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Quiet hours and calmer times to visit in the North East
Timing can make more difference than anything else. These are the places that publish quiet hours, early openings or the calmer times of day or week to visit. Times change, so check the venue's page (linked from each listing) before you go.
| Place | Quiet or relaxed times | Calmer times to visit |
|---|---|---|
| ARC Stockton Theatre, Stockton-on-Tees | Relaxed daytime family theatre and relaxed cinema screenings: lower volume, no foyer music, house lights on, free to move and make noise. | Not stated |
| Billingham Forum (Tees Active) Climbing, Billingham | Low sensory times available on request at Billingham Forum and the Ice Arena. Quiet Climb at GoClimb inside the Forum on the first Sunday of each month: no music or wall sound effects, maximum 16 people, designated quiet area. | Not stated |
| Blaydon Leisure Centre (Better) Swimming, Blaydon | SEND swim on Sundays, 8am to 9am, with reduced capacity (Gateshead Council's list of Better SEND sessions) | Not stated |
| Captain Cook Birthplace Museum Museum, Middlesbrough | Relaxed session on the last Sunday of each month, 10:30 to 11:30am, with less noise and smell and steadier lighting | Not stated |
| Cragside (National Trust) Attraction, Rothbury, Morpeth | House quieter after 2pm; Mondays and Fridays (not bank holidays) recommended | House busier in school holidays and on bank holiday weekends |
| Dalton Park Shopping, Murton, Seaham | Quiet Shopping Mornings every Tuesday 10am to 12pm and Saturday 9.30am to 10.30am: music and announcements off, staff on hand. | Not stated |
| Darlington Hippodrome Theatre, Darlington | Relaxed performances on selected shows: lights stay on, talking and moving in and out allowed. | Not stated |
| Discovery Museum Museum, Newcastle upon Tyne | Not published | Visual story flags Charge!, Science Maze and the cafe as noisy areas. |
| Dolphin Centre SEN Toddler Swim Swimming, Darlington | SEN toddler pool session on the first Tuesday of each month. The October half term 2026 timetable lists Tuesday 3 November. The start time isn't given, so check with the centre. £4.00 on the April 2026 to March 2027 price list. | Not stated |
| Dunston Leisure Centre SEND Swim Swimming, Dunston, Gateshead | Dedicated SEND swimming session on Wednesdays, 5.15pm to 6pm. Described as less busy, relaxed and friendly. | Not stated |
| Eldon Square Shopping, Newcastle upon Tyne | Quiet hours every week, all year: Wednesday 10am to 11am, Friday 9am to 10am, Saturday 9am to 10am, Sunday 11am to noon. Shops turn music down and dim bright lights where they can | Not stated |
| Felling Family Hub SEND Soft Play and Outdoor Play Soft play, Felling, Gateshead | SEND soft play and outdoor play on Thursdays, 1pm to 2.30pm. | Not stated |
| Gala Durham Theatre, Durham | Relaxed performances of selected shows, with adjusted lighting, sound and effects, and freedom to talk or move. | Not stated |
| Great North Museum: Hancock Museum, Newcastle upon Tyne | Relaxed autism friendly early openings in school holidays, dates on the What's On page. Neurodiverse groups can book adjusted settings (doors open, lights up, sound down). | Avoid weekdays 10am to 2.30pm in term time, when school groups visit. |
| Hall Hill Farm Farm, Lanchester | Not published | Background music sometimes plays in the tea room. |
| Heworth Leisure Centre (Better) Swimming, Gateshead | SEND swim on Sundays, 3pm to 4pm (Gateshead Council's list of Better SEND sessions). Calmer pool, reduced noise and softer lighting where possible | Not stated |
| Hopetown Darlington Museum, Darlington | Not published | Weekday afternoons in term time are quietest. |
| Jarrow Community Pool SEND Family Swim Swimming, Jarrow | Exclusive SEND family swim every Saturday, 1.30pm to 2.30pm. Free for the whole family. At least one person aged 0 to 25 with SEND must attend. Book ahead on Eventbrite, no walk ins. | Not stated |
