Discovery Museum
The city’s history is put into context with many impressive displays held in the Discovery Museum on the south side of Westgate Road in Blandford Square (opening times are Monday to Saturday 10:00am – 5:00pm, Sunday 2:00pm – 5:00pm, admission is free, more information at www.twmuseums.org.uk).
On arrival you are confronted by a one hundred foot long Turbinia, the worlds first steam turbine powered ship that was built by a local engineer named Charles Parsons. There are galleries on the three floors that surround the Turbinia, these include standout attractions such as ‘The Newcastle Story’, which is a walk through the city’s past using animated characters. There is an interactive’ Science Maze’ that pays tribute to Newcastle’s pioneering inventors (these include Joseph Swan who according to the locals beat Edison to the invention of the light bulb).
With many activities to take part in a trip to the discovery museum is a great day out for people of all ages. Inside the ‘Tyne Story’ galleries people participate in a role-play that discovers the role of the river during the development of the city.
Other exciting parts of the museum include a walk through fashion gallery that displays over 8000 costumes from collections.