The Hancock Museum closed its doors to the public on Sunday 23 April 2006 to begin its transformation as part of the Great North Museum project - an exciting and innovative world-class visitor attraction designed for the 21st century.

Highlights of the new £26million museum will include:

• a large-scale, interactive model of Hadrian's Wall
• major new displays showing the wonder and diversity of the animal and plant kingdoms
• spectacular objects from the Ancient Greeks and mummies from Ancient Egypt
• a Planetarium
• a life-size T-Rex dinosaur skeleton and much more...

When the new Museum opens in 2009 it will be a flagship visitor attraction incorporating collections from the Hancock Museum and the University of Newcastle's Museum of Antiquities, the Shefton Museum and the Hatton Gallery.

Find out more about the Great North Museum project now at www.greatnorthmuseum.org.