CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO A RECORDING OF THIS LECTURE

The Hancock Museum closed its doors to the public on 23 April 2006, to be transformed into a world-class visitor attraction as part of the £26 million Great North Museum project. The project was led by Newcastle University in partnership with Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums, The Natural History Society of Northumbria, The Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle upon Tyne and Newcastle City Council.

The new Museum brings together the North East’s premier collections of archaeology, natural history, geology and world cultures under one roof.  It incorporates collections from the original Hancock Museum, and Newcastle University’s former Museum of Antiquities and Shefton Museum.

The creation of the Great North Museum: Hancock is part of the wider Great North Museum project involving the redevelopment of the magnificent Hancock Museum, the management of the Hatton Gallery and the development of The Great North Museum Resource Centre at Discovery Museum.

This public lecture is delivered by Steve McLean, one of the Project Managers for the re-development and currently the Senior Manager for the Great North Museum. He will outline the entire history of the project from inception to opening, including the decant of the museum when it closed in 2006, the building work and the development of the exhibition spaces within. He will also provide an insight into the new GNM Resource Centre at Discovery Museum which houses over 500,000 objects from the collections. 

A guided tour of the Great North Museum: Hancock, with an opportunity to find out more about how the exhibits were put together and to ask about items currently held in store will take place on:  Wednesday, 21st October 2009 

One hour visits start at: 5.30pm, 7pm and 8.30pm. To book your place, please email your name and your choice of time to: nsew@ncl.ac.uk