The Durham Archaeological Museum is part of the University of the same name. It was the second university museum in England to be open to the public. Originally, the museum housed a typical Victorian collection of natural history specimens, curiosities and foreign antiquities such as fragments from the coffin of St Cuthbert, prehistoric flints, Hadrian's Wall coins, a York bone shoe and various objects from Rome, Carthage, Jerusalem and Memphis.

To date, although the museum pays particular attention to archaeological finds from the north-east of England, the collection also includes national and international material, largely excavated by members of the Department of Archeology at Durham University.