Make & Buy is a celebration of craft at the Shipley Art Gallery.

• We're seeking crafters and makers to sell handmade, non-edible items at the event. 
• We'll also have activity stations run by crafters, where people of all ages can learn about traditional craft techniques and have a go at making.

Requirements for stallholders:

• You must have Public Liability Insurance (PLI) to the value of £5m. and provide proof of this in advance. 
• All items sold must be original and handmade crafts. No food stalls (we will provide a pop-up cafe separately).
• You may book a maximum of one stall (not two adjacent tables).

Display methods:
The price is for one table (provided by the gallery) measuring 182cm L, 69cm W, 70cm H. Stallholders can provide their own table covering to fit these dimensions. You may bring a maximum of two freestanding items to go on the floor in front of your stall (for example browsers, plinths, pop up banners etc.) You must provide details of what you are bringing in advance, and we reserve the right to prevent the use of anything that poses a safety risk. 

Arrival times:
We are staggering arrival times to ensure smooth running. Please book for either 9.45am or 10am and arrive promptly. The market opens at 11am and all stalls must be set up in good time for this. Unfortunately if you arrive after 11am we cannot guarantee your stall. We will be in touch by email regarding all the arrangements for parking etc.

Electricity and Payments:
We are unable to guarantee that you'll be within reach of a plug socket, therefore please do not bring anything that requires electricity.

Stallholders are responsible for managing their own electronic payment facilities. We supply wifi, however cannot provide technical assistance or guarantee its security. You may wish to accept cash too and are responsible for your own cash float. We cannot accept responsibility for anything that is lost or stolen.

Pricing recommendations:
Following our previous craft markets, we expect that customers will be seeking items which are priced between roughly £3 and £30. We found that higher priced items are less attractive to customers at these events, therefore please consider the pricing of your items when deciding whether to book a stall.

Marketing:
After you book a stall you should supply proof of your PLI, and images for our marketing. Please note, we will use our discretion when marketing and do not guarantee to include all of the images you supply.

Proof of PLI and marketing images should be emailed to: Hannah.Mackay-Jackson@twmuseums.org.uk

Try your hand at fused glass and create a beautiful bowl.

Led by a friendly tutor from Kimoci Glass, you’ll be shown how to make a stunning fused glass bowl using Bullseye sheet glass, frits, and metal inclusions.

Your bowl will be taken away to be fired and you’ll be able to collect it at a later date. The workshop is suitable for complete beginners and those who already have some experience working with glass.

Please bring your own refreshments - there will be a break during the session.
Suitable for adults and teens aged 16+
Personal Assistant / Carer to a disabled adult goes free but requires a ticket.

This event is part of a series of glass classes by Kimoci Glass.

The Laing Art Gallery's newest temporary exhibition is With These Hands, which explores the representation of craft in paintings, drawings, and prints from 1750 to the present day. The exhibition is on display from 17 May - 27 September 2025.

The Shipley Art Gallery is hosting an accompanying craft programme focusing on workshops where you can try your hand at different crafts featured in or related to the exhibition. 

The Fused Glass Bowl Workshops are part of the With These Hands events programme. 

Browse an array of stalls where local makers will be selling their handmade crafts at affordable prices.

There will be a wide range of artforms represented and many opportunities to chat with friendly makers. 

The Shipley's drawing and painting group will be running a free drop-in activity where you can paint a greeting card to take away with you. The group meets at the Shipley on Tuesday mornings and is open to new members - come along to have a chat and find out more. Find out more about our drawing and painting activity during the Craft Market.

You can also treat yourself to a hot drink and a sweet or savoury baked good at Urban Bakery's pop-up cafe. 

The Laing Art Gallery's newest temporary exhibition is With These Hands, which explores the representation of craft in paintings, drawings, and prints from 1750 to the present day. The exhibition is on display from 17 May - 27 September 2025.

The Shipley Art Gallery is hosting an accompanying craft programme focusing on workshops where you can try your hand at different crafts featured in or related to the exhibition. 

The Make & Buy Craft Market is part of the With These Hands events programme. 

Back by popular demand! We're delighted to welcome once again to our Tunes in June series The Black Corner Band, a local folk group from Cleadon & Boldon.  

Make an afternoon of it - after visiting the museum, enjoy your own picnic and refreshments on our lawn or in our picnic area whilst listening (and maybe even dancing) to some great live music.

An inclusive art class held on the first Saturday of every month for 7-12 year olds and parents.  

Participants will have the opportunity to work with professional art educators, working in a different medium or with a different technique each month. 

This group aims to be fully inclusive and anyone with additional needs is welcome. If you would like to have an informal conversation with the tutor before attending then please contact the Laing learning team on learning@laingartgallery.org.uk. 

Run in partnership with Arts Connect.

Have a go at painting, at our popular craft market.

Meet friendly artists from the Shipley's Drawing and Painting Group, and have a go at painting something to take home.

The artists will show you how to paint cards, bookmarks or small paintings. There will be examples to choose from, including flowers, fruits, animals, landscapes and seascapes - or you can create your own design. 

This activity is suitable for all ages and we recommend you allow at least 15 minutes for taking part. Children must be supported by an adult.

The drawing group will also be exhibiting some of their paintings. 

This is part of Make & Buy Craft Market: local makers will have craft stalls, and there will be a pop-up cafe by Urban Bakery. 

Sir James Knott – Tyneside’s most charitable shipowner

Join us at Segedunum Roman Fort for an enlightening talk by Mike Coates.

