Planning your visit

Book your free tickets here.

Following the announcement by the Health Secretary and local authorities that the North East will have tighter restrictions to control the spread of Coronavirus from 18 September, we would like to clarify that Discovery Museum will remain open with social distancing and sanitation measures in place to ensure the safety of our visitors and staff.

To comply with these new restrictions, we ask that you only book tickets/visit our venues as an individual household (or your support bubble) of up to six people.

Please note: Tyne & Wear Archives remains temporarily closed, re-opening dates will be announced soon. 

Our opening hours remain unchanged:

• Monday - Friday: 10am - 4pm
• Saturday and Sunday: 11am – 4pm 
• Closed on Bank Holidays

Some areas of the Museum are closed until it is safe to open them. These include:

• Turbinia Cafe 
• Play Tyne (water play for under 7s)
• Play + Invent creative space
• Hands-on interactive displays in all galleries
• Soft play in Science Maze

We are admitting fewer people into the Museum so we can provide enough space for social distancing. This means we would like you to book your visit in advance. If you don't book, you may have to queue outside the Museum until the number of visitors in the Museum has reduced to a safe level.

Book your free tickets here.

To ensure we can maintain social distancing and to help us make your visit safe and enjoyable, it is important that as many people as possible book a ticket in advance.

• You’ll need to choose a timeslot. The timeslot is for your arrival time only and the length of time you can stay will be made clear during the booking process and on your ticket.
• Only 6 tickets can be booked per party to adhere to the government's social distancing guidance 
• On Mondays we will release tickets for the following week. You can book up to midnight the day before you’d like to visit.
• There will be a small allocation of tickets for people who walk up on the day and those who are not able to book tickets online. If you do not have a ticket you may need to wait until a member of staff has made sure the number of people in the building is at a safe level before you can be admitted.

• To comply with the law, you will be required to wear a face covering to enter the Museum and for the duration of your visit. This does not apply to under 11s or people excluded due to health conditions.
• Please arrive within 10 minutes of the start time of your ticket. You may need to queue for a short time while tickets are checked. If you arrive late, we're afraid we may not be able to guarantee you immediate entry. Entry will be at the discretion of our staff based on the number of people already in the building.
• To maintain social distancing, please do not pass your phone or printed tickets to our staff. You may be asked for your name and booking number.   
• Please have your ticket ready to show our staff either on your phone or a printed copy.
• In order to help reduce the risk of a local outbreak of coronavirus we are legally required to take contact details of visitors who do not book in advance or use the NHS track and trace app, as well as recording the time of entering our venue. In line with guidance issued by the government, we will keep your details for 21 days. We will only share them with NHS Test and Trace, if asked, in the event of a fellow visitor testing positive for coronavirus. We will also be displaying NHS QR code posters to make it easier for you to check-in. You will need to download the NHS app onto your mobile phone before you can scan the QR code. The app is available on Andriod's Google Play or Apple's App Store - search for NHS Covid-19. If you check-in using the QR code then you do not need to share your details with us. Your cooperation in helping us to keep our visitors, staff and the wider community safe is greatly appreciated.

Please follow government advice around social distancing when you visit and follow the one-way route around the Museum. Any children in your group must be supervised at all times.

• Please read the new signs providing guidance and our staff and volunteers will also be happy to help you adjust to the new way of visiting.
• Our staff will greet you at a distance. They will be wearing face coverings or visors and we have new protective screens at our welcome desk.
• Please help us maintain hygiene and protect our collections by not bringing food and drink into the Museum.
• Due to reduced numbers of visitors, we're sorry to have to share that we are not able to offer a cafe service at this time. 
• Any purchases in the shop must be made at the end of your visit. If possible, please use a contactless payment method in our shop.
• We encourage you to use the hand sanitisers around the Museum.
• We have increased cleaning in all public areas and especially in areas of high contact.
• If you have any of the symptoms of coronavirus, or if you have been in contact with anyone that has the virus in the last 14 days, please do not visit. 

• If you wish to bring a school or college group to the Museum please contact the Learning team who will be able to discuss your visit requirements directly with you. Email: learning@discoverymuseum.org.uk or call (191) 2326789

Covid19 has had a huge impact on our income. Now more than ever, we believe culture sits firmly at the heart of the North East - please help us keep it there. If you would like to support us you can donate here.

Thank you and stay safe.