, how the Sunderland accent and dialect differ from Geordie, and a short glossary of Wearside words.

Working Remotely in Sunderland: Libraries, Cafes and Coworking

Where to work remotely in Sunderland, from the City Library at Culture House and laptop-friendly cafes to hot desks at the Software Centre and serviced coworking at Doxford.

Sunderland on Screen: Film, TV and the Places Behind Them

Sunderland 'Til I Die, Premier Passions, the Empire premiere, Penshaw on television and the new Crown Works Studios: the city's screen story and the places you can visit.

Summer Holiday Activities for Kids in Sunderland

Holiday courses, beaches, country parks, wetlands, watersports and the Summer Reading Challenge: ways to fill the six-week break in Sunderland.

Family Activities in Sunderland: Days Out, Indoor Fun and Weekly Clubs

Beaches, country parks, wetlands, castles, climbing, swimming and soft play: a family guide to Sunderland, with links to our detailed guides for each.

Rainy Day Ideas for Families in Sunderland

Indoor things to do with children in Sunderland when it rains: Culture House, swimming, soft play, trampolining, the cinema, a pantomime at the Empire and smaller museums.

Where to Park in Sunderland

Multi-storeys, surface car parks, the seafront and park and ride at St Peter's: a practical guide to where to park in Sunderland city centre and on the coast.

Getting Around Sunderland Without a Car

The Metro Green line, Park Lane Interchange, trains to Newcastle and London, buses, cycling routes and the Keel Crossing: how to get around Sunderland without a car.

Free Things to Do in Sunderland

Beaches and Roker Pier, Penshaw Monument, city parks, Culture House, Hylton Castle's grounds and the Fans Museum: free things to do in Sunderland that cost nothing to enjoy.

Moving to Sunderland: A Practical Guide

Neighbourhoods, housing, council tax, schools, transport and the changing city centre: a practical guide for anyone moving to Sunderland or thinking about it.

Council Services in Sunderland: Bins, Council Tax and More

Bin days, garden waste, recycling centres, council tax, parking permits, libraries, registering a birth and reporting problems: a guide to council services in Sunderland.

Best Coffee Shops and Cafes in Sunderland

From a seafront roastery cafe at Roker to a Mediterranean cafe bar on Burdon Road and a tea room at Mackie's Corner, here are Sunderland's best coffee shops and cafes.

Best Breakfast in Sunderland

Where to get a good breakfast in Sunderland, from early Full Englishes on the Roker and Seaburn seafront to a Fulwell cafe that opens at 8.30am every day.

Things to Do in Sunderland: The Complete Guide

From Roker Pier and the Seaburn sands to the Empire, Culture House, Penshaw Monument and St Peter's Church, a practical guide to things to do in Sunderland.