Discover the remarkable life of Sir James Knott, born in Willington Quay, Wallsend in 1855. From his humble beginnings as a shipping clerk on Newcastle Quayside, Knott rose to prominence, establishing the renowned Prince Steam Shipping Line. By 1914, his fleet boasted 45 vessels trading globally, earning him a knighthood in 1917.

Tragedy struck during the First World War when Knott lost two sons. In their memory, he dedicated his life to philanthropy, funding numerous charitable causes across North East England. His legacy includes the impressive Knotts Flats housing scheme and the YMCA in North Shields. The Sir James Knott Trust, established to continue his charitable work, has awarded over £27 million in grants since 1990.

Join us to learn more about the man whose generosity has left an indelible mark on Tyneside.

Get ready to spark your imagination! Join members of the Women’s Engineering Society (WES) for a family fun day at Discovery Museum.

Women engineers will lead super-charged, hands-on activities for all ages that will have you buzzing with excitement. 

They’ll take you on a trip through the electrifying world of energy in the home, and share the amazing story of the Electrical Association for Women and how they brought power to our lives.  

Don't miss this electrifying adventure.

Part of a Royal Academy of Engineering Ingenious Funded project.

Museum opening times: 11am-4pm

Ticket prices:

Adult: £11 (£9 without optional donation)
Concessions: £9 (60+ years & under 21s - £7 without optional donation)
Child aged 4 and under: FREE 

Please consider purchasing a donation ticket to support the museum. 

Train running days: Please check Ticketsource for train running times. 

We regret that currently we are unable to offer wheelchair access to our carriages as the door openings are restricted to 55cm.  Wheelchair users must be able to self-transfer onto the passenger carriages to ride on our heritage trains. As a heritage railway, we are exempt from certain aspects of the Equality Act. For further help or information, please visit our access information page.

This event is part of our Ways to Play programme of free and low-cost family-friendly activities.

Make your ‘Ways to Play’ adventure a great value day out by travelling to our venues by the Metro and / or Ferry.  

Up to three children aged 11 and under can travel for free on the Metro and the Shields Ferry with a fare-paying adult. Metro is the convenient, fast and frequent way to get to your favourite attractions and now it’s even more affordable. Find out more

Ways to Play is sponsored by Tyne and Wear Metro.

Discover the Laing with your little ones and support their early development in a fun and relaxed way, exploring a different theme each week. Each session involves a warm up with movement and motion, gallery exploration with fun interactive activities, a practical art activity with various materials, and a short story time. 

There is a different theme each week, but please note that the theme for the Monday and Friday session each week will be the same. 

This activity aims to be fully inclusive and anyone with additional needs is welcome. Sessions are aimed at 1-5 year olds.

If you'd like to have an informal conversation with tutor or member of the team before booking please email learning@laingartgallery.org.uk. 

Can't make these sessions? Our sister venue, the Shipley Art Gallery in Gateshead, runs Crafty Kids sessions aimed at 2-5 year olds, on Tuesdays during term time. The sessions follow a similar format to Little Artists and are led by friendly Early Years specialists. Find out more about Crafty Kids.

A fun-filled 1 hour session led by our friendly Early Years specialist, Steph. Each session is based around a theme found in the artworks, such as colour, texture, line, and animals, which are designed for 2-5 year olds. 

Discover the gallery with your little ones, and support their early development in a fun and relaxed way. In these sessions, families will discover the artworks, get creative with a range of art materials, and explore the gallery together. There will be stories, songs, and fun creative activities - all designed to actively engage pre-schoolers with the gallery.

First, we'll gather for stories and singing. No need to sit still for long though - we'll be going exploring, doing treasure hunts around the gallery, and playing creatively to help us discover the artworks on display. At each session, your child will make something to take home, using a wide range of art materials, including ones that they may not have tried before.

After the session, please enjoy the gallery at your leisure. We provide space for families to enjoy a packed lunch. If you want a cafe, the nearest is at Gateshead Central Library, just along the street.

•  Activities designed for 2-5 year olds, but younger accompanying siblings also welcome.
• Please book a ticket for all children who will be participating. Sibling discount available.
• One adult per participating child, due to space restrictions.
• Disabled parents may bring a PA or Carer for support - please book relevant ticket.
• Sessions run fortnightly on Tuesdays, with a break for school holidays.

Parent/carer reviews:

'Excellent session, well planned short activities for the children. Lovely interaction with the children and parents. Thank you very much.'

'Lovely session. Well paced and very interactive - our first time but we'll come again'.

These sessions are a chance to develop your English in a friendly and informal setting.

We will use the art collections in the gallery and local history as inspiration for our discussions.

The nearest stop on the Tyne & Wear Metro is Gateshead Interchange.

Bus service 52 from Gateshead Interchange stops outside the Shipley Art Gallery.

10am - 2pm every Wednesday. 

Meet inside of the museum entrance. 

Free, all materials provided. No experience necessary. 

Refreshments provided.

Recovery through Ceramics is a partnership between the Shipley Art Gallery, Recovery Connections and Bensham Grove Pottery. The project gives people in recovery in Gateshead an opportunity to be creative, learn new skills and support their wellbeing through being creative.

The audience will get the opportunity to view this year’s Recovery Through Ceramics exhibition (14 – 28 June) and hear from the speakers from the perspective of their organisation, followed by a conversation between the speakers and an audience Q&A.

