Museums sit comfortably with design boost

A North East cultural organisation is enhancing visitor experience by blending design-led comfort with heritage spaces.

North East Museums has partnered with British furniture brand Swyft Home, which has donated sofas and armchairs to cafés at Discovery Museum in Newcastle and Woodhorn Museum in Ashington.

The collaboration brings Swyft’s contemporary furniture into two of the region’s most visited museums, creating more welcoming and relaxed environments for the thousands of people who pass through the doors each year.

Bosses say the new additions are designed to encourage visitors to linger, offering spaces for conversation, reflection and connection alongside exhibitions and displays.

They add the partnership reflects a shared commitment to creativity, accessibility and community, reinforcing the role of museums as social spaces as well as places of learning.

Keiran Hewkin, founder and chief executive of Swyft Home, said: “The North East has such a rich design and cultural heritage. 

“We’re proud to support a museum group that does so much to keep culture alive and accessible in the region. 

“It’s something we care deeply about as a brand.

“Swyft has always been about more than furniture. 

“We’re about how people live, the stories behind what they choose for their homes and that aligns beautifully with what North East Museums stand for. 

“For me, this is more than a brand collaboration, it’s a chance to give back to a region I call home, and to connect with a wider cultural conversation.

“As a proud North East resident, this partnership feels particularly special. 

“Bringing together our design-led brand with a cultural institution like North East Museums opens up new conversations around art, interiors and the importance of creativity in everyday life. 

“Supporting the region’s cultural institutions is important to me personally, and to us as a brand.”

Visitors can now enjoy Swyft-designed seating while using the café spaces at both venues, adding an extra layer of comfort to the museum experience.

Keith Merrin, chief executive of North East Museums, added: “This new partnership demonstrates the value of collaboration between cultural institutions and creative businesses in enriching community life and we’re hugely grateful to Swyft Home for their generous donations.

“The wonderful new furniture has helped transform our café spaces into warm, inviting places where visitors can relax, reflect and connect with one another.

“This kind of support makes a real difference to the visitor experience and helps us to continue our mission of keeping culture alive and accessible across the North East.”

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