Great North Museum: Hancock

Great North Museum: Hancock is Newcastle's museum of natural history and archaeology, standing at Barras Bridge on the northern edge of the city centre. Its galleries, from a display on the Roman frontier to a hall full of the living world, can host your ceremony, wedding breakfast and evening party, with room for very large guest lists.

Why it suits LGBTQ+ couples

A museum wedding gives you a setting with plenty to talk about, and guests can wander the exhibits between the formal moments. Packages are put together to order rather than sold off a fixed list, so you can shape the day around the galleries and style you want. GLW recommends it for couples who want a venue with character and a real sense of occasion, right in the middle of the city.

Ceremonies

Several spaces can host a ceremony. The Hadrian's Wall Gallery and the Natural Northumbria Gallery suit a larger gathering, with the latter used for late afternoon ceremonies. The Clore Suite, available in the evenings and at weekends, works well for civil ceremonies and has its own private garden. Across the museum, ceremonies can hold up to 443 guests.

Receptions and food

The Living Planet Gallery hosts wedding breakfasts and evening receptions, and the Hadrian's Wall Gallery can also be laid out for dinner. The Natural Northumbria Gallery suits early evening drinks, and the Clore Suite patio is used for summer drinks receptions. First-floor exhibition halls can be hired singly or linked together for bigger events. Seated dinners can reach 350 guests and evening receptions 443. Food comes from the in-house team or the museum's preferred caterers, with options from canapés and buffets to three courses. The museum is fully licensed and runs its own bar. The Planetarium can be added for a small group.

Getting there and the area

The museum is about five minutes on foot from Haymarket Metro and bus station, and the Metro links to Newcastle Central Station and the airport. There is no public parking on site, but several paid car parks sit nearby, including on Claremont Road and John Dobson Street. Newcastle University, the Civic Centre and the shops of Northumberland Street are all a short walk away, and city centre hotels are close by for guests staying over.

Good to know

• Hiring a space gives you exclusive use of that room, not the whole museum during public opening hours.
• Outside food and drink are not permitted.
• Dietary requirements are needed at least two weeks before the event.