Open access.
Durham Road, Low Eighton, Gateshead, NE9 7TY
A regional landmark with a wingspan of 54 metres, it’s a fun photo-op and a pleasant short paved circular walk around the base on a panoramic hilltop.
Free.
📌 Baring Street, South Shields, South Tyneside, NE33 2BB
Excavated remains and reconstructions of original buildings, displays of finds and artefacts discovered at the site. Offering regular family events throughout the summer, with crafts, gladiator training and falconry.
👉 For more info, visit @arbeiaromanfort
🎫 Free, donations welcome
Seasonal opening times, closed Oct-March
📌 Beamish, County Durham, DH9 0RG
Open air museum set in 300+ acres recreating life in the early 1800s and 1900s, with farm, tram, replica steam train and fairground rides (selected dates).
👉 For more info, visit @BeamishLivingMuseum
🎫 Unlimited annual pass £11.50-£19.50 pp / Family £36.50-£51 (under 5s free)
📌 Belsay, Northumberland, NE20 0DX
An English Heritage site with a medieval castle, grand Grecian villa and 30 acres of gardens, including: Crag Wood Walk, Yew Garden, Magnolia Terrace, Rhododendron collection and a Quarry Garden of exotic plants. Tearoom serving lunch and treats.
👉 For more info, visit @belsayhall
🎫 From £6-£10pp / Family from £26 (under 5 years free)
Open selected dates throughout the year, see website for schedule.
Springwell Village, Gateshead, NE9 7QJ
Tel: 0191 416 1847
Originally a colliery railway built to carry coal, it’s an exciting visit for train and history enthusiasts. Including old disused trains, model trains and a toy train set, plus events and workshops.
Aged 16+: £2.00.
Aged 5+: £1.00.
📌 Blandford Square, Newcastle, NE1 4JA
Exhibitions on local maritime, scientific and technological history, including Science Maze with interactive exhibitions, toddler play space and ‘play+invent’ space for older children. Plus, RAF Red Arrows Flight Simulator ride (min height 42″).
👉 For more info, visit @newcastlediscovery
🎫 Free (donations welcome). Charges apply for flight simulator & selected activities.
📌 Village and Bede Museum, Church Bank, Jarrow, South Tyneside, NE32 3DY
Museum dedicated to the life and legacy of Venerable Bede along with Anglo-Saxon dwellings, set in 11 acre grounds including a farm with rare-breed and rescued animals.
👉 For more info, visit @JarrowHallOfficial
🎫 From £3-£5 pp / Family from £16
*Opening hours vary seasonally, check with organiser – closed mid Dec until Feb
📌 New Bridge Street, Newcastle, NE1 8AG
Art and sculpture galleries, including a play space for toddlers with toys, books and dress-up, and weekly pre-school workshops with gallery exploration, practical art activity and story time (term-time only, booking required). Also regular Saturday art classes for 10-15 years (booking required). Cafe serving hot and cold meals.
For more info, visit @laingartgallery
🎫 Free, donations welcome
📌 Life Science Centre, Times Square, Newcastle, NE1 4EP
Life is an amazing science centre with hands-on exhibitions and a changing programme of activities throughout the year. Highlights include: Space Zone, Live Theatre Shows, Making Studios, Experiment Zone, Under 7s Play Zone, the biggest Planetarium in the north, and the WOW Zone with dramatic demonstrations and brain teasing exhibits.
👉 For more info, visit @scienceatlife
🎫 From £10-£14.25 pp (age 2 and under free)
Some age restrictions apply. See website for details
Open access.
Gateshead Quays South Shore Road, Gateshead, NE8 3BA
Tel: 0191 433 3120
Gateshead Quays is home to the Millennium Bridge, Baltic art centre and Sage Gateshead. From May until October each year across the footbridge you will find Newcastle’s Quayside Seaside, an artificial beach with sand, deckchairs, palm trees, beach huts, kids’ climbing wall and slide.
Free.
📌 Liberty Way, Sunderland, SR6 0GL
Gallery exhibitions, daily glass making demonstrations and a virtual glass making game, plus borrow a kids adventure backpack with activity cards and colouring activities (£5 refundable deposit, ages 4+). Regular family workshops including glass painting, glass fusing and sandblasting. Cafe serving breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea.
👉 For more info, visit @nationalglasscentresunderland
🎫 Free, donations welcome.
📌 Ryton, Gateshead, NE40 3JB
Offering unique falconry experiences from a number of locations. Watch demonstrations with a variety of hawks and owls, take part in courses or take a Hawk Walk through the woodlands where you can take one of the birds for a private flying experience.
👉 For more info, visit @North East Falconry
🎫 Prices start from £50pp, by appointment only.
Mention ‘Gateshead Mumbler’ on booking for a discounted price on the falconry experience at only £20pp.
📌 St Mary’s Square, Gateshead Quays, Gateshead, NE8 2JR
Enjoy fun, creative and engaging family concerts and workshops. You can also make a visit for the free children’s playspace, crafts, and cafe.
👉 For more info, visit @Sage Gateshead
🎫 Free entry, performances prices vary
*FREE metro travel to/from Gateshead, retain concert ticket for inspection on Metro
📌 Buddlestreet, Wallsend, North Tyneside, NE28 6HR
The most excavated and developed fort along Hadrian’s Wall, featuring a 35m high observation tower, Roman garden and colliery. Museum displaying Roman artifacts with interactive displays, kids craft activities and cafe.
