Newcastle City Guides join North East Museums 

Newcastle City Guides have joined North East Museums to promote culture and heritage in Newcastle upon Tyne and the wider region.

Established in 1962, Newcastle City Guides is a group of volunteers who share a passion for the history, heritage and culture of Newcastle. The City Guides offer walking tours of NewcastleGateshead which focus on highlight landmarks, hidden gems and local stories.

They also offer heritage walks of local neighbourhoods – including Jesmond, Gosforth and Tynemouth – and special guided tours to the top of Grey’s Monument.

Previously supported by NewcastleGateshead Initiative, the City Guides have now joined North East Museums – the organisation which manages 12 regional museums and art galleries, as well as the archives service for Tyne & Wear.

Keith Merrin, Director of North East Museums, said:

“Newcastle City Guides joining North East Museums is great news. There are some unique opportunities in working together, including the chance to use our museum buildings and exhibitions in tours led by the Guides.

“The City Guides are hugely knowledgeable about the history of North East England and they have a large online audience. Bringing our collective expertise together will lead to new discoveries and new stories to tell about our great region.”

The 2026 City Guides main season runs from 1 May to 31 October, with walking tours offered daily (except Great North Run Sunday – 13 September). Season tickets offer access to the daily city highlights walks and over 50 additional heritage walks throughout the year.

Grey’s Monument tours run on the first and third Saturday of the month from April to September. Newcastle City Guides also offers private walking tours for groups on request.

Maria Hill, Chair of Newcastle City Guides, said:

“Working alongside North East Museums is an exciting opportunity enabling Guides to draw on their amazing collections. For 60 years we have shared successes of North East innovation and the determination of those who lived and worked in the area to shape the future we inhabit now. As well as these, we like to share stories of the less well-known people who make the North East a vibrant part of the country.  We love a good story too. 

“Our Guides look forward to welcoming visitors, both local and international. We have customers from all corners of the globe, particularly on our highlights tours, starting from the Central Arcade entrance on Grey Street, every morning at 10.30am except on Great North Run Sunday.”

Newcastle City Guides 2026 Season tickets are on sale now. To book, please visit: newcastlecityguides.org.uk