- Play Hard
- 12th Aug 2026
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Here’s why Baltic Gateshead is the perfect summer cultural day out
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Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art is one of the best places to spend a summer day on the Quayside, and this season it’s easy to see why.
From powerful photography to one of the region’s most iconic viewpoints, there’s plenty to pull you in for longer than you’d planned.
Whether you’re popping in for an hour or making a full day of it with lunch, a riverside stroll and a dose of world-class art, here’s what’s on this summer and why it’s worth the trip.
Quick facts:
Location: Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art, South Shore Road, Gateshead, NE8 3BA
Price: Free entry to the galleries
Opening times: 10am – 6pm
On now: Tish Murtha & Kuba Ryniewucz: Close to Home, Chitra Ganesh: Journey to the Great Below, Milly Thompson: My Body Temperature is Feeling Good, Foundation Press: Starting Lines
Also on: Summer Quayside Tours (Saturdays), Kittiwake Talks (Wed-Sun), Behind the Scenes Tours (Sundays), Exhibition Spotlight Tours (Wed-Sun), Cinema Screenings (Wednesdays), Sofia Barton Pop-up Shop (Wed-Sun), Open Press drop-ins (13 & 30 Aug) & Foundation Press Open Press drop-ins (13 & 30 Aug) and much more.
A MOVING EXHIBITION THAT FEELS CLOSE TO HOME
This summer’s headline exhibition will resonate with anyone who knows the North East. Close to Home brings together the work of South Shields photographer, the late Tish Murtha, and Newcastle-based artist Kuba Ryniewicz, creating a dialogue between past and present.
Murtha’s photography captured life in Elswick through the 1970s and ’80s, documenting childhood, unemployment, and the impact of industrial decline from someone who lived it. It’s the first time four of her major series, including Elswick Kids and Youth Unemployment, have been shown together in the North East, developed by Baltic in close collaboration with her daughter, Ella Murtha.
Alongside them, Ryniewicz presents a newly commissioned body of work celebrating community, resilience, and everyday joy across the region today. Together, the two bodies of work tell a moving story of how the North East has changed, while celebrating the people still shaping it.
It’s one of the most talked-about shows in the region this summer, and it’s easy to see why people keep coming back for a second look.
STEP INTO MYTH AND IMAGINATION UPSTAIRS
Head upstairs and you’ll land in an entirely different world. Journey to the Great Below is the first major UK institutional solo show by artist Chitra Ganesh, inspired by one of the world’s oldest surviving stories: the Sumerian myth of Inanna’s descent into the underworld.
Expect immersive animation, sculpture and a spectacular site-specific wall drawing that turns the gallery into a dreamlike landscape. It’s imaginative and visually striking and makes the perfect contrast to the deeply personal stories unfolding downstairs.
ONE OF THE BEST VIEWS ON THE WHOLE QUAYSIDE
Even if you’ve been to Baltic before, summer’s the perfect excuse to head back. The viewing platform and outdoor terrace on level 4 offer one of the most iconic panoramas in Newcastle/Gateshead, with uninterrupted views across the River Tyne, the Millennium Bridge, The Glasshouse and the city skyline.
On a blue-sky day, it’s one of those spots that reminds you just how good the Quayside really looks. Whether you’re taking photos, watching the boats drift by or catching some sun, it’s worth lingering a little longer than you’d planned.
The platform’s free to visit and open to everyone, making it one of the easiest stops on a Quayside day out, whether you’ve got half an hour to spare or a whole afternoon.
LUNCH WITH RIVER VIEWS
After you’ve explored the galleries, settle in at Baltic Kitchen. It serves locally sourced pastries, sandwiches, sausage rolls, and sweet treats, alongside coffees, cocktails, and drinks from the licensed bar, making it an easy stop for lunch or an afternoon pick-me-up.
If the sun’s out, grab a table outside overlooking the Tyne. There’s plenty for those after something lighter too, from fresh salads to a good pot of tea, so it suits a quick bite as easily as a lazy Sunday lunch.
One nice touch: the honey used on site comes from Baltic’s own rooftop beehives, home to around 200,000 bees each summer, cared for by a local community group.
WALK THE QUAYSIDE WITH SOMEONE WHO KNOWS IT
Want to make even more of your visit? Join Baltic’s Summer Quayside Tour, which runs every Saturday morning throughout the season.
The relaxed 45-minute guided walk crosses the Millennium Bridge before taking in the stories behind the seven bridges spanning the Tyne and the regeneration of Newcastle/Gateshead’s waterfront. The route’s fully accessible for wheelchairs and pushchairs, making it an easy add-on before heading back to Baltic for coffee or lunch.
MAKE A DAY OF IT THIS SUMMER
Whether it’s the storytelling of Close to Home, the immersive world of Journey to the Great Below, a relaxed riverside lunch, or simply those views, Baltic’s one of the best cultural days out in the North East this summer.
It’s thought-provoking and set against one of the region’s most iconic backdrops, and it’s the kind of place where you can slow down, stay a while, and see the North East from a different angle.
Rachael Ellis
Head of Content
After gaining a first in her BA Media and Journalism degree at Northumbria University, Rachael worked at Newcastle’s leading regional newspaper with her stories being picked up in national and global newspapers. She spent two very successful years giving a voice to those communities across the North East who otherwise…
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