Segedunum Roman Fort and Museum

About the museum

Segedunum was built around AD 125 as an extension to Hadrian's Wall, a few years after the main construction of the Wall, and marks its eastern end. The fort was occupied for almost 300 years, probably until around AD 380. Its barracks and other buildings were rebuilt several times, first in timber and later in stone. After Roman rule the site was used as a stone quarry, and in the 1880s it was sold for housing. Wallsend Colliery later worked beneath it, and shipyards such as Swan Hunter grew up alongside.

The terraced houses on the site were cleared in the 1970s, and a section of the Wall was excavated and rebuilt in the early 1990s. A major excavation project began in 1997, and the museum, built partly by converting former shipyard buildings, opened to the public in June 2000. The site is part of the Hadrian's Wall World Heritage Site.

Today visitors can explore the galleries, walk the excavated fort and the reconstructed length of Wall, and climb the viewing tower for a view over the site and the River Tyne. The museum is managed by North East Museums on behalf of North Tyneside Council.

Highlights

• An 80-metre section of Hadrian's Wall and the excavated fort site
• Roman Gallery on the daily life of the soldiers stationed here
• Viewing tower with views over the fort and the River Tyne
• Audio tour of the outdoor Roman site
• Lost Legionaries Trail for families
• Steel centurion sculpture by John O'Rourke

Permanent exhibitions

• Empire and Frontier – A gallery about life at Segedunum and the Roman frontier on the River Tyne.
• Roman Gallery – Interactive displays on the daily life of the soldiers stationed at the fort.
• Fort site and Hadrian's Wall section – The excavated fort, an 80-metre section of Hadrian's Wall and an audio tour of the outdoor Roman site.

Founded

2000

Operated by

North East Museums (for North Tyneside Council)

Admission & discounts

The adult and concession prices include a £1 voluntary donation. All residents of the NE28 postcode area enter free. A 25% discount on admission is offered with a valid bus ticket, bought in person at the venue only and not combinable with other offers.

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

Lifts serve all floors: a glass lift to the second, fourth (function suite) and ninth (viewing tower) floors, and a closed metal lift in the shop to the third-floor galleries. Both have tactile buttons, and the glass lift also has a voice announcer. The main entrance is reached by a ramp of about 50 metres at a gentle gradient with a handrail on the last stretch. Outdoor areas are accessible, but the reconstructed section of Wall can only be reached by steps. Accessible toilets are on the ground, third and fourth floors. There is no Changing Places toilet on site; the nearest is at Wallsend Customer First Centre, 16 The Forum, Station Road (NE28 8JR), about seven minutes' walk away. Manual wheelchairs can be borrowed from reception. Three Blue Badge spaces are near the main entrance. Assistance dogs are welcome throughout. Benches and chairs are provided in the museum, the Roman garden and along the paths. The galleries use captioned videos, and the film theatre has subtitles. Staff can turn down the sound on some Roman Gallery interactives on request.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Baby changing facilities

The permanent Lost Legionaries Trail sends children in search of lost Roman soldiers, and regular stay-and-play sessions are held for children under five and their carers. Baby changing is on the ground floor, and breastfeeding is welcome, with a seated area and water on request at the welcome desk. Up to three children aged 11 and under travel free on Metro, bus and Shields Ferry with a fare-paying adult.

Getting there & parking

By car, use postcode NE28 6HR via the A1058 Coast Road or the A193/A187. Between 24 October and 1 November 2026 the Metro line between St James and Monkseaton, including Wallsend, is closed, with replacement buses.

Amenities & dining

• Café: not available
• Museum shop

There is no café; snacks and cold drinks are sold in the shop on the ground floor, and visitors can bring their own food to the picnic areas or the lawn. The shop sells books, souvenirs and Hadrian's Wall gifts, and there is also an online shop. Well-behaved dogs on leads are welcome on the fort site but not inside the building, apart from the shop.

Events & venue rental

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

Up to 400 guests.

Rooms include a function suite for weddings and celebrations, two meeting rooms, the Roman Gallery for receptions and dinners (up to 60 seated or 100 standing), the viewing tower for small evening events and the whole museum for large events (up to 400 standing). Free on-site parking is included.

Plan your visit