Discovery Museum

About the museum

The museum opened on 20 July 1934 as the Municipal Museum of Science and Industry, the first science museum outside London. It grew out of the North East Coast Exhibition of 1929, a world fair on the Town Moor that showed the region's industrial skills to more than four million visitors. Local firms such as Vickers-Armstrongs and Parsons Marine Steam Turbine Company supported the new museum, which at first was housed in one of the exhibition pavilions.

In the 1970s the old building was no longer suitable, and Tyne and Wear County Council bought Blandford House, the former northern headquarters of the Co-operative Wholesale Society, as a home for the museum and the county archives. The late Victorian building was built between 1893 and 1899 as a warehouse, offices and meeting space, and its central loading bay now holds the ship Turbinia. The archives moved in by 1977 and the museum followed in 1979.

Today the museum is managed by North East Museums on behalf of Newcastle City Council. Its collections cover science, technology and industry in the North East, maritime and regimental history, social history and a large costume collection. World firsts connected with the region include Turbinia, Joseph Swan's electric lamp and Stephenson's steam engines.

Highlights

• Turbinia, the first ship powered by steam turbines
• Newcastle Story, a gallery about the history of the city
• Science Maze gallery
• Tiny Tyneside play area for under-fives
• Charge! The Story of England's Northern Cavalry
• Free entry

Permanent exhibitions

• Turbinia – The world's first ship powered by steam turbines, built in 1894 by Charles Parsons and once the fastest ship in the world, stands in the central hall.
• Newcastle Story – A gallery on the ground floor about the history of Newcastle and its people.
• Charge! The Story of England's Northern Cavalry – A gallery on the first floor about the regiments of the northern cavalry, with films, talking labels and a virtual tour.

Founded

1934

Operated by

North East Museums

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Entry is free, donations are welcome and no booking is needed. Children aged 11 and under can travel free on the Metro with a fare-paying adult, and a valid bus ticket gives 10% off in the café on selected bus lines.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The main entrance on Blandford Square is step-free with automatic doors, although the front of the building is currently under scaffolding because of roof works. Two public lifts with voice announcers and Braille indicators serve all floors, and accessible toilets are on the ground, second and fourth floors. There is a Changing Places toilet on the ground floor; the key is available from the Welcome Desk. Three wheelchairs can be borrowed and should be booked in advance. Seating is available throughout the museum and assistance dogs are welcome. Several gallery films are subtitled, and the films in the Charge! gallery have British Sign Language interpretation. A visitor map and a visual story can be downloaded to prepare a visit. Blue Badge parking is limited, with two spaces in Blandford Square and a small council car park next to the entrance.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Hands-on stations
• Stroller-friendly
• Baby changing facilities
• Playground / play area
• Kids’ birthday parties

Tiny Tyneside is a play area for children under 5 and the Mini Maze is designed for 5-year-olds, and many displays include hands-on or digital interactives. Tiny Tyneside can be hired for children's birthday parties on Saturdays and Sundays. There is a buggy park on the ground floor, baby changing in the toilets and breastfeeding is welcome anywhere.

Getting there & parking

The museum is inside the Newcastle Clean Air Zone, which does not charge privately owned cars and motorbikes. There are four bike racks to the left of the entrance.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Restaurant: not available
• Museum shop
• Lockers

The Turbinia Café on the second floor serves hot and cold drinks, light meals, cakes and children's lunchboxes. The gift shop is by the entrance on the ground floor. Luggage lockers are on the ground floor, and there is a buggy park, which is not supervised. Toilets with baby changing are on the ground, second and fourth floors.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties
• Corporate events
• Weddings / ceremonies

Up to 300 guests.

Spaces include the Turbinia Gallery, three meeting rooms and the Great Hall, which holds up to 300 people but is not available for bookings until spring 2027 because of roof works.

Plan your visit