Recovery Through Ceramics is a creative partnership between the Shipley Art Gallery, Recovery Connections, and Bensham Grove Pottery. The programme supports people in recovery in Gateshead by offering a space to learn pottery skills, express themselves creatively, and enhance their wellbeing through hands-on making.

The session will be led by: 

• Ben Jones, Project Coordinator, Shipley Art Gallery 
• Ricky Vasey, Recovery Connections Service Manager, Recovery Connections 
• Clare Cantwell, Ceramicist, Bensham Grove Pottery

Our popular Early Years Storytime Group gives families and carers with pre-school children the opportunity to meet regularly throughout the year. 

Join us every Friday (during term time) to read a story together, and take part in a hands-on activity. 

There are extra books and toys available for you to stay and play on the Upper Ground Floor of the Cutter building and the Winding House Café after the session.  

Nurture Nest is a session for babies who haven't learnt to crawl yet. It is an opportunity for young babies to engage in tummy time as a group, learn songs, make new friends, and explore the senses whilst discovering some of our curious museum objects and exploring our sensory environment. 

Tummy time mats will be provided during the session but you are welcome to bring your own if you would prefer. The session will begin with a short singing session, followed by unstructured exploration of the environment.

If your baby isn't crawling but have started to explore their own unique ways to move with confidence, you may find our curious crawlers session more suitable.  

The session theme for this round is 'Garden'. We will explore a new theme each round.  

Upon arrival to the museum, please visit the welcome desk who can direct you to the sessions location. The session will usually take place in the Mouse House but occasionally may need to move to an alternative location in the museum.

Nurture Nest is a session for babies who haven't learnt to crawl yet. It is an opportunity for young babies to engage in tummy time as a group, learn songs, make new friends, and explore the senses whilst discovering some of our curious museum objects and exploring our sensory environment. 

Tummy time mats will be provided during the session but you are welcome to bring your own if you would prefer. The session will begin with a short singing session, followed by unstructured exploration of the environment.

If your baby isn't crawling but have started to explore their own unique ways to move with confidence, you may find our curious crawlers session more suitable.  

The session theme for this round is 'Garden'. We will explore a new theme each round.  

Upon arrival to the museum, please visit the welcome desk who can direct you to the sessions location. The session will usually take place in the Mouse House but occasionally may need to move to an alternative location in the museum.

Spark your child’s imagination! In the Tiny Sparks sessions young children can explore science, history and museum collections each week through play, craft, activity, song and story.

Drop into June's Museum Socials session for a chance to view the new Richard Hobson exhibition, Spirit of the North East, followed by a short museum tour. 

Free, drop in. 

Refreshments provided.

Free, drop in. Donations welcome.

Northern Chords' Artistic Director Jonathan Bloxham joins four friends and colleagues to perform one of the most iconic pieces of chamber music ever written – Schubert’s “Cello Quintet”. In the first half, violinist Benjamin Baker, who has played with the most famous orchestras in the world, such as the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, will perform Bach’s iconic Second Partita. It includes the famous Chaconne, a work with profound emotional depth and intricate variations, which evokes rich storytelling also found in works of art. A perfect piece to perform in the Laing Art Gallery.

Programme:

• J.S.Bach Partita for Solo Violin No.2 in D minor (including Chaconne)
• Interval
• F. Schubert  String Quintet in C major 

Musicians:

• Benjamin Baker violin
• Ruth Rogers violin
• Benjamin Roskams viola
• Thomas Carroll cello
• Jonathan Bloxham cello

Jonathan Bloxham, Founder and Artistic Director of Northern Chords Festival, discovered the cello while still at primary school in the North East. His talent was fostered and encouraged by the Gateshead Schools Music Service and he began to consider becoming a professional musician. At the age of 16, he left the region to study with some of the best young musicians at the world-renowned Yehudi Menuhin School, followed by the Royal College of Music and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He is now an internationally renowned conductor and has worked with orchestras such as London Symphony Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Hallé, Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg and the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra and has conducted opera at Glyndebourne several times. 

Aged just 20, Jonathan was keen to return to the region that had nurtured his talent. In 2008, he decided to start Northern Chords with the dual aim of bringing some of the most talented young musicians in the world to inspire more local youngsters and amateur musicians to follow their dreams and to develop their own musical talents, and to delight and excite local audiences with concerts, programmes, and musicians that they wouldn’t otherwise get to hear in their area. 

Jonathan says: 'It is a great joy for the festival to return to perform at the Laing Art Gallery. I've always found that performing classical music surrounded by art creates a unique synergy, where the visual beauty of the artwork enhances the emotional depth of the music, allowing both forms to elevate each other and immerse the audience in a more profound sensory experience. 

'On June 28th 2025, we will present two of the greatest musical masterpieces. Violinist Benjamin Baker, who I met studying at the Yehudi Menuhin School, has played with the most famous orchestras in the world, such as the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. He will perform Bach's iconic Second Partita, with the famous Chaconne, a piece with profound emotional depth and intricate variations, which evokes rich storytelling also found in works of art. In the second part, I will join four wonderful musicians, including the leader of the London Mozart Players, in Schubert's Cello Quintet, composed in 1828 and hailed as one of the pinnacles of classical music. The work's contrasting themes and tonal shifts can evoke vivid imagery, much like a painting's interplay of light, shadow, and colour. It would be a pleasure to welcome you at this very special evening.'

