Newcastle Museum

Newcastle Museum
Newcastle Museum, at the former railway workshops, 2025
Newcastle Museum is located in New South Wales
Newcastle Museum
Location within New South Wales
Established1988
Location6 Workshop Way
Newcastle, New South Wales
Coordinates32°55′34.5″S 151°46′21.07″E / 32.926250°S 151.7725194°E / -32.926250; 151.7725194
TypeRegional museum
Collections
Industrial heritage, local history, science education, BHP steelworks, Newcastle earthquake artefacts
Collection size
12,500+
Visitors2,015,000 (August 2024)
OwnerNewcastle City Council
Public transit access
 Civic
ParkingPaid parking available nearby (Honeysuckle precinct)
Websitewww.newcastlemuseum.com.au

Newcastle Museum is in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. The museum is connected with Newcastle Libraries. It showcases exhibitions across science, industry, local history, and regional culture, with interactive and heritage-focused displays.

Since opening in its current location, Newcastle Museum has received many awards for its design, environmental sustainability, exhibitions and tourism.

Exhibitions

Permanent exhibitions


Special exhibitions

Newcastle Museum regularly hosts temporary and travelling exhibitions. Notable examples include:

Programs and features

In addition to its exhibitions, Newcastle Museum offers a range of other experiences. Living Labels QR codes provide extended exhibit content via mobile devices. School holiday programs include science workshops and family-friendly activities. The museum also hosts a variety of other activities throughout the year including shows, talks, workshops and author appearances. Activities span a wide range of topics including arts, culture, science, engineering, the environment and music. Science Shows are also offered for school visits. The museum’s collection spans industrial heritage, local history, and hands-on science exhibits.

Fishing tree in the foyer of Newcastle museum: used by generations of Worimi people to find schools of fish near Bagnall's beach.

Awards

History

Former logo

The Newcastle Museum was founded in 1988, and was opened by Queen Elizabeth II. It was originally located in the old Castlemaine Brewery building on Hunter Street until 2008. In 2011 it reopened in its present location, 1.7 km (1.1 mi) away in the former headquarters of the Great Northern Railway which includes the heritage-listed Honeysuckle Point Railway Workshops.

Stolen bones

In 2003, bones from a psittacosaurus sinensis, which were 110 million years old, were stolen from the museum. The bones had been on loan from China. Police asked the public for information and attempted to recover the bones with a $5000 reward offered for their return.

Failed knife attack

On 26 June 2024, a 19-year-old man attempted a knife attack on Newcastle MP Tim Crakanthorp, carrying knives and tactical gear. He was later arrested inside the Newcastle Museum and injured zero people.

Location

References

  1. 1 2 "The Collection". Newcastle Museum. Newcastle Museum. Archived from the original on 9 October 2025. Retrieved 9 October 2025.
  2. ↑ "Events and exhibitions give Newcastle Museum two million reasons to celebrate". City of Newcastle. City of Newcastle. Archived from the original on 9 October 2025. Retrieved 9 October 2025.
  3. 1 2 "Organisation". Newcastle Museum. Newcastle Museum. Archived from the original on 9 October 2025. Retrieved 9 October 2025.
  4. ↑ "Supernova". Newcastle Museum. Newcastle Museum. Archived from the original on 9 October 2025. Retrieved 9 October 2025.
  5. ↑ "Kuueeyung". Newcastle Museum. Newcastle Museum. Archived from the original on 9 October 2025. Retrieved 9 October 2025.
  6. ↑ "Fire and Earth". Newcastle Museum. Newcastle Museum. Archived from the original on 9 October 2025. Retrieved 9 October 2025.
  7. ↑ "A Newcastle Story". Newcastle Museum. Newcastle Museum. Archived from the original on 9 October 2025. Retrieved 9 October 2025.
  8. ↑ "Exhibition honours German refugees in the Hunter". Newcastle Weekly. Newcastle Weekly. Archived from the original on 10 October 2025. Retrieved 10 October 2025.
  9. ↑ "Link Gallery". Newcastle Museum. Newcastle Museum. Archived from the original on 9 October 2025. Retrieved 9 October 2025.
  10. ↑ "Miniature masterpieces to deliver maximum impact at Newcastle Museum". City of Newcastle. City of Newcastle. Archived from the original on 10 October 2025. Retrieved 10 October 2025.
  11. ↑ "Model Newcastle". Newcastle Museum. Newcastle Museum. Archived from the original on 30 September 2025. Retrieved 10 October 2025.
  12. ↑ "Dinosaurs: Surviving Extinction". Newcastle Museum. Newcastle Museum. Archived from the original on 10 October 2025. Retrieved 10 October 2025.
  13. ↑ "Exhibition's international debut for prehistoric summer at Newcastle Museum". City of Newcastle. City of Newcastle. Archived from the original on 10 October 2025. Retrieved 10 October 2025.
  14. ↑ "Living Labels". Newcastle Museum. Newcastle Museum. Archived from the original on 10 October 2025. Retrieved 10 October 2025.
  15. ↑ "Museum Express Science Shows". Newcastle Museum. Newcastle Museum. Archived from the original on 10 October 2025. Retrieved 10 October 2025.
  16. ↑ "A step back in time for Her Majesty". Newcastle Herald. 6 June 1988. p. 3.
  17. ↑ "History". Newcastle Museum. Newcastle Museum. Archived from the original on 10 October 2025. Retrieved 10 October 2025.
  18. ↑ Fodor's (8 July 2014). Fodor's Australia. Fodor's Travel Publications. ISBN 9780804142489.
  19. ↑ "Global hunt for dinosaur skeleton". The Age. 27 July 2003. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  20. ↑ "Police hunt stolen dinosaur". The Sydney Morning Herald. 20 July 2003. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  21. ↑ "Dog-sized, bird-faced dinosaur skeleton stolen". Australia: ABC News. 20 July 2003. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  22. ↑ Sharma, Yashee (26 June 2024). "Teen arrested at NSW museum allegedly found with knives, tactical gear". 9 News. Retrieved 27 June 2024.

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