National Lottery Open Week

The Common Room will be taking part in National Lottery Open Week on the 15th March, entry between 10am and 4pm.

All National Lottery games (including National Lottery draw-based games and National Lottery scratchcards) purchased in store and online/via app qualify to redeem this offer.

Booking is not required. We will be running tours throughout the day, and be sure to drop in to try out our Audio Guide!

Find out more about our new audio guide below:

General Admission

Our general admission tickets are available on select dates each month, for those who would like to visit The Common Room but have not booked a space for an event or workshop above. This ticket includes general admission to explore some of our key historic spaces, including the Wood Hall, plus any exhibitions or installations which are on display at the time. Please check below to see what exhibitions are running now and in the future.

General admission tickets are currently released on a monthly basis. If the month you would like to book for is currently unavailable, please check again at a later date.

The Common Room LEGO® Brick By Brick Model

Visit our LEGO® brick model of our building, a remarkable example of High Victorian Gothic architecture which houses two of the finest rooms in Newcastle - the lavishly decorated Wood Hall and the Edwardian Lecture Theatre. This model has been designed and made by local LEGO® architect Steve Mayes of Brick This, with over 30,000 bricks going into the scale model.

The Wealth of the North

The North was built on mining and minerals. We have a remarkable geology that has given us a wide range of highly valuable products. Coal is the cornerstone of the North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers and, indeed, the UK itself, but many other materials have been and continue to be mined in the North. This display showcases all of these ores, minerals and materials that have been mined in Northern England, which make up "The Mineral Wealth of the North."
You can visit this amazing collection in our Map Room (1st Floor).

About our events

The Common Room welcomes visitors to learn more about our building and the North East’s rich industrial heritage, and aims to inspire the next generation of innovators and engineers.

Our programme of events celebrate the North East’s industrial past, present and future. Our dynamic heritage and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) inspired exhibitions, installations, performances and activities provide a space for visitors to connect on topical issues, learn about science and engineering, and to feel inspired by the North East’s industrial achievements, from the likes of George Stephenson’s safety lamp, to our very own green industrial revolution.

We offer a range of workshops for school groups and apprentices, which can be delivered on-site or in your school.

A photo of a child sat at a table, working on a technical skills board.