Museum set to welcome back visitors

The reopening of the City’s cultural attractions will continue this week when Newcastle Museum throws open its doors to the public.

The Museum will recommence its operations on Tuesday 23 June, with three daily one-hour sessions being held between 9.30am and 1.30pm.

Each session will be capped at 45 people, with the restrictions designed to allow visitors to enjoy many of the museum’s most popular attractions while still complying with the latest NSW Public Health Order.

Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said the reopening of the museum will provide another exciting option for locals and visitors looking to make the most of the easing COVID-19 restrictions.

“Following on from the successful reopening of the Newcastle Art Gallery and several Newcastle Regional Library branches, I’m pleased to see the community once again given the opportunity to enjoy the cultural and historic displays on offer at Newcastle Museum,” she said.

“As with all our reopened facilities, careful planning has gone in to being able to safely reintroduce staff and visitors into this space. We ask that visitors continue to practise social distancing, following the floor markers and direction of our staff.”

Newcastle Museum Director Julie Baird said while the facility’s interactive attractions will remain closed for safety in line with State guidelines, the museum still offers an entertaining and informative experience that provides a fascinating insight into Newcastle’s rich heritage.

“We’re so pleased to be able to open our doors and invite visitors back to Newcastle Museum,” she said.

“The public’s safety, and that of our team, is our top priority. So we’ve had to make some changes in our exhibition spaces, as well as remove a lot of our interactive exhibitions such as Supernova and Mininova for now.

“There is still more to discover, from the FIRE! Exhibition, A Newcastle Story, the popular BHP steelmaking simulation and the Cultural Resurgence and Kuueeyung exhibitions, which allow you to reflect on and absorb aspects of our rich local Aboriginal history and culture.”

The Museum will open from Tuesday to Saturday each week. Entry is free, however online bookings via newcastlemuseum.com.au are required before visitors arrive.

A series of Frequently Asked Questions are available at newcastlemuseum.com.au to assist the community with further information about the changes they may experience during their visit.