North East Museums Facts for Kids

North East Museums is a group of museums and archives in the north-east of England. It helps look after many interesting places across the Tyne and Wear area. This group used to be called Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums. It changed its name to North East Museums on 26 November 2024.

Local councils have managed these museums and archives since 1986. They get money from these local councils and from Arts Council England to keep everything running. Since 2021, Keith Merrin has been the director. On 1 April 2025, three new places in Northumberland joined the group.

Exploring North East Museums
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Exploring North East Museums

North East Museums looks after 12 different museums and art galleries. They also manage the county archives, which are like a huge collection of historical documents. They even share a special storage place for museum items at Beamish Museum.

Amazing Museums and Galleries

Here are some of the exciting places you can visit that are part of North East Museums:

Arbeia Roman Fort and Museum in South Shields
Discovery Museum in Newcastle upon Tyne
Great North Museum: Hancock in Newcastle upon Tyne
Hatton Gallery in Newcastle upon Tyne
Hexham Old Gaol in Northumberland
Laing Art Gallery in Newcastle upon Tyne
Morpeth Chantry Bagpipe Museum in Northumberland
Segedunum Roman Fort and Museum in Wallsend
Shipley Art Gallery in Gateshead
South Shields Museum & Art Gallery in South Shields
Woodhorn_(museum) in Northumberland
Stephenson Railway Museum in North Shields

Keeping History Safe: The Archives

The Tyne and Wear Archives keep important historical records safe. These archives are located inside the Discovery Museum in Newcastle upon Tyne. They hold documents that tell us about the past of the region.

Working Together: Special Projects

North East Museums often works with other museums and galleries. They create fun and interesting projects for everyone.

The Late Shows: This event happens every May since 2007. During The Late Shows, many museums and galleries open their doors for free in the evening. It's a great chance to explore them in a different way!
A History of the North East in 100 Objects: This big project started in June 2013. It brought together 100 special objects from across the North East. Each object tells a story about the region's history.