Introducing... The Gaslighters to Tunes in June.

Based in South Tyneside, this band has been rocking the music scene for 25 years. Over the years, their musical style has evolved, along with various line up changes.

Recently, they've become known for their 80s music and crowd-pleasing anthems. The Gaslighters have performed at concerts and festivals across the UK and abroad. Wherever they play, they create an electrifying party atmosphere, so get ready to kick off your shoes and dance!

Recovery & Ceramics is a partnership between the Shipley Art Gallery, Recovery Connections and Bensham Grove Pottery. 

Funded by a Gateshead Community Mental Health Grant Fund, the group meet every Friday either at the Shipley Art Gallery or Bensham Grove to create their own art and craft, inspired by the Shipley’s extensive and nationally important studio ceramics collection. The programme works with people in recovery to develop new skills and knowledge, not just in creating their own ceramics, but in displaying and interpreting ceramics, both from the collection and their own creations. 

Working with ceramic artists, Lisa Delarny, Clare Cantwell and Christine Constant, participants have learnt ceramic techniques, from simple coiling, slabbing and pinch pot making, to more complex techniques such as using a potter’s wheel, glazing, smoke firing and raku.  

The work they made over the programme can be found in the main gallery and in our Design for Life community cabinet, in the room to your right. Alongside making their own work the group have co-curated a display of ceramic pieces from the John Christian ceramic collection. This can be found in our new exhibition, ‘Makers in Clay: British Studio Pottery’ to your left, alongside work from the Christian collection.  

Recovery Connections members are Ali, Caz, David, Dionne, Jamie, Joe, Karin, Kelly, Robbo, Sam, Steve, Thomas and Trudy. 

Funded through a Gateshead Community Mental Health Grant.

Every fourth Sunday of the month between 10-11am is Quiet Hour, when there are fewer visitors in the museum and we turn down the sound in our exhibitions and displays. 

We also have ear defenders available for you to borrow, as some of the experiences around the museum can be quite noisy. 

Thanks to the dedication of our incredible volunteers, a once-neglected patch of land has been transformed into a thriving haven for wildlife, and a welcoming green space where the local community can reconnect with nature.

The newly created Woodland Walk is designed to support biodiversity, enrich the local ecosystem and provide a peaceful, freely accessible conservation area for everyone to enjoy.

Features of the Woodland Walk include:

• A wildlife pond

• A calming sensory garden

• A creative art trail

• A purpose-built outdoor learning lodge for education and exploration.

The past is full of tales of queer desire and gender diversity, all you need to do is look closer…

Discover new narratives of the Ancient Greek objects in the Shefton Gallery.

Pick up a copy of the Out of Antiquity trail in the gallery and discover these stories.

This trail was designed and produced by Jessica Scott.

As part of Wallsend History Week, enjoy a free drop-in introductory talk in the museum viewing tower. 

Join us to learn more about this iconic site, the fort's significance and its role in the ancient Roman frontier.

Pop into Segedunum between 1-4pm during Wallsend Local History Week (30 June - 6 July) for a special screening of three Amber film productions. These films, capturing key historical moments in the area, will be running on a loop, allowing you to drop in at any time to watch.

Films being screened:

1. Wallsend 72 (Amber Films, 1972)
2. Launch (Amber Films, 1974)
3. The Art of Shipbuilding (Amber Films, 2018)

Don't miss this opportunity to explore Wallsend's rich history through the lens of Amber Films.

The exhibition aims to reflect on the evolving landscape of contemporary painting by highlighting diverse methodologies serving as a platform to offer a fresh interpretation of 21st century painting. At the core of the show is an exploration of the ‘expanded field’ of painting, which challenges some of its conventional definitions and limitations. Artists challenge how painting can transcend the traditional flat canvas and easel, integrating various materials and techniques that blur the boundaries between painting and other art forms. The exhibition examines the connections between 20th and 21st century painting traditions by showcasing how contemporary artists in the Fine Art Department engage with historical practices, but also prompts a critical evaluation of pedagogical approaches at the Fine Art 100 anniversary at Newcastle University.  

Participants:  

Erika Servin  
Nick Fox  
Chris Jones  
Paul Merrick  
Narbi Price  
Jane Millican  
Tracey Tofield  
Katie Cuddon  
Catrin Huber  
Matt Antoniak  
Rachel Maclean  
Christian Mieves  

Image: Jane Millican, Paint a Small Town (dog),  pencil on paper. 80x60cm 

George Horton, a self-taught artist from South Shields, became one of the most renowned painters of the North East in the early 1900s, celebrated for his watercolours of coastal scenes. Despite a challenging upbringing and no formal training, his talent earned him spots in prestigious exhibitions, including the Royal Academy and the Paris Salon.

Horton’s artistic journey began with determined practice, sketching old works at his local library despite his father’s disapproval. An early fascination with portraiture led him to acquire a human skull for anatomical studies, which resulted in his estrangement from home at seventeen.

A move to South Shields marked a new chapter, where he found support through his marriage. A transformative honeymoon to Holland sparked his lifelong passion for the Dutch landscape, inspiring countless sketching trips.

While beloved in France and Holland, Horton struggled to gain wider recognition in England, partly due to his late entry into the London art scene. Nevertheless, his devotion to art remained unwavering throughout his 68-year career, painting purely for the love of his craft.

This exhibition offers a chance to rediscover Horton’s legacy and celebrate the passion and perseverance of George Horton. 

