About the Film

This museum documentary film follows the creation of the Faith Museum, Bishop Auckland, part of The Auckland Project’s wider cultural regeneration of the town. It is a museum built around a single, ambitious idea: telling the story of Britain through the lens of faith, across six thousand years and more, right up to the present day. The film documents the journey from initial concept through architectural design, construction, object selection and installation, and into the reflections of artists, curators and visitors who bring the space to life.

Bishop Auckland sits at the centre of County Durham, a significant medieval hub and Roman site in its own right, within easy reach of the Durham Dales, the coastal plain, Durham City, and both the Tyne and the Tees.

The Faith Museum is the first of its kind in the UK, solely dedicated to the subject of faith. Set within the grounds of Auckland Castle, it brings together archaeology, art, architecture and lived belief. Beginning in the original Scotland Wing and expanding into a new sandstone-clad extension, the museum weaves historic and contemporary elements into a reflective visitor experience.

A Building Shaped by Belief

The museum sits within one of the most historically sensitive sites in the North East. Nothing new had been built here since 1795, so the architects and curators had to consider how to create a structure that would honour the site’s heritage while offering something new. The result is a space that feels both ancient and modern, with gable forms inspired by sacred architecture from Japan to Ireland.

The building uses Cop Crag sandstone from Otterburn in Northumberland. Its colour shifts subtly in different light, and its variation adds texture and interest. This museum documentary film captures the material up close, showing how the stone changes in tone and character as visitors move through the space. The design is minimal yet symbolic, offering a quiet stage for the objects and ideas held within.

How I Filmed It

My approach to this museum documentary film was grounded in simplicity and attentiveness. I filmed primarily on the Panasonic GH6, using available light and handheld methods to stay flexible during install days, object deliveries and interviews. For tighter spaces and discreet detail shots, I also used the iPhone 15 Pro.

A key tool in this project was the DJI Osmo Pocket 3, which proved invaluable in enclosed situations where space was limited and expensive artworks were being handled. It allowed me to get smooth, wide establishing shots and “fake drone” perspectives without the disruption or risk of flying equipment indoors, especially useful during the fit-out phase, when contractors, technicians and curators were all working in close quarters and timing was everything.

As with many of my heritage films, I prioritised observational shooting. There is no voiceover. The story is told by the people who built the museum, curated its content, designed its spaces and now work with its visitors. The sound design blends natural ambience, footsteps, gallery echoes, the hiss of stone polishing, with thoughtful, reflective commentary recorded using a mix of directional and lavalier microphones.

Collections and Questions

The Faith Museum’s curators took a distinctive approach. Rather than telling visitors what to believe, the galleries ask them to sit with three guiding questions: am I alone? How do I live? Where do I belong? These themes run throughout the galleries and are especially present in Gallery Four, where contemporary artists have created new works in response, including an installation by Mat Collishaw.

Sometimes I’ve had to be quite oblique about references to my faith, because it hasn’t always hit the mark. But here I can be very explicit and very open about the inspiration behind this work, and it feels like the perfect place for it to be.

— Rachael Woodman, artist

Around two-thirds of the museum’s objects come through generous loans from institutions including the British Museum, the V&A, and National Museums Scotland and Wales. Others were found in the ground locally through an ongoing archaeology programme. This museum documentary film captures how these objects were chosen, prepared and installed, revealing the care that goes into even the smallest detail.

A Space for Reflection

The film ends not with a grand unveiling but with quiet visitor moments: volunteers walking through the galleries for the first time, people pausing in front of objects, conversations that linger in the air. The Faith Museum is a place that encourages reflection on belief, religious or otherwise, and this museum documentary film aims to mirror that feeling.

I’ve written more about what the install itself was like in a Filmmaking Notes post.

If the Faith Museum can help somebody become the best person they could possibly be, that’s the whole ambition.

— Jonathan Ruffer, The Auckland Project

The project is part of something wider. The Auckland Project continues to transform Bishop Auckland through cultural investment, heritage regeneration and storytelling, alongside The Spanish Gallery, the Mining Art Gallery and the revitalised Castle itself.

About The Auckland Project

The Auckland Project is a cultural and heritage regeneration charity based in Bishop Auckland, County Durham. Its work spans historic buildings, galleries, gardens and community programmes, all rooted in the belief that culture and heritage can help revive a town’s identity and economy.

Learn more about their work at aucklandproject.org.