Heritage Open Days: join us for a FREE talk at the launch of Les Turnbull's book, "The Return of the Blyth and Tyne”, that explores the 400-year history of line we now call the Northumberland Line. Also, join us for an informative tour of our historic building with our friendly guides (10am-3pm)

Job opportunity! 👉🏼 Please share with anyone you think may be interested. We are looking for confident, friendly and proactive Food & Beverage Assistants to join our flexible hospitality team. More info and the person spec can found at the following link. 📎 thecommonroom.org.uk/work-with-us

Public Access Restrictions 👇🏼 FULL BUILDING Tues 18th Aug: All Day Sat 22nd Aug: All Day Sat 7th Nov: From 2:30pm Sat 14th Nov: All Day 5|QUARTER CAFÉ BAR Sat 18th Sept: From 2:30pm Thu 22nd Sept: From 11:30am Fri 7th Sept: From 11:30am Sat 14th Oct: From 2:30pm Thank you for your cooperation.

Today's free screenings, Monday 3rd August: FAMILY FILM MORNINGS - The Scarecrow's Wedding (2015, BSL) Starts 10:30 HERITAGE ON SCREEN AFTERNOONS [in partnership with Amber Online and @sidegallery.bsky.social ] - Dream On (1991) Starts: 14:15

Our “Summer of Discovery” programme is underway, with range of free family activities throughout the holidays, including creative crafts, our Little Explorers Trail and family & heritage film screenings – all drop-in, all free! Full details: thecommonroom.org.uk/summer-of-di...

Hello. We have had to close our 5|Quarter Café tomorrow (27th July) due to some essential maintenance. We will be back Tuesday as usual! Thanks.

Our Summer of Discovery programme kicks off next week! From Tues 28th July, come experience our Little Explorers trail, crafts & creative play, family & heritage films + a chance to see some of our archive. ALL FREE, ALL DROP-IN. No booking Full details: thecommonroom.org.uk/summer-of-di...

Summer of Discovery 2026 - The Common Room

This summer, we're inviting families to discover, explore and create with our Summer of Discovery programme – a season of free activities to drop in and enjoy.

thecommonroom.org.uk

Heads up! Our 5|Quarter Café Bar will be closed tomorrow, 24 July. Sorry for any inconvenience. Back next week, Mon-Fri, 8am-3pm. ☕ See you then?

📣 Our future has been safeguarded, with Newcastle City Council taking ownership of the building. From autumn, we'll join North East Museums, becoming part of their portfolio of 12 museums & galleries across the region, and our historic building & remarkable archive protected for generations to come.

Skip the rowdiness and enjoy a gentler approach to the beautiful game! ⚽️ ​We are thrilled to offer an alternative social venue to watch the World Cup at 5|Quarter Café Bar. Leave the packed pub crush behind and join us in a relaxed, classy atmosphere for England vs. Panama.

Join us this Saturday at The Common Room for the Northern Chords Festival! 🎻 Expect a gorgeous evening of 'Nature & Folk' featuring The Lark Ascending. Huge thanks to Scops Arts Trust & Sir James Knott Trust for their vital support of the organisers. Tickets 👇 thecommonroom.org.uk/event/northe...

Join us at Redhills Durham for a very special documentary film premiere - 'DEFIANT - County Durham, the Miners' Strike and its Legacy' on the 5th of July, ahead of this years Big Meeting tickets.redhillsdurham.org/event/defian...

Did you know that the humble match was invented here in the North East? Stockton's John Walker changed everything in 1826 when his invention provided instant fire. A documentary film we produced with the fine folks of the British Matchbox Label & Bookmatch Society - www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXHu...

JOHN WALKER - LIGHTING UP THE WORLD

YouTube video by Lonely Tower Film & Media

youtube.com

Our June public events: ​4th: NEIMME Lecture - Critical Metal Exploration ​10th: General Admission Day 17th: Opt Indie Books: The Spirit of Stone with Wyl Menmuir ​26th: Whisky Tasting with Mark Watt. ​27th: Northern Chords Festival ​27th: Newcastle Poetry Festival thecommonroom.org.uk/whats-on/

What's On - The Common Room

Our programme of events welcomes all audiences to discover our building. We also run special seasonal events and film screenings, as well as gigs.

thecommonroom.org.uk

Ready, set, go! Night 3 of #Pint26 #Newcastle and we are going big tonight! Like black hole big @pintofscience.uk @thecommonroomgn.bsky.social

Tonight! From phantom sounds that won't stop to technologies that sharpen our vision beyond what seems possible. Learn why tinnitus might exist at all & how tools built to study galaxies are now helping us understand cells in our eyes & brain activity! Tix tinyurl.com/326jtnfm @pintofscience.uk

ON SALE: The Common Room & Hapless Museum Worker Gigs present Briana Corrigan, BRIT-winning former vocalist of The Beautiful South. This is rare opportunity to experience an intimate evening of story & song with the iconic voice of Briana Corrigan this October. thecommonroom.org.uk/event/briana...

