With a history dating back to a Roman settlement, its industrial heritage, its fame for the mining and export of coal and the fact that it is a major regional centre to the North East of England, Newcastle has plenty of sights to see. Even before arriving in Newcastle itself, when approached from the south on the A1 you couldn’t fail to see the ‘Angel of the North’. This massive sculpture created by Antony Gormley is 20 metres high and 54 metres wide and dominates the approach to Tyneside. It is now one of the official icons of England. The following are some of the more interesting sights to see in Newcastle.

Opened in May 2000 is ‘The Life Centre’. The aim of the centre is “to inspire curiosity in science through an imaginative programme of exhibitions and events“. A breathtaking selection of activities is on offer to engage you in ‘living science’, with most of the events and exhibitions containing interactive components. The Life Centre is located on Times Square within a few metres of the Central Railway station.

Hancock museum – following a major refurbishment, this museum is due to re-open in 2009 with a host of new attractions, when it will become part of the ‘Great North Museum’. An interactive model of Hadrian’s Wall is planned along with exhibitions to do with plants, animals, dinosaurs, ancient Greek & Egyptian history and a planetarium.

Discovery museum – located at Blandford Square, this museum specialises in the maritime and industrial history of the area. It also has sections dedicated to fashion and military history. In 2005 it attracted nearly half a million visitors, making it one of the most successful museums nationally.

Laing Art Gallery – with a rolling programme of exhibitions there’s always something new to see at the Laing Gallery. Permanent exhibitions include works by the landscape artist John Martin and sculpture by Henry Moore.

The Castle Keep – a grade 1 listed building and an ancient monument. The castle reminds Newcastle of its turbulent past and strategic importance. Completed in 1178 it took ten years to build during the reign of Henry II. It is an excellent example of a ‘Norman Keep’. The Castle is on St Nicholas Street as you head down towards the river Tyne. Parts of the old city wall still exists nearby at Hanover Street and further away off Stowells Street in the Blackfriars area.

Path Head water Mill, at Blaydon – Blaydon itself is one of the most famous places associated with Newcastle. The song ‘The Blaydon Races’ was written in 1862 by George (Geordie) Riley. The song immortalises the annual horse race meeting that was held there and all the pageantry and events that went along with it. The last horse race meeting was held in 1916, in 1988 a ‘running’ race along the same route was organised.

Shipley Art Gallery – A well known gallery for its exhibitions of contemporary crafts such as wood, glass, ceramics, textiles, furniture and metals. Its most famous painting is ‘The Blaydon races’ by William Irving, showing the chaotic events of the races in 1861.

Stephenson Railway Museum – prize exhibit here must be the original ‘Puffing Billy’ made by George Stephenson, credited as the forerunner to his more famous ‘Rocket’, the Stephenson Railway Museum takes you through the beginnings of and then on to the golden age of steam railways. The museum also explains the importance of having local coal reserves available to the Newcastle area for the development of steam locomotion.

The New Metroland Funfair at Blaydon is across the River Tyne and inside the Metrocentre. It is an indoor theme park for young children with Carousels, Big Dippers, Pirate Swingboats and lots more to be a ‘daredevil’ on.

The Baltic Flour Mill Gallery – Despite the fact that this is across the river Tyne in Gateshead, the Baltic, as it is commonly referred, has become an icon of the Tyneside and the North East, which by default also means Newcastle. Originally built in the 1950s as a grain storage facility, it was converted into an arts exhibition and performance space in 2002. Being six storeys high it proudly calls itself “the biggest gallery of its kind in the world”. It boasts about the dynamism, visuality and contemporaneousness of its exhibitions. Certainly with no single permanent exhibition, visitors can expect to see something new and different on most visits. The ‘Baltic’ is most easily accessed from Newcastle by simply walking across the ‘Millennium Bridge’, a sight to see in itself.

Speaking of bridges, Newcastle is famous for its Swing Bridge and the Tyne Bridge. Both can be clearly seen from the Quayside and or the Sandhill. Whilst admiring the skill of the 19th century bridge builders, you can also visit the Quayside itself. Now developed into a thriving cosmopolitan section of the city, there are plenty of bars, cafés and restaurants at which to refresh yourself.

The Roman fort at Segedunum will be of interest to those wishing to explore the ancient history of Newcastle. This fort was at the extreme east end of Hadrian’s Wall and was, therefore, of great military importance to the Romans, guarding their eastern flank.

Somewhat away from Newcastle, in Jarrow to be accurate, is the Museum of early medieval Northumbria – otherwise known as Bede’s World. The Venerable Bede, 673-735 AD, was a monk who lived in the monastery at Jarrow. He is credited with being the author of ‘The Ecclesiastical History of the English People’, which he completed in 731. This work is accepted as being the primary source for information about the development of English people and the spread of Christianity throughout England. It is, in short, the first history of England.