Yes! Here are our favourites.
A living museum that is a jewel of the north east. This 1.5 mile long piece of countryside contains a preserved world: life in the north east during the beginning of the 20th century. Stroll into town and witness local actors going about their normal turn-of-the-century day in the vintage garage (featured in the 2019 Downton Abby film), the dentist office and the bank (made exciting by the pneumatic tubes zooming overhead). Jump on a period appropriate tram or bus and visit another of the 6 separate locations. There’s even an authentic pit village and colliery, you can visit the mine to have a real northern experience.
An ambitious £26 million project completed in 2009, the Great North Museum houses collections from two older Newcastle museums and more, in the Georgian splendour of the grand neo classical Hancock Building. There is an interactive model of Hadrians Wall, a full size T-Rex, Roman, Egyptian and Greek collections, large animal taxidermy specimens, live animal tanks,hands on kids activities and a planetarium. Admission is free.
Dedicated to Newcastle and Tynesides industrial and scientific history, the Discovery Museum has abundant large and interesting exhibits. There is the first steam turbine ship, the 30m Turbinia of 1836, an exhibit about Joseph Swann who invented the lightbulb, a life-size display of shipbuilding which previously dominated Tyneside, interactive activities and Newcastle’s history from the Romans up to Cheryl Cole. The museum is spread throughout three floors of the large, historic, Newcastle Co-Operative warehouse. Entrance is free.