Northumberland National Park Authority is marking a landmark moment as The Sill: National Landscape Discovery Centre welcomes its one millionth visitor, a milestone that coincides with the 70th anniversary of Northumberland National Park.

Since opening in 2017, The Sill has transformed how people connect with the landscapes, nature, and cultural heritage of Northumberland and beyond. Conceived through a pioneering partnership between Northumberland National Park Authority and YHA (England and Wales), and made possible by National Lottery players via a £7.8 million Heritage Lottery Fund grant, and the generosity of many donors, The Sill stands today as a worldclass landscape discovery centre, inspiring care for our finest landscapes and enabling more and different people to benefit from contact with nature.

The Sill was officially opened in September 2018 by His Majesty King Charles III where alongside the Duchess of Northumberland he unveiled a commemorative stone on the building’s unique Whin Sill grassland roof.

From the outset, The Sill was imagined as a place where everyone could experience, learn from, and feel part of the landscape. Its fully accessible design includes a Changing Places facility, the world’s first fully accessible Whin Sill rooftop walk, and a wheel friendly viewing platform overlooking some of England’s most dramatic scenery. The Sill prides itself in being a venue which is welcoming to all and hosts regular activities and events for diverse groups to help people foster connections with the National Park for their health and wellbeing.

Inside, visitors of all ages have discovered exhibitions on landscape, culture and heritage from the Lost Words to Shaun the Sheep, peat bogs to dark skies and enjoyed community and learning spaces, purchased gifts, food and drinks from the Sill shop celebrating local makers and producers, stayed at a 90 bed Youth Hostel, and relaxed in the Once brewed café serving Northumbrian produce.

Over the past seven years, The Sill has grown into one of the region’s most impactful free to enter attractions:
1,015,640 visitors have been welcomed
51,000 people have participated in 1,500 events
69,000 students have had their learning enriched by over 1,000 learning and schools programme events
241,095 people have visited a rich mix of exhibitions
Over 112,000 people have had overnight stays in the Youth Hostel
Thousands of maps, books, and locally made items have been sold
Café favourites enjoyed, include 295,000 hot drinks, 55,000 scones and 39,000 ice creams.

These numbers are more than visitor numbers or purchases, they tell a story of curiosity sparked, connections made, and lives enriched through a range of activities from forest schools to heritage arts and crafts, music and dance performances, training and networking events for farmers, and talks and discussions about important subjects affecting nature, climate and landscape.

The Sill’s achievements have been recognised nationally and internationally, with accolades including:
Recognition by the Council of Europe as a “source of inspiration” for landscape conservation
Gold, 2023 North East Tourism Awards
RIBA North East Award (2018)
Highly Commended, RICS Tourism & Leisure (2018)
Selwyn Goldsmith Award for Universal Design (2019)
A national ESRI award for its Digital Landscapes exhibition

Reaching one million visitors in less than eight years from opening is a remarkable achievement for The Sill and a testament to the vision, commitment, and community effort that brought this unique visitor centre to life. That this milestone arrives in the Park’s 70th anniversary year makes it especially meaningful, inviting us to celebrate our heritage while looking ahead to the future we are helping to shape.

The Sill was created to inspire people of all ages and abilities to discover and enjoy the National Park. Seeing over a million visitors engage with our landscapes, exhibitions, and learning programmes reinforces how vital that mission is.

Designed with a target of attracting 100,000 visitors each year, The Sill has always achieved well above target. As we mark this moment we are celebrating not only where we’ve been, but the importance of how people connect with place and the legacy we will continue to grow for generations to come.

As The Sill steps into its next chapter, Northumberland National Park Authority remains committed to expanding opportunities through exhibitions, projects, activities and events for people to enjoy, understand, and care for the landscapes that make the National Park extraordinary.
Northumberland National Park’s 70th anniversary celebrations continue throughout the year with events, exhibitions, and activities for people to join.

More information can be found on The Sill’s website http://www.thesill.org.uk/