North East Museums expands regional reach
A cultural organisation is embarking on a new era with a rebrand and a major expansion to its portfolio of venues.
Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums is now called North East Museums.
Bosses say the name reflects its growing regional influence and provides “a fresh spark” to the new sites under its management.
From 1 April 2025, the organisation will expand its footprint into Northumberland and take responsibility for Northumberland County Council’s venues: Woodhorn Museum, in Ashington; Hexham Old Gaol and Morpeth Chantry Bagpipe Museum, bringing its total number of sites to 12.
North East Museums attracts around one million visitors annually and oversees iconic sites such as the Discovery Museum, Laing Art Gallery and Arbeia Roman Fort, while also managing the Tyne & Wear Archives and delivering cultural projects across the region.
From April 2025, North East Museums will manage the following sites:
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
Keith Merrin, director of North East Museums, said: “This is a hugely positive and significant moment for both our organisation and our partners to ensure that by working together we can deliver the best museums, galleries and archives for the people of our region and visitors from all over the world.
“We were already working on a new name and brand for the organisation before Northumberland County Council approached us about the potential of managing their museums, and now our new name makes even more sense.”
The partnership includes local councils in Gateshead, Newcastle, North and South Tyneside and Northumberland, along with Newcastle University.
By preserving more than 1.1 million significant objects and offering award-winning learning activities, North East Museums continues to make a substantial cultural and economic impact in the region.
Chris Mullin, chair of the North East Museums strategic board, added: “We welcome the opportunity to work with Northumberland County Council, bringing more museums into our partnership.
“Museums and galleries play an important role in the cultural life of the region and working together we aim to provide a consistent high-quality experience for all our communities and visitors to the region.”
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