👉 For more info, visit @segedunum
🎫 Adults: £5.95 (under 16s & NE28 residents free)
📌 Prince Consort Road, NE8 4JB
Five gallery spaces showing a range of exhibitions, with regular events including family activities. There is a children’s play space with toys and books, plus you can request a ‘Magic Carpet’ play mat or Toddler Backpack with additional toys and creative activities.
👉 For more info, visit @Shipley Art Gallery
🎫 Free entry, donations welcome.
📌 Ocean Road, South Shields, South Tyneside, NE33 2JA
Works of art and interactive exhibits on local social, industrial and maritime history, and 20th century author Catherine Cookson. Plus Creature Corner with live reptiles and insects and free family activities during school holidays. Cafe serving hot and cold refreshments.
👉 For more info, visit @South Shields Museum & Art Gallery
🎫 Free, donations welcome
📌 Strawberry Place Newcastle. NE1 4ST
Range of tours available. The Classic Tour gives you deeper understanding of the club and its proud heritage. In the Rooftop Tour ascend to a walkway 150ft above the ground for panoramic views.
👉 For more info, visit @StJamesParkNE1
🎫 From £8-£15 pp
additional supplement for matchday tours
📌 Oakwellgate, Gateshead, NE8 2AU
Medieval, grade one-listed building formerly a parish church, with displays about local history and a heritage bookshop. Also events and workshops including children’s activities, local history talks, tours, concerts and performances.
👉 Free entry. For more info, visit @stmarysheritagecentre
📌 Whitley Bay, North Tyneside, NE26 4RS
St Mary’s Island is reached by a short causeway covered by tides twice a day, with exhibits on the lighthouse’s history and surrounding Nature Reserve, including cliffs, grassland, beaches and rock pools. Brave the 137 steps to enjoy spectacular views from the top.
👉 For more info, visit @St. Mary’s Lighthouse
🎫 From £1.70-£3.30 pp / Family from £7.70
📌 Middle Engine Lane, North Shields, North Tyneside, NE29 8DX
Steam railway museum with interactive exhibitions and a range locomotives and carriages. On Sundays, bank holidays (and selected dates) take a four mile return trip on a vintage locomotive in 1950s passenger carriages.
👉 For more info, visit @stephensonrailway
🎫 Museum free (donations welcome).
Train rides from £5-£7 pp / Family from £17 (under 5s free)
Seasonal opening, typically closed Nov-Jan (excluding special events)
Runs on selected dates, see website for schedule.
Old Marley HIll, Marley Hill, Gateshead, NE16 5ET
Tel: 07508 092365
Steam trains run Sundays and Bank Holidays for a 6 mile round trip on the world’s oldest railway. Explore Europe’s oldest working engine shed and the world’s oldest railway bridge.
Adults: £10.50
Child: £6.50
Family (2 & 2): £27.50
(unlimited all day travel)
📌 The Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle, Co Durham DL12 8NP
A 19th century museum with fine and decorative arts, set in acres of parkland with childrens’ play area, including climbing frame, slide, bucket swing & balancing equipment.
👉 For more info, visit @TheBowesMuseum
🎫 From £5-£14 pp / Family from £30 (under 5s free)
Fees include unlimited entry all year around
📌 Barras Bridge, Newcastle, NE2 4PT
Interactive displays on Natural Science, Living Planet, World Culture, Archaeology and Geology, with full sized replica T-rex skeleton and wide range of animals and sea creatures. Plus, a Planetarium and regular family workshops and events.
👉 For more info, visit @greatnorthmuseum
🎫 Free (donations welcome). Charges apply for Planetarium.
📌 Market Place, South Shields, South Tyneside, NE33 1JF
Children and adult library books, special themed exhibitions, rooftop viewing terrace, gaming zone with retro console games, workshops using 3D printers and vinyl/laser cutters (booking required) and regular family-friendly activities and events. Cafe serving breakfasts, lunches and snacks.
👉 For more info, visit @worduk
🎫 Free (charges apply for selected workshops & activities)
📌 Pier Road, Tynemouth, North Tyneside, NE30 4BZ
An English Heritage site on the headland of Tynemouth, with fantastic views overlooking the river Tyne and North Sea. There are interactive exhibits on the history of the site, including the ruined castle, priory, 15th century chapel, restored gun battery and cannon.
👉 For more info, visit @TynemouthPriory
🎫 From £4.70-£7.80 pp / Family £12.50-£20.30 (under 5s free)
Seasonal opening – varies from daily to weekends only throughout colder months
📌 Lime Street, Ouseburn Valley, Newcastle, NE1 2PQ
Guided tours of the Victoria Tunnel, used to transport coal under the city during the 1800s then converted into an air raid shelter during World War 2. Learn what colliery life was like and listen to ghostly tales.
👉 For more info, visit @VictoriaTunnelTours
🎫 From £5-£12 pp
Suitable for ages 7+
📌 Cambo, near Morpeth, Northumberland, NE61 4AR
A 13,000-acre National Trust site, with a grand house featuring historical paintings, furniture and curiosities, plus gardens, lakes, rivers, woodland and farmland. There are various walking trails, an easy cycling trail and bike hire, three outdoor play areas, and cafe serving hot meals, snacks and treats.
👉 For more info, visit @WallingtonNT
🎫 From £7-£14 pp / Family £21-£35
📌 The Avenue, Washington Village, Sunderland, NE38 7LE
A National Trust manor house with displays on life during the 17th century, with compact gardens including an orchard, nuttery and vegetable patch. A children’s quiz/trail is available and there’s an outdoor play frame with slide. Tea room serving light bites and treats.
👉 For more info, visit @WashingtonOldHall
🎫 From £3.35 – £6.70 pp / Family from £10.10 – £16.75
Seasonal opening hours, closed between Nov-April
