Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums

North East Museums is a regional museum, art gallery and archives service. We manage twelve museums and galleries across North East England and the Archives for Tyne and Wear.

Take a free guided tour of the Fort site with one of our volunteers who bring the story of Arbeia to life with their in-depth knowledge of Roman history. Through the course of its history, Arbeia has taken on several guises: from the Roman Emperor's HQ for the Scottish invasion to a busy cosmopolitan port. It has hosted dramatic tales of murder and fire, and holds the key to ancient love stories. A huge supply base for the Roman army, it housed 600 Roman troops and is said to be the birth place of the Northumbrian King Oswin.&nbsp; Today, Arbeia is home to some of the finest full-scale Roman reconstructions and archaeological finds in the UK. Not suitable for children aged 5 or younger. <h2>Times:</h2>11am - 12.30pm <h2>Price:</h2>Free | Donations welcomeAdvance booking essential,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/events-arbeia-south-shields-roman-fort" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(20, 20, 20);">book here</a>

Standing above the entrance to the River Tyne, Arbeia South Shields' Roman Fort guarded the main sea route to Hadrian's Wall. It was a key garrison and military supply base to other forts along the Wall and is an important part of the history of Roman Britain. Through the course of history Arbeia has had several guises: from the Roman Emperor's HQ for the Scottish invasion to a busy cosmopolitan port. It has hosted dramatic tales of murder, fire, and holds the key to ancient love stories. It was a huge supply base for the Roman army, home to 600 Roman troops and is said to be the birth place of the Northumbrian King Oswin. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage site with the finest full-scale Roman reconstructions in the country showcasing some of the most significant finds from that time. Step into the fort and immerse yourself in the world of the Romans right in the heart of South Shields. Explore inside the full-scale reconstructed Roman buildings including the West Gate, Commanding Officer's house and a soldier's barrack block, and see one of the finest collections of finds from Roman Britain, all found in and around Arbeia. Stories are brought to life at Arbeia through a variety of events and displays including gladiator battles, falconry displays, Roman re-enactments, storytelling and more.

Arbeia, South Shields Roman Fort

Lots of interesting information and fun have a go activities with Louisa Gidney of Rent a Peasant. Louisa will be bringing along Frances the Mule: Frances will have her panniers with her, and there'll be the ox yoke for children to pose in. <h2>Times:</h2>11am - 3pm<h2>Price:</h2>Free entry | Donations welcome

Become an archaeologist every Wednesday. Become an archaeologist every Wednesday&nbsp;at our indoor dig site, Time Quest, The Dig.&nbsp;Uncover 2000-year-old Roman artefacts and learn about life at Arbeia, South Shields Roman Fort.Explore reconstructed excavation sites, piece together pottery, examine coins, and discover your finds with the help of museum staff. <h2>Times:</h2>11-11.20am11.35-11.55am12.10-12.30pm&nbsp;1-1.20pm1.35-1.55pm&nbsp;2.10-2.30pm2.45-3.05pmEach session will last for 20 minutes and is limited to 8 participants, on a first-come, first-served basis.&nbsp;The sessions at the start and end of the day tend to be the busiest, so you&nbsp;may need to wait to take part in this activity. <h2>Price:</h2>Free entry | Donations welcome This activity is part of our&nbsp;<a href="https://www.northeastmuseums.org.uk/ways-to-play" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(20, 20, 20);">Ways to Play</a>&nbsp;programme of free and low-cost family-friendly activities. Make your&nbsp;<a href="https://www.northeastmuseums.org.uk/ways-to-play" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(20, 20, 20);">Ways to Play</a>&nbsp;adventure a great value day out by travelling to our venues by Metro and / or Ferry.&nbsp;&nbsp;Up to three children aged 11 and under can travel for free on the Metro and the Shields Ferry with a fare-paying adult. Metro is the convenient,&nbsp;fast&nbsp;and frequent way to get to your favourite attractions and now&nbsp;it’s&nbsp;even more affordable.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Ways to Play is sponsored by&nbsp;<a href="http://www.nexus.org.uk/metro" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(20, 20, 20);">Tyne and Wear Metro</a> Nearest Metro station to Arbeia: South Shields

Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums

Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums

Time Quest: A mini dig

Free Guided Tours

Roman Toys and Games