Topics > Museums, Archives, Galleries and Collections > Discovery Museum
Discovery Museum
"Immerse yourself in the history of Newcastle and Tyneside told through permanent displays and temporary exhibitions over three floors focusing on the area's maritime, scientific and technological importance to Britain and the rest of the world." https://discoverymuseum.org.uk
Blanford House, the building in which the museum is situated, was the former Co-operative Wholesale Society Headquarters for the Northern Region. Built in 1899 it is Grade II listed on the National Heritage List for England.
Discovery Museum is a science museum and local history museum situated in Blandford Square in Newcastle upon Tyne, England.
It displays many exhibits of local history, including Turbinia, the 34 metre long ship built by Charles Algernon Parsons to test the advantages of using the steam turbine to power ships. It also features examples of Joseph Swan's early lightbulbs which were invented on Tyneside.
It houses the regimental museum for the 15th/19th The King's Royal Hussars and the Northumberland Hussars, exploring the human side of 200 years of life in the army. It is a "hands-on" museum designed to interest both children and adults.
It is one of the biggest free museums in North East England, and in 2006 was winner of the North East's Best Family Experience award at the North East England Tourism Awards. It is managed by Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums and sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
History
Discovery Museum started life in 1934 as the Municipal Museum of Science and Industry. The collections were housed in a temporary pavilion built for the 1929 North East Coast Exhibition in Exhibition Park, Newcastle. This was the first UK science museum outside London.
The collections and displays grew for another forty years, until the temporary pavilion could no longer meet the Museum's needs. In 1978, the Museum was re-located to Blandford House, the former Co-operative Wholesale Society Headquarters for the Northern Region. Designed by Oliver, Leeson and Wood, this magnificent 1899 building had been the distribution centre for over 100 Co-op stores across the region, and contained extensive warehouse space and offices.
In 1993 the Museum was re-launched as Discovery Museum. Ongoing refurbishment has brought many new displays in recent years. This includes the spectacular transfer of Turbinia, in 1994, from her old home in Exhibition Park through the streets of Newcastle to the new entrance hall at Discovery.
In 2004 the £13 million redevelopment of the Museum was complete and the following year the venue attracted 450,000 visitors.
Discovery Museum participates in The Late Shows.
Visit the page: Discovery Museum for references and further details. You can contribute to this article on Wikipedia.
![](https://i1.ytimg.com/vi/W3y-zy0jAmg/hqdefault.jpg)
from Youtube (youtube)
Artist Julia Vogl's Connect10 installation at the Discovery in Newcastle
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
![](/uploads/thumbs2/discovery_museum.png)
from https://discoverymuseum.org.u…
Discovery Museum
- Official Website of the museum
Added by
Simon Cotterill
![](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/387/19746736685_b2de613b3e_z.jpg)
from Flickr (flickr)
Turbinia in the Discovery Museum, Newcastle-upon-Tyne
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
![](/uploads/thumbs2/sitelines.png)
from http://www.twsitelines.info/S…
Tyne and Wear HER(5170): Newcastle, Blandford Square, Blandford House
- "A huge impressive warehouse built for the Cooperative Wholesale Society in 1899 by Oliver and Leeson and now used as headquarters for Tyne and Wear Museums Service and as the …
Added by
Simon Cotterill
![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/pOBA9ypanns/hqdefault.jpg)
from TWAM (youtube)
A film about Discovery Museum by the Museums and Galleries Disabled Access Group
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/iNgffnY1zTQ/hqdefault.jpg)
from TWAMDigitalStories (youtube)
A Time That Changed My Life by Rita Holmes
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/nzoKOSTCoPg/hqdefault.jpg)
from TWAM (youtube)
Turbinia being transported to her new home at Discovery Museum
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
![](/uploads/thumbs2/historic_england.png)
from https://historicengland.org.u…
BLANDFORD HOUSE - Newcastle - List Entry
- "Former Co-operative warehouse, now Museum Services Headquarters and Archives Department. 1899 by Oliver and Leeson for C.W.S. Red brick with sandstone and terracotta dressings; graduated Lakeland slate roofs with copper …
Added by
Simon Cotterill
![](http://s0.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/05/13/46/5134692_7836f9ee.jpg)
from Geograph (geograph)
Blandford House, Blandford Square, NE1 - southeast entrance
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
![](/static/img/loading.gif)
![](https://i1.ytimg.com/vi/W3y-zy0jAmg/hqdefault.jpg)
from Youtube (youtube)
Artist Julia Vogl's Connect10 installation at the Discovery in Newcastle
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
![](/uploads/thumbs2/discovery_museum.png)
from https://discoverymuseum.org.u…
Discovery Museum
- Official Website of the museum
Added by
Simon Cotterill
![](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/387/19746736685_b2de613b3e_z.jpg)
from Flickr (flickr)
Turbinia in the Discovery Museum, Newcastle-upon-Tyne
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
![](/uploads/thumbs2/sitelines.png)
from http://www.twsitelines.info/S…
Tyne and Wear HER(5170): Newcastle, Blandford Square, Blandford House
- "A huge impressive warehouse built for the Cooperative Wholesale Society in 1899 by Oliver and Leeson and now used as headquarters for Tyne and Wear Museums Service and as the …
Added by
Simon Cotterill
![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/pOBA9ypanns/hqdefault.jpg)
from TWAM (youtube)
A film about Discovery Museum by the Museums and Galleries Disabled Access Group
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/iNgffnY1zTQ/hqdefault.jpg)
from TWAMDigitalStories (youtube)
A Time That Changed My Life by Rita Holmes
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/nzoKOSTCoPg/hqdefault.jpg)
from TWAM (youtube)
Turbinia being transported to her new home at Discovery Museum
Pinned by Simon Cotterill
![](/uploads/thumbs2/historic_england.png)
from https://historicengland.org.u…
BLANDFORD HOUSE - Newcastle - List Entry
- "Former Co-operative warehouse, now Museum Services Headquarters and Archives Department. 1899 by Oliver and Leeson for C.W.S. Red brick with sandstone and terracotta dressings; graduated Lakeland slate roofs with copper …
Added by
Simon Cotterill
![](http://s0.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/05/13/46/5134692_7836f9ee.jpg)
from Geograph (geograph)
Blandford House, Blandford Square, NE1 - southeast entrance
Pinned by Simon Cotterill