Five years ago COVID-19 came to our shores. The first confirmed cases were in York, in late January 2020, and the patients were treated at the high-level isolation unit at the RVI in Newcastle. On 23 March Prime Minister Boris Johnson made a televised address to the nation, and lockdown regulations came into effect across the UK three days later.

This display features some of the things the museum collected to represent COVID-19 and the massive impact the pandemic had on all of our lives.

With These Hands explores the representation of craft in paintings, drawings, and prints. The process of making and mending by hand whether a domestic pastime, rural and semi-industrial labour, or essential war effort, is a persistent theme to which artists return. Yet these artworks are rarely straightforward observations of everyday activity. Instead, the act of making is used to symbolise personal and communal identity, leisure and work, tradition and progress.

Produced in Britain and Europe from the 1750s onwards, these images reflect a society undergoing immense change. The growth of industry, the reorganisation of the methods and places of work, the changing status of women and the conflicts of World War I and II all impacted the value placed on hand skill. Some artists were interested in capturing traditions – their works romanticising crafts they perceived as almost lost – while others were drawn to the atmosphere and activity of the workshop and factory.

With These Hands takes you from refined drawing rooms to weaving sheds, from a woodland saw pit to an inner city carpenter’s shop, and from country blacksmiths to industrial forges. It focuses particularly on the changing role of making in women’s lives, the relationship between craft and community, and its impact on our landscape. The exhibition features paintings and prints by artists including Mary Cassatt, G.F. Watts, Stanhope Forbes, Harold Knight, Evelyn Dunbar, and Ralph Hedley.

At a time when we are reassessing the importance of hand making, for mental health and environmental benefits, paintings and prints help us to understand our complex attitudes towards craft. The exhibition will bring together paintings and objects – quilts, embroidery, metalwork, wood carvings, ceramics and basketry – to explore both traditional techniques and contemporary approaches. Makers include C. R. Ashbee, Bernard Leach, Michael Cardew and local quilter Amy Emms.

Loans from Tate, V&A, Royal Academy of Arts, Imperial War Museums and regional galleries complement the strengths of North East Museums’ collections. Objects from the Shipley Art Gallery’s outstanding craft collections and the Discovery Museum’s textile collection are shown alongside paintings from the Laing.

The Shipley Art Gallery, Gateshead, is hosting an accompanying craft programme focusing on workshops where you can try your hand at different crafts featured in or related to With These Hands. 

There will also be a Make & Buy Craft Market, where you can interact with local artists and vendors, purchase handmade goods, and try out free crafting activities.

2025 marks the 150th anniversary of the beginning of the excavations in 1875 at the 'Roman camp' now, Arbeia, South Shields Roman Fort. 

This exhibition will look at the progress of the first few years of excavations from 1875 – 1881 when the Roman Remains Park was then established. 

The displays will include what was found, the people involved in the work as well as photographs taken at the time. 

An exhibition featuring models from 19th Century glassmakers Leopold and Rudolf Blaschka.

Imitating Life is an exhibition featuring the museum’s collection of glass marine invertebrate models from the renowned Blaschka family. The exhibition also includes invertebrate spirit specimens, fungi models, and an excerpt from the short film Fragile Legacy, directed by David O. Brown.

The Blaschkas made incredibly detailed, delicate glass models of invertebrate sea creatures through the second half of the 19th Century. Bought by universities and museums across the world, they were a beautiful tool for teaching about weird and wonderful underwater creatures. Today, they invite us to consider the place that models hold in museums as pieces of art, history, and natural science.

This collection of free family trails invites you to explore the museum, engage with various objects, and collect prizes. 

You can use the trail up to four times across one, two, three, or four visits. Complete each trail to earn a sticker. 

If you complete all four trails, you'll earn a special Golden Murray sticker and have the chance to enter a prize draw for a Murray the Mole toy. 

For more information, please visit the Welcome Desk. 

Travel to the museum by Tyne and Wear Metro and up to three children aged 11 and under can travel for free with a fare-paying adult.

SHOAL is an exhibition featuring 12 photographs by artist Mandy Barker. The series reveals evidence of marine plastic debris collected during the Japanese Tsunami Debris Expedition in June 2012.

The work focuses on plastics collected and photographed from trawls and net samples at various points between Japan and Hawaii, and also from the tsunami affected shoreline in Fukushima Prefecture. Each image includes a different trawl sample, in some cases represented as tiny plankton, and captioned with the grid reference of where each sample was collected.

Each image is based on a collection of marine plastic that forms a 'shoal', arrangements of different species of fish that the plastic ultimately affects. Objects and particles have been duplicated to represent both the scale of lives lost and the amount of plastic that entered the Pacific Ocean as a result of the Tohoku earthquake and Japanese Tsunami, March 11 2011.

'Shoal' is a description given to a group of fish swimming together, a large number of people, or things. 

This project was made possible by The Royal Photographic Society and Photographic Angle Environmental Bursary Award 2012.

Photograph © Mandy Barker

In this exhibition, discover how Richard Hobson (1945–2004) captured the changing landscapes, industry and communities of the North East.

From bustling shipyards to rugged moorlands and beyond, explore how Richard captured an industrial landscape and a way of life which was on the cusp of change. 

Hobson was possessed of a curious eye, a passion for nature and the great outdoors, and he lived for his art. His paintings feature looming power station cooling towers, and the dilapidated remnants of past industrial might. He also recorded the spectacular natural world of the North Country, on his frequent rambles in the countryside, accompanied by his wife Pat and son Harry. Above all, Hobson painted because he saw beauty before him, no matter what the subject, warts and all. 

