Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens

Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens

A detailed velociraptor display surrounded by tropical plants inside a conservatory-style space.

History of Sunderland Museum and Winter Garden

• The museum was first founded in 1846.
• The museum was rebuilt in 2001

An indoor café space with wooden tables and brown seating with a visible service counter.

Features of Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens

• The building has four floors.
•  The rich industrial history of Sunderland is explored. However, Exhibitions may change over time.
• Sunderland’s industrial history includes ship building, pottery and glass making.
• A tropical garden is on the first floor.
• There are also waterfall features and a fish pond filled with koi carp.
• Furthermore, you can discover dinosaur eggs and dinosaur statues within the lush vegetation of the garden.
• You can take the lift or stairs up to a tree top walk above the garden.
• Moreover, you can visit the café ran by Sea change.
• Within the café, there are many food and drink options for you to try.
• The museum is free to enter, and their shop is full of stock you could buy.

Entrance to the “Life and work in the Coal Mining Communities of East Durham” gallery at Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens.

Travel and Transport

• You can park at YourParkingSpace South Car Park (0.2 miles), The Bridges Roof Top Car Park (0.2 miles), or Tatham Street Car Park (0.3 miles).
• The nearest bus stops are on Borough Road-Toward Street (within 400ft), Fawcett Street (within 400ft), and John Street (0.1 miles), among others.
• The nearest railway station is Sunderland Station (0.1 miles).
• You can find more travel and transport information on Google Maps or on the museum’s plan your visit page.

An expressive, textured painting showing a busy industrial harbour with boats, coal wagons, and workers along a curved waterfront.

Accessibility

• You can find two blue badge parking bays on Frederick Street (roughly 300 metres).
• You can also access blue badge parking bays at The Bridges Roof Top Car Park and Tatham Street Car Park.
• The main entrance is an automatic double door.
• The entrance is flat with paved ground outside.
• You can access most areas of the garden via lift.
• The ground of the garden is uneven and made to feel and look like authentic outdoor garden paving.
• All doors in the building are wheelchair accessible and opened with a button.
• You can see tactile images of art within the exhibitions.
• There is a large family toilet containing two toilets.
• You can also find a baby changer in the family toilets (one with handles and one without).
• Furthermore, The café Sea Change hires disabled and Neurodivergent people.
• High chairs can be provided in the café.
• Assistance Dogs are allowed throughout all areas of Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens.

Further Information

• You can find out more about the Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardents by checking out their website.
• You can also find more places to go in Sunderland via our nearby listings.