December fun thanks to The National Lottery!

TWAM venues Discovery Museum, Great North Museum: Hancock, Laing Art Gallery, Shipley Art Gallery and South Shields Museum & Art Gallery will be offering free events to National Lottery players during the week of 11 to 17 December 2017. They are joining participating National Lottery funded visitor attractions across the UK in saying ‘thanks’ to people who have raised money for good causes by buying a lottery ticket.

TWAM has received £1,016,500 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) for a variety of projects, including programmes to improve accessibility and interpretation of collections at Arbeia Roman Fort & Museum, and major gallery refurbishments at Discovery Museum and the Hatton Gallery. The funding will also establish TWAM’s role as a major partner in hosting the Great Exhibition of the North: the Great North Museum: Hancock  will be one of two key starting points for visitors following the Exhibition’s three walking routes exploring the North’s Art and Culture, Design and Innovation. HLF money will also enable the return of Stephenson’s Rocket, on loan from the Science Museum, to be housed at Discovery Museum from June – September 2018.

Iain Watson, Director of Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums, said:

"Over the last 20 years the National Lottery and national lottery players have contributed to a transformation of the heritage sector in the UK. Every one of TWAM's nine museums and galleries has seen investment from Lottery funding. Our most recent reasons to be grateful to lottery players are the newly reopened Hatton Gallery and the amazing Charge! exhibition at Discovery Museum - neither of these would have happened without the crucial support of the Heritage Lottery Fund." 

Ros Kerslake, Chief Executive of the Heritage Lottery Fund, said:

“December is a wonderful time to experience the UK’s rich, diverse and exciting heritage, which has been transformed by more than £7bn National Lottery funding since 1994.  This is a small gesture of thanks and a way of giving something back to the people who buy tickets.”

Any visitor who presents a valid National Lottery ticket or scratchcard at our participating venues on 11-17 December can gain free entry to an event or activity. Please visit the websites of participating venues to find out more about which events are offered. Terms & Conditions apply. www.twmuseums.org.uk