Briana Corrigan - The Common Room

The Common Room & Hapless Museum Worker Gigs present...Briana Corrigan, BRIT-winning former vocalist of The Beautiful South, leading the evening on vocals and guitar, backed by a beautifully stripped-...

thecommonroom.org.uk

Saving paper back in 1727... This book works from either end! It made cataloguing tricky but it's now fully online with images to browse and download at: thecommonroom.corals.photos/app/?keyword...

Tickets on sale from today! For #Pint26 Newcastle has 9 events across 3 venues. The Cosy Dove @thecommonroomgn.bsky.social Newcastle Cricket Club See what's on and get your tickets before they sell out pintofscience.co.uk/events/newca... @pintofscience.uk

Join us at The Common Room on 23rd of April for an introduction to Doon the Waggonway: a Railway Heritage Walk, a brilliant new booklet by historian Les Turnbull that reclaims Tyneside’s rightful place as the true cradle of the railways. Free event.

☹️ Unfortunately, our coffee machine is out of order this morning. We'll update once our engineer has had a look. Sorry for any inconvenience.

An Easter adventure awaits at The Common Room 🐰 Search the building, uncover hidden letters, and solve the puzzle for a choccie reward 🔎 🍫 🕙 16th April | Drop in any time from 10am–3pm ☕ 10% off café treats 🎨 Crafts for little ones FREE to attend, just come along! 🐣 [No booking required]

Tomorrow afternoon, Johnny Handle will be joined by Benny Graham, Jim Mageean, Ingrid and Barrie Temple who will perform a selection of songs and poems from the book Coalfields of Song and Verse, a collection of coal mining songs and poems. Doors 1pm. Read more thecommonroom.org.uk/event/coalfi...

☀️ What’s on your summer wishlist for The Common Room? 🏛️ We’re planning our programme and want your ideas! Tell us what you’d enjoy via our survey to help shape a brilliant, family-friendly summer: forms.gle/Wt4KxPo642Gj... Comment & reshare to help us get the word out!

💠 Meet our #RLUK26 Keynote 🎙️ Dr Carla Hayden was 14th Librarian of Congress, 1st woman & African American to lead LoC. Dr Hayden is currently Senior Fellow @mellon.org advising on opportunities to support + advance libraries & archives #RLUK26 is a virtual event on 25-26 March ℹ️ 🎟 bit.ly/RLUKconf

🥞 Free Food (pancakes) Tuesday! Tomorrow is Shrove Tuesday and we’re flipping the script on your evening meal. 🌀 Ham and cheese crispy pancakes with salad - or - 🌿 Ratatouille crepes with salad 🍋 Classic lemon and sugar crepes FREE with a £7 bar spend, 7pm-9pm

​📅 18 Feb: The Scarecrow’s Wedding & Tiddler screenings, crafts + ducks! 🦆 ​🎟️ Films & Crafts: Only £4 a child - adults go free with children (under 1s free). ​It’s also our FREE General Admission Day to explore the historic building with our friendly room guides. #halfterm #FamilyFun #ncl

Half Term Films & Crafts: The Scarecrow’s Wedding & Tiddler + Ducks! - The Common Room

Join us this half term for a fun, family-friendly day featuring screenings of The Scarecrow’s Wedding and Tiddler +...

thecommonroom.org.uk

So many great submissions! But it's TWO days this year so still space for more papers or workshops at: "People Powered: human centred innovation" NAG's 16th Collection Development Seminar in Nottingham, 20-21 May. Deadline: 1st Feb More info: nag.org.uk/cfp-2026/ #NAGcd16 #NAGplf26

Wandering Oak presents TVAM + Marina Zispin @thecommonroomgn.bsky.social on Sat 28 Feb. Hypnotic tracks which straddle a spectrum of influence; with Boards of Canada's irresistible nostalgia, Suicide's deconstructed rock'n'roll & MBV's infinite noise. thecommonroom.org.uk/event/tvam-p...