In the centre of Newcastle and close to the train station you can visit what remains of the Norman Castle for which Newcastle was named. The stone keep from 1170 and the Black Gate of 1250 still stand on this site of the original wooden castle built by William the Conqueror in 1080. Grade I listed building, it is one of the finest Norman keeps surviving in the UK and boasts panoramic views of Newcastle, the river and its 7 bridges from atop its battlements.
Located in Newcastle’s pioneering Science Village focused on genetic research, the Centre for Life is host to a series of hands on & hi tech exhibits designed for you to discover the secrets of life. It features the Motion Ride, a thrilling 4D simulator, children’s arcade style science games, a science theatre for dramatic science demonstrations, the UK’s premier planetarium, an outdoor ice rink and regularly changing main exhibits, such as Body Worlds and Game On 2.0.
Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art
Located on the South Bank of the Tyne, this contemporary art centre is housed in the old Baltic Flour Mill, a large and striking local landmark.
As the largest gallery of its kind, it hosts an ever changing calendar of exhibitions and activities, which display and provide insight into contemporary art and the process of its creation.
In 2011 Baltic hosted the Turner prize, the UK’s premier art award, associated with contemporary art.
Also in the complex are artists in residence, a performance space, a cinema, a bar, a spectacular rooftop restaurant and a ground-floor riverside restaurant. There is also a viewing box for a fine Tyne vista.