Preston Hall, which stands in 100 acres of parkland, was originally opened as a museum and park by Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council in 1953. 

The new National Lottery-supported project concentrates on six themes: a Victorian winter garden; Preston Hall and its people; collectors and collecting; the River Tees; Clocking Off, an investigation of working life; and 1895 – The Victorian Street, a major recreation of Victorian society.

Themed galleries in the hall explore the history of the Grade II listed building as well as the surrounding borough. One of the many treasures on display is Georges de la Tour’s 'The Dice Players' (c. 1650). The restoration work went as far as creating a full reconstruction of the original Victorian kitchen garden and orchard, where staff and volunteers recreated authentic plant and vegetable varieties from the Victorian era.

Similar attention to period detail has gone into Preston Park’s impressive Victorian street, which boasts fully restored shops, including a printer, a forge, a draper, grocer and a Victorian tea room.