A display celebrating the 150th anniversary of the iconic Swing Bridge, using archival images to chart its history.
Swing Bridge 150 is on at the Discovery Museum from 13 June to 20 December 2026, a display marking the 150th anniversary of the Swing Bridge. It's an indoor exhibition that gathers archival images and material to chart the bridge's history across a century and a half.
If you've spent any time on the river, you know the bridge: the hydraulic structure that's linked Newcastle and Gateshead since it was unveiled in 1876. Lord Armstrong's bridge was the largest of its kind when it opened, a bold symbol of Victorian ingenuity that still stands today as a Grade II listed icon of Tyneside heritage. The display brings together old photographs and records to trace that journey from its opening day through to the present.
It sits within the museum's Things That Go! collection, so it's part of the wider galleries rather than a standalone event you have to book for. That means you can just drop in whenever you're around the city centre, and it's open during the museum's normal opening hours. It's free to see, so there's no ticket to sort in advance.
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The Discovery Museum is at Blandford Square, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 4JA, and the display runs from 13 June through to 20 December 2026.
