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3 unusual facts about Great North Museum


Great North Museum: Hancock

Abel Chapman, Victorian 'hunter-naturalist' whose game trophies can be seen at the museum.

Amongst the founding and early members of the Natural History Society were Joshua Alder, Albany Hancock, John Hancock, Prideaux John Selby and William Chapman Hewitson.

Among the Museum's permanent residents are a life-size cast of an African elephant; the Egyptian mummy Bakt-hor-Nekht; a full size replica of a T-Rex skeleton; and Sparkie, Newcastle’s famous talking budgie, who was stuffed after his death in 1962 and is now the subject of a new opera by Michael Nyman.


Abel Chapman

Today his stuffed animals can be seen on display at Sunderland Museum, the National History Museum in London and the Great North Museum in Newcastle.

Corbridge Hoard

Parts of the Hoard are on display at Corbridge Roman Site museum, whilst some other material from it is on display in the Great North Museum in Newcastle upon Tyne.

Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle upon Tyne

Its archaeological collection is held at the Great North Museum, its bagpipe collection, based on the collection assembled by William Cocks, in Morpeth Chantry Bagpipe Museum, and its collection of manuscripts at the Northumberland Record Office.


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