This display tells the story of both antecedent regiments of the Light Dragoons and the part they played in North West Germany during the final six weeks of the Second World War, which in turn led to Victory in Europe Day, 8 May 1945. 

The Final Push features the role played by the 15th/19th Hussars who, as part of the 11^th Armoured Division, came across and liberated the internment camp at Bergen – Belsen on 15 April 1945. 

A newly recorded interview with a first hand witness, veteran Ian Forsyth features in a short film which tells the story of his experiences on that terrible day.

The exhibition explores Johnson’s lived experience of rheumatoid arthritis and the subsequent impact of disability on her artistic practice. The works on display have been chosen from a large body of Johnson's work, which was donated to the Laing by the Estate of Nerys Johnson in November 2022. 

The archive is comprised of thousands of works on paper, including sketchbooks, prints, and watercolours, dating from throughout her artistic career.  

Johnson is most well-known for the vibrant and often intense colours in her work combined with dramatic and abstract forms of flowers, often set against dark backdrops. Her work, however, is varied—she uses different media and includes a variety of subjects beyond flowers, notably including self-portraits, abstract nudes, and architectural motifs.  

She was also interested in movement and states of change, which began with studies she produced as a student of Fine Art in Newcastle. During this time, she began to actively consider the parallels between human and plant forms, an important theme that extended throughout her life.     

As part of the exhibition, the Laing Art Gallery has commissioned Surface Area Dance Theatre, a live performance organisation that works at the interface between sign language, D/deaf culture, and dance, to develop and produce a performance to camera in response to the Nerys Johnson archive, titled Down Amongst the Plants.  

Down Amongst the Plants pays tribute to Johnson’s engagement with the rhythms of nature through Butoh, a form of Japanese dance. The choreographer of the performance, Vangeline, is the artistic director of the internationally acclaimed New York Butoh Institute, based in New York, USA.  

Johnson was not only an artist, but also a curator. Her curatorial career began at the Laing Art Gallery in 1968, when she took up the post as a Keeper of Fine Art. She eventually became the Keeper in Charge of the Durham Light Infantry Museum and Arts Centre (DLI) in 1970. During this time, the museum’s Contemporary Art Centre became a regional hub for art, attracting internationally acclaimed artists like Bridget Riley and Henry Moore. 

Nerys Johnson: Disability and Practice celebrates the richness of Johnson’s life and work and explores how her individual artistic practice flourished with the support of her vast social network. 

Take a break from the hustle and bustle of the city centre every Saturday morning with a free talk from the Friends of the Laing Art Gallery. Find out more about some of the paintings in our collection and share your experience with fellow art lovers. 

June A Grecian Flower Market by John Waterhouse (1880). Please note that the talk on 28 June has been cancelled and rescheduled for 5 July.

July Meditation Diptych by Nerys Johnson (1992)

August Caravans, Figures and Helter-Skelter by Byron Dawson (1930)

September Kanagawa, View of the Embankment by Utagawa Hiroshige (1833-1834)

Discover our What's On page to explore our events programme. 

Find out more about North Shields 800 here: Visit North Tyneside

Discover our What's On page to explore our events programme. 

Find out more at Railway 200.

A small, friendly group who meet in the gallery to enjoy drawing and painting together.

New members are welcome to join, whatever your level of skill and experience.

Please note, this is not a taught class. Instead, it's an opportunity to work on your art in good company and inspiring surroundings. You'll need to bring your own materials and equipment. Please note that oil paints and aerosol or fixative sprays are not permitted. The group is suitable for adults. 

There's plenty of opportunity for chat and skill sharing at this supportive group. We use shared tables, or you're welcome to borrow a gallery stool and sketch around the gallery. 

Some refreshments are provided.

To join, or try a session, please contact:

Kari Lawson
Email: Karimlawson@gmail.com
Tel: 07867 494 421

Discovery Museum’s exhibition explores the story of energy in the North East by looking back to the industrial revolution, and forward to the pioneering contributions in green technologies happening now across the North East region.

With exciting new hands-on displays demonstrating wind and solar power, historical science and engineering objects and even a 'cutaway' electric NISSAN Leaf car on display, Steam to Green will showcase how the North East is leading the way in green energy.

The exhibition was created in partnership with Newcastle University.

Headline sponsor: Vattenfall

Follow this link to find out more about Vattenfall our headline sponsor

Supported by: The Reece Foundation, Newcastle University, Faraday Challenge, Friends of Discovery Museum, the Headley Trust and the Art Fund.

Sponsored by: Lumo,  Tyne and Wear Metro and Northumbrian Water

As part of Wallsend History Week, enjoy a free drop-in introductory talk in the museum viewing tower. 

Join us to learn more about this iconic site, the fort's significance and its role in the ancient Roman frontier.

On the first Wednesday of every month, there is live music in the Winding House Café. 

Dave and Ray from 'Three's a Crowd' will be performing a mix of easy listening songs from the 60s and 70s. 

Come and show your support.

These sessions are a chance to develop your English in a friendly and informal setting.

We will use the art collections in the gallery and local history as inspiration for our discussions.

The nearest stop on the Tyne & Wear Metro is Gateshead Interchange.

Bus service 52 from Gateshead Interchange stops outside the Shipley Art Gallery.

