Newcastle’s Discovery Museum hosts another Discovery Nights event – an after-hours ‘digital detox’ for adults in Discovery Nights: Unplugged

Discovery Museum’s third Discovery Nights after-hours event for adults, Discovery Nights: Unplugged is on Friday 18 July from 6pm – 9pm.  

The theme is Unplugged, where people can enjoy the museum at night in a digital detox and take part in mindful activities throughout the gallery spaces.

Discovery Nights are a highlight of the Steam to Green: A North East Energy Revolution events programme. Steam to Green is Discovery Museum’s award-winning two-year programme exploring the story of energy past, present and future in North East England.

Tickets cost £10 per person, and the event is for people over 18. To book visit: https://www.northeastmuseums.org.uk/discoverymuseum/whats-on/discovery-nights 

Kylea Little, Keeper of History at Discovery Museum, said:

“We’ve had such a positive response to the first two Discovery Nights events, so we’re hoping the third will be as popular at the others!

“Using the Steam to Green exhibition as inspiration we’ve devised an analogue evening with creative and thoughtful activities. We’re offering something unusual for people in a unique historical environment. It’s always great to see the museum used as a social space after-hours with like-minded people.” 

Each Discovery Nights event has a different theme inspired by the museum collections and the Steam to Green project.

At Discovery Nights: Unplugged, visitors are being invited to relax, unwind and enjoy a break from screens, distractions and the daily grind to read, draw, write and craft.  With a bar, chilled-out music and a host of non-digital activities on offer, people are being offered bite-sized gentle activities.  

Activities on offer include Mindful Meditation, Book Swaps, Retro board games, behind-the-scenes with Tyne & Wear Archives exploring new acquisitions, or taking part in self-led sketching sessions, drawing selected objects from the museum’s extensive costume stores.  

Storyteller Justine Boussard, aka the Amateur Ancestor, will deliver short stories following the epic journey of a tiny seed through time and place. 

There’ll be quick pub-style quizzes with prizes, hosted by stand-up comedian Si Beckwith, embroidery taster sessions with Richard Bliss, and mindful crafting led by Nature Makers using locally collected sea glass.

Two more Steam to Green inspired Discovery Nights events are in the pipeline; one inspired by Steam Power on 10 October and the other celebrating International Women’s Day on 6 March 2026.

The Steam to Green programme is Discovery Museum’s award-winning two-year exhibition and event programme exploring the story of energy in the North East.

Created in partnership with Newcastle University, Steam to Green’s headline sponsor is Vattenfall. With other sponsors Lumo, Tyne and Wear Metro and Northumbrian Water, the programme is also supported by Newcastle University, Faraday Challenge, Reece Foundation, The Headley Trust, Friends of Discovery Museum, and the Art Fund.

Discovery Museum is just a few minutes’ walk from Central Station in Newcastle. It is open weekdays 10am – 4pm, weekends 11am – 4pm and closed on Bank Holidays. It is always free entry, although donations are welcome.