Newcastle’s Great North Museum, a new £26million flagship attraction for the region, opens its doors to the public on Saturday 23 May.
The new Museum houses internationally-important collections from the Hancock Museum, Newcastle University’s Museum of Antiquities and the Shefton Museum.
Steve McLean, Great North Museum senior manager, explains, “Visitors to the Great North Museum will be able to explore 350 million years of natural history and human evolution, and see breath-taking displays of world-class treasures which have been brought together under one roof.”
The new Museum is situated in the former Hancock Museum, which closed its doors in April 2006 to undergo its transformation into the new Museum, thanks to a £8.75 million grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund.
Displays in the Great North Museum include Living Planet, which is a spectacular double-height gallery, featuring animals from around the world. Live animal tanks and aquaria are integrated into the display, so people can get up close to creatures including tropical fish, pythons and lizards.
The Fossil Stories also features a life-size replica T. rex skeleton and a huge ichthyosaur fossil, plus a spectacular display of crystals and gems.
Children will be kept busy with the interactive displays throughout the museum, plus the Mouse House, a dedicated under fives’ area where children can explore what appears to be a Victorian library – oversized furniture and hidden doors give an ‘Alice in Wonderland’ feel.
The creation of the Great North Museum is part of the wider Great North Museum project involving the redevelopment of the magnificent Hancock Museum, the management of the Hatton Gallery and the development of an off-site store and resource centre.
The project has been led by Newcastle University in partnership with Tyne & Wear Museums, Newcastle City Council, the Natural History Society of Northumbria and the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle upon Tyne.
Professor Paul Younger, Newcastle University pro-vice-chancellor for engagement, and chair of the Great North Museum board, says, “The collections which have been brought together for the first time in this stunning redevelopment of the Hancock Museum are nothing short of astounding.
“From more than half a million items, 3,500 are on display in our new galleries, combining the fruits of the labours of Victorian scholars from the North East of England with the very latest graphic technology. Not only is the result jaw-droppingly impressive, it also unlocks the research potential of this world class collection for generations to come.”
The Museum also features an interactive model of Hadrian’s Wall, which displays exhibits from the entire length of the Wall in the single greatest collection of artefacts from the Hadrian’s Wall World Heritage Site. Star objects in this gallery include an inscription stone that provides conclusive proof that the wall was built on the orders of Emperor Hadrian. Visitors can also see the gold Aemelia Ring, believed to be one of the earliest Christian artefacts found in Britain.
The creation of the Great North Museum has been made possible by £8.75million in funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), in addition to generous funding from a wide range of supporters including the European Regional Development Fund, One North East, Newcastle University, Newcastle City Council, TyneWear Partnership, Northern Rock Foundation, Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Garfield Weston Foundation, Clore Duffield Foundation and the DCMS/Wolfson Museums & Galleries Improvement Fund.
Ivor Crowther, head of the Heritage Lottery Fund in the North East, says, “We’re delighted that the new Great North Museum, with an investment of nearly £9million from the Heritage Lottery Fund, is now ready to welcome a whole new generation of visitors. Once the doors are open, this wonderful new museum will be brought back into the heart of the North East and will provide amazing new collections for everyone to enjoy.”
The temporary exhibition space is a 500 square metre gallery, which can be divided into three separate spaces, allowing complete flexibility in exhibition and event programming. It is large enough to house the biggest touring exhibitions and will be used to show a programme of changing exhibitions, including the British Museum’s Lindow Man, which opens on 1 August.
The Great North Museum opens on Saturday 23 May and will be open from 10am to 5pm on Monday to Saturday, and 2pm to 5pm on Sundays. Admission is free
Great North Museum, Barras Bridge, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4PT
