The £26m Great North Museum in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK is set to open to the public on 23 May.
The museum will bring together the natural history collections and archaeological exhibits that were housed in the Hancock Museum and Museum of Antiquities and Shefton Museum at Newcastle University into one flagship museum for the region.
The creation of the new museum, which will be operated by Tyne & Wear Museums (TWM), was made possible largely due to a £8.75m grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).
Other funding came from a wide range of supporters including the European Regional Development Fund, One North East, Newcastle University, Newcastle City Council, TyneWear Partnership, Northern Rock Foundation, Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Garfield Weston Foundation, Clore Duffield Foundation and the DCMS/Wolfson Foundation Museums & Galleries Improvement Fund.
Steve McLean, Great North Museum project manager, said: “The new museum is situated in the former Hancock Museum, which closed its doors three years ago to undergo this fantastic transformation. People will recognise the famous Hancock façade but the refurbished interior and impressive extension are all brand new.
“The Great North Museum charts 500 million years of natural and human evolution, bringing to life the history of our planet and its people through breathtaking displays of world-class treasures.”
The project has been led by Newcastle University in partnership with Tyne & Wear Museums, Newcastle City Council, the Natural History Society of Northumbria and the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle upon Tyne.
Highlights of the new museum include a life-size replica T. rex skeleton, mummies from Ancient Egypt, and a superb collection of Greek art and archaeology.
Visitors can track the story of planet Earth from its place in the universe – brought to life in the Museum’s planetarium – through ancient world civilisations, to natural history and life today.
Live animals from around the world, alongside the well-known Victorian specimens, make up a spectacular display of life on Earth, past and present, and highlighting the needs for conservation efforts worldwide.
The Great North Museum will also serve as the gateway to the environment and landscape of the North East of England.
The Hadrian’s Wall Gallery displays exhibits from the entire length of the wall in the single greatest collection of artefacts from the Hadrian’s Wall World Heritage Site.
Visitors can discover the history of Rome’s North Western frontier, including an inscription stone which proves that the wall was built on the orders of Emperor Hadrian.
