Museums in North East England
The Great North Museum and the Laing Art Gallery in Newcastle, the BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art in Gateshead, the open-air museum at Beamish in County Durham and the Roman fort of Vindolanda on Hadrian’s Wall.
North East England Museum Guide
Our guide lists 34 museums in North East England across 23 towns and cities. You’ll find the widest choice in Newcastle upon Tyne (7), Gateshead (3), and Hexham (2).
Broken down by focus, the largest shares go to Castles, Palaces & Monasteries (47%), Art & Design (18%), and Science & Technology (12%) – 9 of our 12 categories are represented.
12 museums are free to visit. For the others with a published price, a regular adult ticket costs £13.60 at the median, and the middle half charge between £10 and £19.95.
13 museums are fully wheelchair accessible, 24 offer dedicated programs for families, and 20 have a café or restaurant. These figures come from our ongoing research – museums whose details we haven’t verified yet aren’t included in the counts.
Top 10 museums in North East England
The best-known museums in North East England
Durham CastleCastles & Palaces · Durham
Bamburgh CastleCastles & Palaces · Bamburgh
Warkworth CastleCastles & Palaces · Warkworth
Lindisfarne CastleCastles & Palaces · Berwick-upon-Tweed
Newcastle CastleCastles & Palaces · Newcastle upon Tyne
Arbeia, South Shields Roman FortArchaeology · South Shields
Raby CastleCastles & Palaces · Staindrop
Chillingham CastleCastles & Palaces · Chillingham
Beamish, The Living Museum of The NorthOpen-air · Beamish
Aydon CastleCastles & Palaces · Corbridge
Museums in North East England with free admission
- Arbeia, South Shields Roman FortArchaeology · South Shields
Baltic Centre for Contemporary ArtArt · Gateshead
Discovery MuseumTechnology · Newcastle upon Tyne
LocomotionTechnology · Shildon
Middlesbrough Institute of Modern ArtArt · Middlesbrough
Great North Museum: HancockNature · Newcastle upon Tyne
Laing Art GalleryArt · Newcastle upon Tyne
Shipley Art GalleryArt · Gateshead
Bessie Surtees HouseHistory · Newcastle upon Tyne
CherryburnPeople · Stocksfield
Museums in North East England with programs for families
- Warkworth CastleCastles & Palaces · Warkworth
- Lindisfarne CastleCastles & Palaces · Berwick-upon-Tweed
- Arbeia, South Shields Roman FortArchaeology · South Shields
- Raby CastleCastles & Palaces · Staindrop
- Chillingham CastleCastles & Palaces · Chillingham
- Beamish, The Living Museum of The NorthOpen-air · Beamish
- Aydon CastleCastles & Palaces · Corbridge
Bowes MuseumArt · Barnard Castle
CragsideCastles & Palaces · Rothbury- Baltic Centre for Contemporary ArtArt · Gateshead
Wheelchair-accessible museums in North East England
- Bowes MuseumArt · Barnard Castle
- Baltic Centre for Contemporary ArtArt · Gateshead
Auckland PalaceCastles & Palaces · Bishop Auckland- Discovery MuseumTechnology · Newcastle upon Tyne
- LocomotionTechnology · Shildon
- Middlesbrough Institute of Modern ArtArt · Middlesbrough
- Great North Museum: HancockNature · Newcastle upon Tyne
- Laing Art GalleryArt · Newcastle upon Tyne
Hexham Old GaolHistory · Hexham
Life Science CentreTechnology · Newcastle upon Tyne
Museums in North East England with the highest published visitor numbers
By category
Cities with the most museums
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
How many museums are there in North East England?
Our directory currently lists 34 museums in North East England across 23 towns and cities.
What are the best-known museums in North East England?
Some of the best known are Durham Castle, Bamburgh Castle, Warkworth Castle, Lindisfarne Castle, and Newcastle Castle.
Which museums in North East England offer free admission?
12 museums are free to visit – for example Arbeia, South Shields Roman Fort, Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art, Discovery Museum, and Locomotion.
Which museums in North East England are open on Mondays?
Many museums are closed on Mondays, but according to their regular hours 18 are open, such as Bamburgh Castle, Warkworth Castle, and Newcastle Castle.
Which museums in North East England are wheelchair accessible?
13 museums are fully wheelchair accessible, including Bowes Museum, Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art, and Auckland Palace. Others are partially accessible – you’ll find the details on each museum’s page.
How much does it cost to visit museums in North East England?
A regular adult ticket costs £13.60 at the median, with prices ranging from £7 to £35. Children, students and families usually pay less.
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