Seven Stories takes its love of children's books to Durham with Two Tales

In a converted Victorian mill in the Ouseburn Valley, seven floors are given over entirely to the magic of children's books. Seven Stories, the National Centre for Children's Books, opened in August 2005 after a £6.5 million conversion and has grown into one of the North East's best-loved family destinations.

The charity tells its own story in fairy-tale fashion: once upon a time in 2005, an idea was born on the banks of the Tyne for a place that would protect and celebrate children's books and everything that goes into creating them. Today the building attracts more than 75,000 families every year and has become a cultural hub in the Ouseburn.

Behind the exhibitions sits a national archive celebrating more than 100 years of children's literature. Seven Stories became the National Centre for Children's Books in 2012. Its collection includes Enid Blyton typescripts, bought in 2010, which made it the largest public collector of Blyton material, and manuscripts, notebooks and letters donated by Michael Morpurgo in 2015.

At the heart of its work is a simple belief: that stories belong in every childhood, regardless of circumstance, background or reading ability. The team works with schools and communities across the North East to encourage reading for pleasure, helping children build literacy and oracy skills.

The story has a new chapter in Durham. Two Tales, a Seven Stories pop-up in Durham city centre, combines a bookshop, coffee shop, gallery and school workshops, and invites visitors to "take an adventure by book". It is open from Thursday to Saturday, 10am to 4pm, and lift access to its second floor can be arranged through the Prince Bishop shopping centre if visitors get in touch in advance.

Back in Newcastle, the Lime Street centre is undergoing building improvements over the coming months but remains open, with exhibitions, a bookshop and a cafe. Visitors often remark on how welcoming it is. "This is a wonderful place," one teacher wrote. "It is a fantastic place to understand story-making."

Seven Stories is a registered charity and Arts Council accredited museum. Opening times, exhibitions and Durham pop-up details are on the Seven Stories website.