Avoid going lockdown loco by connecting with the City of Newcastle's cultural facilities and their vast range of online experiences.
Newcastle Art Gallery, Newcastle Museum and Newcastle Libraries are diving back into the digital world with entertaining offerings to keep you busy and engaged while staying safe at home.
From live-streamed science experiments to digital art classes, and an extensive list of books, films, magazines and music available to download, you'll love the wide range of offerings available for all ages and interests!
Read on for the boredom busters you need right now…
Newcastle Art Gallery
Keep the youngest members of the family busy with Art Cart at home activities and downloadable Art Trail activity booklets, or take a virtual tour of the Art Gallery to learn more about their fascinating collections. Here's a list of all of the online offerings available from the NAG...
Virtual Tours
Experience three different virtual tours at Newcastle Art Gallery. Explore HOMEWARD BOUND: the art and life of Tom Gleghorn, PAINTING MEMORY: From the collection, and EVERYTHING CHANGES: Tim Maguire 2002 - 2017.
Watch
Grab some popcorn and settle into the couch to learn more about past exhibitions and the Gallery collection through these videos:
- WARWAR: The Art of Torres Strait
- RACHEL MILNE: Nest
- DOMESTIC BLISS: functional works from the collection
- WE CAN BE HEROES: a backstage pass
- Behind the scenes of HOMEWARD BOUND: the art and life of Tom Gleghorn
Art Cart and Art Trails at home
Get creative with the kids and catch up on the Art Cart from Home videos on Facebook or Instagram, or download previous Art Trails, a great way to entertain the kids with questions, puzzles, clues and quirky pieces of information.
Last Fridays: Unprecedented Times Trivia
Grab your squad and catch up on a session of online trivia hosted by special guest Radha (Shahmen Suku). Round 1: COVID-19 Pop Culture Knowledge (think TikTok and pollies), Round 2: Domestic Expertise (how do you soufflé?) and Round 3: Music Appreciation!! Note - adult only content.
Explore the collection
Discover highlights from the Gallery collection, or explore the WARWAR collection works currently on display.
Spotify Playlist
Looking that perfect work from home playlist? Developed for the exhibition WE CAN BE HEROES: a backstage pass, this playlist has all the best rock'n'roll tunes to get you through your day!
Newcastle Museum
Budding scientists can still enjoy the hands-on fun of Newcastle Museum with the Museum Express @ home video experiments, while crafty kids can follow the online instructions to build a Model T Ford or mini locomotive. Read on to see the Museum's online offerings...
Make
Download the Make a Model T Ford at home template and instructions, collect your materials, watch the online video and you will be ready to start your engine and go. You can also create your own mini Locomotive out of recycled materials at home!
Museum Missions
Test your skills to complete some of our favourite Museum Missions! All you need to do is click and download the Missions, collect any materials you need and you will be on your way to uncovering some of the Museum's mysteries.
Museum Express @ home
Budding scientists will love Museum Express @ home. Follow along as resident scientist Catherine makes a lava lamp, vinegar and bicarb rockets, and more. You can even share your scientific success to Facebook or Instagram!
Watch
Join Newcastle Museum Curator David for two episodes of Museum Collection @ home. In episode 1 David talks about one of the Museum collections larger objects – the Model T Ford. In episode 2, you will hop aboard the last surviving Newcastle tram and learn about the history of trams in our city.
You can also join Newcastle Museum Director Julie Baird for two episodes of Museum Exhibitions @ home. In episode 1 Julie talks to Cherie Johnson from Speaking in Colour about the Cultural Resurgence exhibition. In episode 2, Julie chats with Carol Duncan about the exhibition FIRE!
More to discover
Still looking for more? There's lots more to discover thanks to Newcastle Museum. Go on a fly through of the Museum, view the BHP steekmaking simulation, or embark on a journey back in time to nine different locations and see them as they were when Awabakal and Worimi people lived traditionally within the local lands of Newcastle, courtesy of the Niiarrnumber Burrai (Our Country) Virtual Reality experience.
Newcastle Libraries
Newcastle Libraries has a huge amount of resources for the community to enjoy, including extensive e-book and e-audio platforms, movie and music streaming platforms, access to online newspapers and e-magazines, as well as online learning modules for both adults and school students. Here are the perks of being a library member...
eLibrary
Welcome to Newcastle Libraries eLibrary - the library you can borrow from anywhere, anytime. Discover a vast range of eBooks, eMagazines, eAudiobooks, research databases, kids eBooks and activities, as well as documentaries and films. Log in using your library membership number and pin.
You can also explore Newcastle Libraries eLibrary for kids including eBooks, stories on film, eAudiobooks, educational games, and information resources for homework and curious minds of all ages. Read, listen, watch or search wherever you are!
There is also an amazing array of children's activities to watch, listen or read such as the StoryBox Library or National Geographic for Kids, while there are a large number of episodes to enjoy from Newcastle Libraries’ entertaining and informative ‘REAL’ podcast channel. There are two thought provoking online exhibitions - Broken Chains and In the Mind's Eye - plus a host of online programs and events for your enjoyment. Simply visit the Newcastle Libraries website for all this and more.
Newcastle Libraries App
Access your everywhere, anytime library thanks to the Newcastle Libraries App, free from the App Store or Google Play. Simply enter your library membership number and PIN to get started.
Not a library member? It's free for those who live, work or regularly travel in the Newcastle region. In case you need any more convincing, here are 10 great things you can do with a free library membership!