Step behind the scenes of the museum and join Helen, the Assistant Curator of History, on a tour of Discovery Museum’s extensive costume stores. 

Get up close to garments, fabric and accessories from the past 300 years, with exquisite objects from silk shoes to Victorian gowns and contemporary designer classics.

The tour lasts an hour and is largely the same selection of clothing and accessories as in previous years.

Our popular Early Years Storytime Group gives families and carers with pre-school children the opportunity to meet regularly throughout the year. 

Join us every Friday (during term time) to read a story together, and take part in a hands-on activity. 

There are extra books and toys available for you to stay and play on the Upper Ground Floor of the Cutter building and the Winding House Café after the session.  

Come along with your little ones for our Toddlers' Takeover Day.

Discover what happens behind the scenes at the museum through a range of games and activities suitable for our little learners.

Each toddler will receive a job checklist of things to do which will take you to stations set up around the museum to explore. These activities will  include:

• Going on a gallery patrol
• Making ‘puffballs’ to pack our museum objects safely
• Carefully transporting objects
• Sorting our museum 'store room'
• Sweeping and dusting
• Singing and signing

We would recommend spending 1 hour exploring the different activities at your own pace. 

Thanks to the Shears Foundation for supporting our early years programme.

This is an outdoor event and will involve walking on ballast and uneven surfaces. All participants must wear sturdy shoes and other suitable outdoor clothing.

Photographers of all levels of experience welcome.

Waggonway Tea Room open for refreshments.

Tickets £10

Acrylic pouring is a fascinating way to make abstract art. During the first session, you'll pour liquid acrylic paint onto a surface and tilt it gently, making the paint flow into a completely unique abstract design. You'll return for the second week to add embellishments and resin seal your piece. The result will be a unique and decorative, fully functional serving board (30 x 24.5 x 1.5cm) which is food safe.

Amaze your guests by serving food on one of the following themed boards:

1. Seascape themed with marine life. Polymer clay will be provided to create the decorations, along with other embellishments, including locally sourced sea glass. 
2. Lava themed with locally sourced sea coal and real lava rock. 
3. Rock geode themed. Geodes are hollow rocks, in which masses of crystals are secluded. Recreate a slice through a geode using paint and crushed sea glass, glitter, and resin. 

Artist Rebekah Scott will guide you through the process. The finished serving board will be fully functional and ready to collect from Shipley Art Gallery from Saturday 26 July. 

Additional information: 

• This is a two week course. You must attend on both days. 
• You must choose between the morning or afternoon sessions and you must attend at the same time on each date.
• Suitable for ages 16+

The Laing Art Gallery's newest temporary exhibition is With These Hands, which explores the representation of craft in paintings, drawings, and prints from 1750 to the present day. The exhibition is on display from 17 May - 27 September 2025.

The Shipley Art Gallery is hosting an accompanying craft programme focusing on workshops where you can try your hand at different crafts featured in or related to the exhibition. 

The Acrylic Pouring Course is part of the With These Hands events programme. 

Museum opening times: 11am-4pm

Ticket prices:

Adult: £11 (£9 without optional donation)
Concessions: £9 (60+ years & under 21s - £7 without optional donation)
Child aged 4 and under: FREE 

Please consider purchasing a donation ticket to support the museum. 

Train running days: Please check Ticketsource for train running times. 

We regret that currently we are unable to offer wheelchair access to our carriages as the door openings are restricted to 55cm.  Wheelchair users must be able to self-transfer onto the passenger carriages to ride on our heritage trains. As a heritage railway, we are exempt from certain aspects of the Equality Act. For further help or information, please visit our access information page.

This event is part of our Ways to Play programme of free and low-cost family-friendly activities.

Make your ‘Ways to Play’ adventure a great value day out by travelling to our venues by the Metro and / or Ferry.  

Up to three children aged 11 and under can travel for free on the Metro and the Shields Ferry with a fare-paying adult. Metro is the convenient, fast and frequent way to get to your favourite attractions and now it’s even more affordable. Find out more

Ways to Play is sponsored by Tyne and Wear Metro.

Making a triumphant return after an eight-year hiatus is the one-of-a-kind Consett No.10. Originally built in-house for Consett Steelworks in 1958 using recycled components from steam locomotives, No.10 has been painstakingly restored by volunteers from the North Tyneside Steam Railway Association, including a full re-wire and brand-new batteries.

Joining the line-up are home fleet favourites: ex-British Rail locomotives 03078 and 08915, completing an impressive roster of four diesel engines. Expect a packed weekend featuring an intensive timetable with double headers, demonstration freight trains, and the chance to step inside the cabs of these iconic machines. 

Pop into Segedunum between 1-4pm during Wallsend Local History Week (30 June - 6 July) for a special screening of three Amber film productions. These films, capturing key historical moments in the area, will be running on a loop, allowing you to drop in at any time to watch.

Films being screened:

1. Wallsend 72 (Amber Films, 1972)
2. Launch (Amber Films, 1974)
3. The Art of Shipbuilding (Amber Films, 2018)

Don't miss this opportunity to explore Wallsend's rich history through the lens of Amber Films.

A fun-filled 1 hour session led by our friendly Early Years specialist, Steph. Each session is based around a theme found in the artworks, such as colour, texture, line, and animals, which are designed for 2-5 year olds. 

