Great North Museum: Hancock awarded £24,000 grant by Sir James Knott Trust

Image: Young visitors at the Great North Museum: Hancock

Newcastle University’s Great North Museum: Hancock has been awarded a £24,000 grant by the Sir James Knott Trust.

The three-year award of £8,000 per annum will be used to create 12 interactive museum displays aimed at children aged 5-7 years old. The multisensory interactives will help youngsters bridge the gap between the museum’s ‘Mouse House’ play space for under 5s and the wider galleries.

Four interactives will be produced each year of the grant period. They will be designed and trialled alongside children and their parents to help stimulate confidence, knowledge and an appetite for lifelong learning.

Caroline McDonald, Manager at the Great North Museum: Hancock, said:

“The Great North Museum aims to be with children of every age at every step of the way as they learn about the world around them.

“We are extremely grateful to the Sir James Knott Trust for funding our gallery interactives, helping us to support family learning and inspiring our youngest visitors.”

The Sir James Knott Trust is an independent, grant-making charitable trust based in Newcastle upon Tyne. It aims to improve the conditions of people living and working in the region.

Jo Curry, Executive Director of the Trust, said:

“The Sir James Knott Trust is delighted to support the gallery interactives project at the Great North Museum which will enhance the experience of 5-7 year olds.

“Early learning is very important in shaping children’s understanding of culture and their environment. Challenging families in and around the museum and the city in a fun way will also potentially make it more memorable.”

The award follows a highly successful 2019 for the Great North Museum: Hancock in which it attracted hundreds of thousands of visitors for the Dippy on Tour exhibition and won Best Medium Museum at the Family Friendly Museum Awards.

Please contact Jonathan Loach - Jonathan.Loach@twmuseums.org.uk 0191 277 2168