Name: The Great North Museum
Rating: 5.0

The Great North Museum

Great North Museum: Hancock, Barras Bridge, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK

1-99 Years

Description

The Great North Museum: Hancock is a brilliant, all-encompassing resource for natural history and ancient civilisations in the heart of the city. It is one of the best things to do with kids in Newcastle because it is a museum category attraction that combines a planetarium, a live animal wing, and a life-sized T. rex replica under one roof. Whether your children are obsessed with dinosaurs, space, or creepy crawlies, this venue offers a massive variety of things to see.

General admission to the museum is completely free, allowing families to explore the vast majority of the collections without spending a penny. While the main galleries cost nothing to enter, the museum does offer a high-tech Planetarium which requires a small fee per person.

If you are looking for the best place for a day out with family and kids that covers everything from the depths of the ocean to the edge of the galaxy, the Hancock is a top choice. It provides a high-quality educational day out that is both interactive and easy to navigate with a pram. It is the perfect spot to spend a rainy afternoon while keeping the kids active and learning.

Features

Free
Host birthday parties: Yes

Features

Key Features

Interactive Exhibits: Many galleries feature interactive exhibits, such as touch-screen games about ancient Egypt and "investigation stations" for budding scientists.
Planetarium: The museum houses a state-of-the-art planetarium where families can watch immersive films about the solar system and stars.
Sensory Play: The "Mouse House" is a dedicated space for under-5s, offering sensory play and early-years activities themed around nature.
Educational Day Out: Children can learn about local history through the Hadrian's Wall gallery, which uses large-scale models to show what life was like for Roman soldiers.

Top 5 Highlights

The T. rex Replica: Dominating the Living Planet gallery, this full-sized skeleton is the star of the show. It is a fantastic way to introduce kids to the scale of prehistoric life without being too scary.
The Mouse House: This is a "must-visit" for parents with toddlers. It is a safe, enclosed area where little ones can play with wooden toys, look at small specimens, and enjoy storybooks.
Ancient Egypt Gallery: This section features real mummies and intricate sarcophagi. Kids find the "virtual autopsy" interactive particularly fascinating as it lets them see what is inside a mummy without unwrapping it.
Living Planet: This gallery is packed with taxidermy from around the world. It includes a massive African elephant and a Great White Shark, helping children understand the incredible diversity of animals on our planet.
Hadrian's Wall Model: This huge, detailed model stretches across the gallery and shows the entire length of the wall. It’s great for a game of "I Spy" to find the different forts and soldiers.

Facilities

Toilets: Available on all floors, including accessible toilets and baby changing facilities.
Buggy Parking: There is a dedicated area for prams near the main entrance.
Food & Drink: The Museum Café on the ground floor serves hot meals, snacks, and "kids' pick-and-mix" lunch boxes. There is also an indoor picnic area.
Lockers: Small lockers are available for a £1 returnable deposit.

Pro-Tips for Parents

Book the Planetarium Early: These shows sell out fast, especially on rainy Saturdays. Book your slot at the reception desk as soon as you arrive.
Use the Side Entrance: The Barras Bridge entrance is grand, but the side entrance near the university is often quieter if there is a school group arriving at the front.
Picnic Area: The museum is one of the few city centre spots with a dedicated indoor space for families to eat their own packed lunches.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it worth it for toddlers? Yes, it is one of the most toddler-friendly spots in Newcastle. The Mouse House is designed specifically for them, and the wide, flat galleries are very easy to navigate with a buggy.
How long does a visit take? Most families spend between 2 and 3 hours here. This gives you enough time to see the dinosaurs, visit the Mouse House, and catch a show in the Planetarium.
Where is the best place to park? The Civic Centre car park is the most convenient as it is just across the road. On weekends, it is often easier to find a space here than in the multi-storeys further into the city.
Are there cheap indoor activities in Newcastle? The Great North Museum is a top choice for cheap indoor activities in Newcastle because the entry is free. It provides a massive amount of entertainment and learning without a high price tag.

The Visitor Verdict: What Parents Really Think
What Visitors Love

The fact that it is free makes it a stress-free option for a quick hour or a full afternoon.
The Mouse House is consistently praised for being a calm and engaging space for very young children.
The variety of exhibits means that kids of different ages (e.g., a toddler and a 10-year-old) can both find something they like.

What Visitors Don't Like

The lift can be quite slow when the museum is busy with prams and school groups.
The cafe can get very noisy at lunchtime, so many parents prefer using the picnic area.

What to see

Detailed Inventory

The T. rex Skeleton: A life-sized cast of a Tyrannosaurus rex, the centrepiece of the prehistoric collection.
Irtyru Mummy: A remarkably preserved ancient Egyptian mummy dating back over 2,000 years.
The African Elephant: A large-scale taxidermy specimen that showcases the sheer size of the world's largest land mammal.
Hadrian's Wall interactive: A touch-screen guide that brings the Roman frontier to life.
Mithras Altars: Original stone altars from the Temple of Mithras at Carrawburgh.
Live Bee Hive: A working hive where kids can watch the bees coming and going through a glass viewing pane.
Space Rocks: A collection of real meteorites that children can see up close.
The Moa Skeleton: An extinct giant bird from New Zealand that dwarfs most humans.
New for 2026: The "Deep Sea Discovery" Zone: A brand-new immersive exhibition using light and sound to simulate the midnight zone of the ocean.
Wylam Dilly: One of the oldest surviving locomotives in the world, representing the region's engineering heritage.

Beyond the Main Attraction

Newcastle University Campus: The museum is located on the edge of the campus, which has beautiful green spaces for a quick run-around.
Exhibition Park: A 10-minute walk away, featuring a huge playground, a lake, and the Wylam Brewery cafe.
Newcastle City Library: A modern hub with an excellent children's section, located a short walk south.
Haymarket Shopping Centre: Right across the road for quick food options like Greggs or M&S.

Events: For more upcoming events please visit here.

Website

Contact

Video

Price

Price: Free

Birthday Parties

Offer Birthday Parties: Yes

Birthday Party Details

The Great North Museum: Hancock currently offers room hire for private events, but specific "themed" birthday packages are [Information not available on official website]. For private hire enquiries, contact the venue directly. Contact Email: [email protected]

Monday – Friday: 10am – 5pm
Saturday: 10am – 4pm
Sunday: 11am – 4pm

Address: Great North Museum: Hancock, Barras Bridge, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK

Post Code: NE2 4PT

Council: Newcastle

County: Tyne and Wear

By Metro: Get off at Haymarket. The museum is a 2-minute walk north from the station exit.
By Bus: Any bus to Haymarket Bus Station will put you within a few hundred yards of the entrance.
By Car: Use postcode NE2 4PT. There is no public parking at the museum. The nearest car parks are at the Civic Centre or Claremont Road (Pay & Display).