Over 50,000 visit North East Museums venues during Easter holidays

It was a busy Easter holiday period at North East Museums with over 50,000 people visiting its 12 venues to take part in a range of events and experiences. 

Visitor figures at the Shipley Art Gallery were up 17% on Easter 2024, whilst Arbeia, South Shields Roman Fort and Discovery Museum were up 15% and 13% respectively.  

On 26 April, Discovery Museum welcomed 2,024 people – its busiest single day since before the Covid pandemic, thanks to the launch of the new Tiny Tyneside play space for under 5s. 

Tiny Tyneside is inspired by the themes of Discovery Museum and features miniature Tyne and Swing bridges, Turbinia and Mauretania ships, and hands-on activities.  

The space is supported by North East Museums’ early years partner Lumo, and funded by The Sir James Knott Trust, The Catherine Cookson Charitable Trust, The Reece Foundation, The Wolfson Foundation and North Standard. 

Other popular attractions across North East Museums during the holidays included: 

• Newcastle Puppetry Festival events at the Great North Museum: Hancock 
• ‘Easter Eggspress’ heritage train rides and the launch of a new miniature railway at Stephenson Steam Railway, North Tyneside. 
• Easter Bunny at Woodhorn Museum, Ashington. 

Keith Merrin, Director of North East Museums, said: 

“Our 12 museums and art galleries are at the heart of the North East offering a warm welcome to everyone and a great value, fun day out for families. I am really pleased that so many people decided to spend their family time with us this Easter.  

“I often hear that trips to museums are some of people’s fondest memories of childhood. We’ll have plenty to see and do during May half term and I would encourage families to plan a visit and make new memories.” 

Moving into summer, there are new exhibitions and events for adults to enjoy as well. 

The Late Shows (16-17 May) is a free, late-night culture crawl co-ordinated by North East Museums, now in its 17th year. Over two nights, 70+ cultural venues open in the evening and put on special events. The idea is to experience as much as possible and there are free buses to help people get around. 

The new exhibition With These Hands opens at the Laing Art Gallery on 17 May. Featuring loans from Tate, the Royal Academy and the Victoria & Albert Museum, the show will explore the representation of craft in paintings, drawings, and prints. 

Meanwhile at South Shields Museum & Art Gallery, Spirit of the North East takes a retrospective look at the life and art of Richard Hobson (1945–2004). The exhibition is open now and captures the region’s changing landscapes, industry and communities. 

The Coal Town Collection, a new exhibition of documentary photography by Mik Critchlow (1955-2023), opens at Woodhorn Museum on 24 May. His work depicts the end of the coal mining industry in Ashington and its impact on the town's people and places.

North East Museums (formerly Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums) is a regional museum, art gallery and archives service. It manages the following venues: 

• Arbeia, South Shields Roman Fort 
• Discovery Museum 
• Great North Museum: Hancock 
• Hatton Gallery 
• Hexham Old Gaol 
• Laing Art Gallery 
• Morpeth Chantry Bagpipe Museum 
• Segedunum Roman Fort 
• Shipley Art Gallery 
• South Shields Museum & Art Gallery 
• Stephenson Steam Railway 
• Woodhorn Museum.