Discover the gallery with your little ones, and support their early development in a fun and relaxed way. In these sessions, families will discover the artworks, get creative with a range of art materials, and explore the gallery together. There will be stories, songs, and fun creative activities - all designed to actively engage pre-schoolers with the gallery.

First, we'll gather for stories and singing. No need to sit still for long though - we'll be going exploring, doing treasure hunts around the gallery, and playing creatively to help us discover the artworks on display. At each session, your child will make something to take home, using a wide range of art materials, including ones that they may not have tried before.

After the session, please enjoy the gallery at your leisure. We provide space for families to enjoy a packed lunch. If you want a cafe, the nearest is at Gateshead Central Library, just along the street.

•  Activities designed for 2-5 year olds, but younger accompanying siblings also welcome.
• Please book a ticket for all children who will be participating. Sibling discount available.
• One adult per participating child, due to space restrictions.
• Disabled parents may bring a PA or Carer for support - please book relevant ticket.
• Sessions run fortnightly on Tuesdays, with a break for school holidays.

Parent/carer reviews:

'Excellent session, well planned short activities for the children. Lovely interaction with the children and parents. Thank you very much.'

'Lovely session. Well paced and very interactive - our first time but we'll come again'.

The Cell Detectives are going to show how our brain received signals from both our eyes and our ears to keep track of something we're looking at and show how we can trick the brain by spinning around in a swivel chair!

We're going to talk about how different parts of the brain do different jobs, like seeing, moving, and feeling, and we'll discuss how scientists found out how the brain works. We'll get hands-on by injuring some jelly brains and try to figure out what parts of the brain would be effected, what symptoms we'd expect, and why it's important to always look after your brain

Discover the Laing with your little ones and support their early development in a fun and relaxed way, exploring a different theme each week. Each session involves a warm up with movement and motion, gallery exploration with fun interactive activities, a practical art activity with various materials, and a short story time. 

There is a different theme each week, but please note that the theme for the Monday and Friday session each week will be the same. 

This activity aims to be fully inclusive and anyone with additional needs is welcome. Sessions are aimed at 1-5 year olds.

If you'd like to have an informal conversation with tutor or member of the team before booking please email learning@laingartgallery.org.uk. 

Can't make these sessions? Our sister venue, the Shipley Art Gallery in Gateshead, runs Crafty Kids sessions aimed at 2-5 year olds, on Tuesdays during term time. The sessions follow a similar format to Little Artists and are led by friendly Early Years specialists. Find out more about Crafty Kids.

Join us for a monthly Saturday art class for 7-12 year olds and their grown ups. 

At each session you'll be taught by a professional artist, and will try different techniques such as watercolours, ceramics, mixed media, drawing and more. 

Session Themes:
17 May: 'Gods Eyes' weaving and decorative patterns

14 June: Ships on the Tyne, Futurist painting

12 July: Insect screenprint

No session in August 

13 September: A clay receptacle based on objects and paintings in the gallery

18 October: Spooky castle in charcoal

15 Nov: Create a colourful Rangoli for Diwali

13 Dec: Winter animals step-by-step

Accompanying adults are encouraged to join in - the class is a great opportunity for families to enjoy creative time together. 

Our artist has extensive experience of working with young people including those with SEND and Neurodiversities. We understand that some young people may be older than 12 but find the class age appropriate due to SEND - please contact Hannah.Mackay-Jackson@twmuseums.org.uk if this applies to you.

These sessions will be designed to be welcoming and inclusive for all. 

Step aboard a vintage 1960s passenger carriage and enjoy a murder mystery performance by Third Wheel Events, and be transported into a world of danger, passion and power.

Travel back to 1960 and witness a volatile love affair, a ruthless power struggle, and an obsession with the legendary Blaydon Races. Tensions soar as two rival gangs, the Blades and the Pistols, collide in a gritty underworld where loyalty is fragile and power rules all. In this explosive clash, one thing’s certain - don’t get caught in the crossfire.

Watch the video to find out more 

Ticket price: £30. Ticket price includes live performance and heritage train ride. Performance is set in the museum and on board your train ride.

The North East of England Classic and Pre War Automobiles club (NECPWA) will be back at Woodhorn with their amazing array of classic cars. 

Get an up close look and meet the owners of the vintage vehicles. 

Woodhorn is a host venue for this event. If you'd like to find out more about your car, please visit NECPWA's website for more information.

Woodhorn Wildlife

In this session, join us to meet the Woodhorn Weeders, an Age UK group who are developing the nature areas on our site. Find out what they do, what their plans are for the future and learn how to make seed bombs with them before taking part in a bug hunt with our Learning Team.

Recommended for children working at ages 6+. Parents/guardians are welcome to decide if it’s appropriate for younger children. This activity will take place outside so we recommend wearing suitable clothing. Some of our outdoor surfaces may be uneven but will be accessible by wheelchair.

Collections Care and Careers

In this session we’ll find out about jobs in the museum looking after our collections. Meet our curator and find out how our mining banners are being conserved, get a behind the scenes look at our collections storage area then get hands on and try out some paper conservation and object care techniques yourself!

Recommended for children working at ages 7+.  This workshop aims to be hands on, it does require some fine motor skills to create and remove marks on paper but there is very little reading or writing involved.

Feel free to contact us if you have any queries about the suitability of our workshops by emailing stemnld@northeastmuseums.org.uk

For Terms and Conditions and information on planning your day, visit the Woodhorn Museum website.

While you're here, why not relax in our café with a hot drink and take part in free activities at our mini museums stations?