The Museum is open Tuesday – Saturday 9:30am – 1:30pm, with safety measures in place.
Following the NSW Public Health Order requirements, there will be a maximum capacity of up to 45 visitors at one time in the building.
This capacity ensures the 4 square metres of space per person can be achieved. The limited capacity also allows our visitors to comfortably move about the space, while maintaining 1.5m physical distance from other members of the public.
Newcastle Museum is open for three one-hour sessions Tuesday – Saturday, during this time you can explore the collection, exhibitions and enjoy a 6-minute BHP Steelmaking Simulation.
Daily sessions*
09.30am – 10.30am
11.00am – 12.00pm
12.30pm – 01.30pm
*Opening times will be extended from 25 September 2020. Read more about the upcoming changes.
Yes. Bookings are required until 24 September.
Online booking has been set up to ensure the capacity of visitors can be monitored and contact tracing can occur.
Each visitor is required to purchase a ticket online. Entry to the Museum is free and there are no fees or charges associated with the booking.
How to book:
- Visit Try Booking
- Select BOOK NOW to begin the process
- Select your preferred date and time
- Enter your contact details. (This information will be used for contact tracing purposes only)
- Once the booking is confirmed, a confirmation page will appear
- Select TICKETS to print a copy of this page on your home printer or have your digital version on your device ready to access upon arrival.
- Contact 02 4974 1400 if you require support with booking your ticket.
To avoid disappointment, we ask all patrons to make an online booking prior to arrival at the Museum.
New measures will come into effect from 25 September 2020. Read more about the upcoming changes.
The Museum team have developed a COVID-19 safe plan in line with industry standards. The Museum team will monitor the movements, attendance numbers, compliance, and comfort levels of the public over the initial opening weeks and will make adjustments as needed.
The COVID-19 safe plan includes:
- An online booking system, to ensure capacity is not exceeded and contact details are collected for tracing purposes.
- Entry and Exit points will be clearly marked, with markers on the floor to guide patrons through the Museum at comfortable distances from other members of the public.
- Hand sanitiser stations will be in place at the point of entry and staff will commence increased cleaning regimes between session times with a focus on high-touch surfaces.
When attending the Museum, we ask all visitors to help to keep each other safe from viruses, please:
- Keep a distance of 1.5m between you and other people
- Clean your hands with soap and water, or hand sanitiser
- Cover your nose and mouth when you cough or sneeze
- Avoid close contact with anyone with cold and flu-like symptoms
- Stay at home if you are sick or have any flu-like symptoms
Supernova and Mininova galleries remain closed to the public at this stage.
Group tours and school visits have been suspended until further notice.
All public programs like Hunter Past in Photos, Tuesday Tales and school holidays science shows, remain temporarily suspended until further notice.
Visit our Discover page to find exciting online activities, join us weekly on Facebook for Tuesday Tales and to keep up to date with further announcements, such as online school holidays programs.
If you would like to find out what else is on across the City, visit the What’s On(line) Calendar for more online fun!
Each General Admission Ticket to the Museum admits you to one six-minute Steelmaking Simulation. You will be allocated a show time when you present your ticket to a staff member on arrival.
Fire & Earth, Coal, Link and A Newcastle Story galleries are open. Each visitor will be able to enjoy a 6-minute Steelmaking Simulation Show during their visit.
To keep our visitors safe, we will not have access to interactive spaces, therefore Supernova & Mininova remain closed at this time.
Museum Park is open to the public, however, please continue to use social distancing measures when visiting.
Members of the public are welcome to contact the collections team via phone or email to discuss object donations. At this stage, objects cannot be handed over until restrictions are further eased. In normal operating conditions objects cannot be received by the Museum without prior arrangement with the museum curator or registrar.
Find out more about our Collection Policy.
The Museum will be open 7 days a week during the NSW School Holidays.