Collections
Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums holds outstanding collections in the fields of art, science and technology, archaeology, military and social history, fashion and natural sciences.
These are on display and accessible in museums and galleries across Tyne and Wear, via our online collections and at the museum stores, the Regional Resource Centre and Regional Museums Store. The collections are held for the benefit of visitors, researchers and other users, including anyone interested in culture and heritage. The art, natural science and science and industry collections have been awarded Designated status by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) in recognition of their national importance.
Collections range from small insects to large engines and working steam locomotives and include material of local interest as well as collections gathered from across the world. In date they range from items acquired as part of our contemporary collecting programme (including electronic games and MP3 players) to fossils which are hundreds of millions of years old.
We actively look to promote our collections and we welcome proposals from publishers and for commercial licensing. Permission to reproduce works from our collections can only be granted if you have obtained the image from us. Complete our image licensing application form to request permission and obtain images.