Laing Art Gallery, 40 New Bridge Street West, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8BS, photographs taken before 2009

Details

Accessibility

"There are parking meters to the side of the Gallery, including two disabled parking bays for blue badge permit holders. There is also an NCP car park under The New Bridge Hotel to the right of the building and one on Saville Row which has stepped access to the gallery.

There is level access entry to the gallery on New Bridge Street from the Blue Carpet. Two sets of automatic doors lead to the reception desk and shop area. To access the gallery from the shop area, there are stairs and a lift.

Our public passenger lift measures 120cm in length by 170cm width and has a turn on the exit to upper levels. If you use a mobility aid larger than this, self-propelling wheelchairs are available to use. These can be booked in advance of your visit by emailing info@laingartgallery.org.uk or calling our gallery reception on 0191 278 1611.

We welcome all visitors and strive to make the gallery as accessible as possible, within the context of a grade 2 listed historical building. There are lifts and stairs providing access to the ground and first floors. The lift has voice announcer and tactile buttons. All floors have level access.

There are some things that may make access challenging including:

Throughout the gallery there are barriers to protect the artwork. These barriers are placed 1 metre away from the art works in order to protect and prevent damage.

The original gallery doors on the first floor are large and heavy, these doors have to remain closed to maintain the correct environmental conditions in the gallery to protect art works. Staff will be happy to help you with the doors if needed.

There are sofas, bench seating and chairs with and without arms in the galleries. There are lightweight portable stools available for use from the racks on the Ground and First Floor. 

Assistance dogs are welcome, but must be clearly identifiable with a labelled harness/collar. The reception desk just inside the entrance on the Lower Ground Floor can provide a bowl of water."

https://www.northeastmuseums.org.uk/laing/visit/access-information

Brief description

"The funds to build the Laing Art Gallery were provided by Alexander Laing, a Newcastle businessman who had made his money from his wine and spirit shop and beer bottling business.

The gallery was founded in 1901.

Alexander Laing didn’t leave any paintings or other art to the Gallery. He said that he was confident “…that by the liberality of the inhabitants [of Newcastle] it would soon be supplied with pictures and statuary for the encouragement and development of British Art”.

The gallery today is home to an internationally important collection of art, focusing on British oil paintings, watercolours, ceramics, silver and glassware.

The Laing Art Gallery holds regularly changing exhibitions of historic, modern and contemporary art, and events including artist and curator talks and family activities.

On the ground floor of the Laing is the Northern Spirit gallery which displays outstanding artwork and objects produced locally by people including Thomas Bewick, Ralph Hedley and John Martin. You can also see Newcastle silver, glass and ceramics on show.

Also on the ground floor is the shop, café, learning space, under fives’ area and the beautiful Marble Hall, which is occupied by artworks by Henry Moore and Turner Prize nominee Paul Noble.

Upstairs is the 18th and 19th century display, including internationally important paintings by John Martin, Paul Gauguin and Burne-Jones. This is also where we display William Holman-Hunt’s pre-Raphaelite masterpiece Isabella and the Pot of Basil."

https://www.northeastmuseums.org.uk/laing/about-us/about-the-laing-art-gallery

+ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laing_Art_Gallery

Address

Laing Art Gallery, 40 New Bridge Street West, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8BS

Email

2025-

info@laingartgallery.org.uk

https://www.northeastmuseums.org.uk/laing

Phone

2025-  (0191) 278 1611

https://www.northeastmuseums.org.uk/laing

Website

https://laingartgallery.org.uk/

https://www.northeastmuseums.org.uk/laing 

Directions

"Newcastle is easily accessible by road via the A1 from the north and south and the A69 from the west. 

Car parking 

The nearest car park is Saville Place Car Park, Saville Row, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8AG which is a three minute walk from the Gallery.  "

Opening Times

2025-

Monday — Saturday, 10am — 4.30pm
Closed Sunday and Bank Holidays

Free entry (donations welcome). No booking required. 

https://www.northeastmuseums.org.uk/laing

Always check with the venue directly for up-to-date information including opening times and admission charges as they may be subject to change

Transport

The nearest Metro Station to the Gallery is Monument, which is approximately 5 minutes walk away. By Metro: Laing Art Gallery is a five minute walk from Monument Metro station. 

You can make your visit an even greater value day out by travelling to Laing Art Gallery by Metro. Up to three children aged 11 and under can travel for free on the Metro and the Shields Ferry when accompanied by a fare-paying adult. 

You can save on adult fares too by using Pop Pay As You Go. Save up to £1 on single tickets and up to £1.60 on day tickets. 

Those who are 21 and under can get around for just £1 on single fare bus, Metro and Shields Ferry journeys, and for £3 all day. Plan your journey in advance and track your Metro in real time with the Pop app. Search 'Pop Nexus' in the Play Store or the App Store. 

Tyne & Wear Metro are our official travel partner.

By rail: Mainline rail connections to Newcastle upon Tyne arrive at Central Station. 

All buses stopping at the Haymarket are approximately 10 minutes walk away; buses stopping at Pilgrim Street are approximately 3 minutes walk away. The nearest drop-off point by taxi, dial-a-ride, car or coach is on John Dobson Street alongside the gallery. There is another drop-off point on Oxford Street.

The following bus services go past the Laing Art Gallery: 1, 21, 28, 308, 31, X1, X10, X34, X45, X77

Laing Art Gallery is a 10 minute walk from Haymarket Bus Station and a three minute walk from Pilgrim Street bus stops. 

During the school holidays, kids go free! Up to three children aged 11 and under can travel for free on the bus when accompanied by a fare-paying adult. Learn more on the North East Combined Authority website.

Discount: Enjoy 25% off admission tickets for the temporary exhibition purchased in venue only with a valid bus ticket. Not to be used in conjunction with any other offers. Learn more on the Good Journey website."

Amenities

https://www.northeastmuseums.org.uk/laing/visit#facilities

2025: " Café Laing 

You can find Café Laing on the ground floor of the Gallery. 

The Café is open: 

Monday - Saturday, 10am - 4pm.
Closed on Sundays and Bank Holidays. 

We serve a range of coffees, teas and soft drinks, as well as hot and cold light bites.
Treat yourself to our afternoon tea offer between 2-4pm, in the company of paintings by Edwin Landseer and a magnificent stained glass window by Edward Burne-Jones. 

Book afternoon tea.

Gift shop 

You can find the gift shop at the Gallery entrance on the lower ground floor and on the ground floor.
You'll find a high-quality range of fun gifts, postcards and prints from the collection, books and homeware. You can also visit our Online Shop.

Toilets and baby changing

Toilets are available on the lower ground and ground floors.
Standard accessible toilets and baby changing facilities are available on the ground and first floors. 

The nearest Changing Places toilet is at Newcastle City Library, just across the road from the Gallery. 

Lift 

There are lifts and stairs providing access to the ground and first floors. The lift has a voice announcer and tactile buttons. All floors have level access.

Our public passenger lift measures 120cm in length by 170cm width and has a turn on the exit to upper levels. If you use a mobility aid larger than this, self-propelling wheelchairs are available to use. These can be booked in advance of your visit by emailing info@laingartgallery.org.uk or calling our gallery reception on 0191 278 1611. 

Breastfeeding 

Breastfeeding is welcomed throughout the Gallery."