Enjoy free events and activities for Heritage Open Days at North East Museums

Visitors across the region can enjoy a range of free tours, talks and activities across North East Museums’ venues as part of Heritage Open Days. 

Heritage Open Days is England's largest community led festival of history and culture. 

Highlights for Heritage Open Days include: a special session to explore the history of the region’s iconic bridges with Tyne & Wear Archives and a glimpse inside the fascinating world of art conservation at South Shields Museum & Art Gallery.   

At the Laing Art Gallery visitors can enjoy an exclusive 20% off admission to With These Hands. The exhibition is open until 27 September and explores the representation of craft in paintings, drawing, and prints from 1750 to the present day 

In addition, visitors can enjoy free entry to Segedunum Roman Fort, Woodhorn Museum and Morpeth Chantry Bagpipe Museum on selected dates. Alongside free tours at Arbeia, South Shields Roman Fort and Hexham Old Gaol. 

Keith Merrin, Director of North East Museums, said: 

“Our museums and galleries are at the heart of heritage in the North East so we’re delighted to be able to offer a breadth of free activities and events for Heritage Open Days. 

Our programme offers visitors a unique opportunity to explore some of our venues for free and step behind the scenes in one of our tours or talks. We hope visitors get the chance to discover something new about the North East’s fascinating heritage over the festival.” 

Heritage Open Days is from 12-21 September. Find out more about what’s happening at North East Museums here. 

Please email communications@northeastmuseums.org.uk

North East Museums (formerly Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums) is a regional museum, art gallery and archives service.  

We manage 12 museums and galleries across North East England and the Archives for Tyne and Wear, attracting around 1 million visits a year. We run these venues and services on behalf of the local authorities of Gateshead, Newcastle, Northumberland, North and South Tyneside, and Newcastle University.  

We are partially funded by these partners and also by Arts Council England (as a National Portfolio Organisation). The rest of our income is generated through our commercial enterprises including our shops, cafes and venue hire, and via fundraising. 

We care for over 1.1 million objects - many of international importance - in archives, art, science and technology, archaeology, military and social history, fashion and natural sciences. 

Our award-winning formal and informal learning activities focus on natural history, local heritage, art, science, technology, engineering and maths, and inspire over 100,000 children and young people each year. 

We work with partners to engage local communities, offering creative activities inspired by our collections to help them to improve their health and wellbeing. 

Our venues   

• Arbeia, South Shields Roman Fort, South Tyneside    

• Discovery Museum, Newcastle upon Tyne    

• Great North Museum: Hancock, Newcastle upon Tyne    

• Hatton Gallery, Newcastle upon Tyne    

• Hexham Old Gaol, Northumberland    

• Laing Art Gallery, Newcastle upon Tyne    

• Morpeth Chantry Bagpipe Museum, Northumberland    

• Segedunum Roman Fort, Wallsend, North Tyneside    

• Shipley Art Gallery, Gateshead    

• South Shields Museum & Art Gallery, South Tyneside    

• Stephenson Steam Railway, North Shields, North Tyneside    

• Woodhorn Museum, Ashington, Northumberland    

• Tyne & Wear Archives