| Kirkleatham Museum Museum, Redcar | Relaxed session every Sunday 10 to 11am with less noise, steadier lighting and fewer smells; usually quieter 10 to 11am and 3pm to close (not guaranteed) | Not stated |
| Krazy Kingdom SEND Play Sessions Soft play, Stanley | SEND only sessions on the first Tuesday of every month, 4pm to 6pm and 6pm to 8pm, closed to the general public. Siblings welcome. The venue's page was last updated in November 2024, so check the next date with Krazy Kingdom before you go. | Not stated |
| Laing Art Gallery Museum, Newcastle upon Tyne | Not published | Usually quieter from 2.30pm to 4.30pm. |
| Life Science Centre Museum, Newcastle upon Tyne | Monthly Relaxed Sunday Sessions with dedicated quiet time | Afternoons from 2pm are usually quieter. |
| Locomotion Museum, Shildon | Monthly Early Bird sessions in a quieter, more relaxed setting; weekdays and the end of the day are usually quieter | Announcements through the day; the workshop area in Main Hall can be noisier |
| MIMA (Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art) Museum, Middlesbrough | Not published | Generally quieter 10am to 11am and 3pm to 4.30pm; Sundays 12pm to 4pm usually quieter. |
| Metrocentre Shopping, Gateshead | Quiet Hour on Tuesdays 4pm to 6pm and Saturdays 9am to 10am: music and announcements reduced, lights dimmed where safe in taking part shops. Primark runs sensory friendly shopping Saturdays 9am to 10am. | Not stated |
| Middlesbrough Theatre Theatre, Middlesbrough | Some shows are relaxed performances; ask the box office for dates. | Not stated |
| Museum of Hartlepool Museum, Hartlepool | Usually quieter 3 to 4pm in winter and 4 to 5pm in summer (not guaranteed); no relaxed openings currently | Page warns the museum can sometimes be busy, noisy and dark, with photos showing this |
| Newcastle Trampoline Park and Gym (Better) Trampoline, Newcastle upon Tyne | SEND jump sessions every Thursday, usually 3pm to 6pm including school holidays, with sound effects and flashing lights off and music and fans low or off. | Not stated |
| Northern Stage Theatre, Newcastle upon Tyne | Relaxed performances with a little more light in the auditorium and sound levels considered | Not stated |
| Northumberland Zoo Attraction, Felton, Morpeth | Sunday quiet hours: 1 Nov 2pm to 4pm and 15 Nov 2pm to 4pm (earlier autumn dates 2.30pm to 4.30pm). Waterfalls off, lights dimmed, no music or announcements, numbers limited, quiet zones. | Visit outside peak times where possible; signs mark loud or smelly areas. |
| Oriental Museum Museum, Durham | Regular relaxed family activities held during quiet times at the museum (dates on What's On) | Not stated |
| Queen's Hall Arts Theatre, Hexham | Relaxed performances offered where possible: no foyer music, lower volume, house lights on, relaxed attitude to noise and movement. | Not stated |
| St James' Park Autism Friendly Stadium Tour Sport, Newcastle upon Tyne | Monthly autism friendly tours, about an hour; dates vary with stadium events. | Not stated |
| Sunderland Empire Theatre, Sunderland | Relaxed performance of the panto The Further Adventures of Peter Pan on Mon 28 Dec 2026. | Not stated |
| The Alnwick Garden Garden, Alnwick | Quiet hours run through the year, booked via the tickets page (dates not listed on the access page). | Not stated |
| The Glasshouse International Centre for Music Theatre, Gateshead | Relaxed performances run throughout the year (no dates on the access page): house lights up, doors open, no interval, warnings before loud noises. | Not stated |
| Theatre Royal Newcastle Theatre, Newcastle upon Tyne | Relaxed performances of the panto Jack and the Beanstalk: Sun 6 Dec 2026 12pm and Wed 6 Jan 2027 12pm. No strobes, loud noises softened, noise and movement welcome. | Not stated |
| Treetop Golf Metrocentre Attraction, Gateshead | Quiet session on the second Saturday of each month, 9am to 10am: no strobes, quieter jungle sounds. | Not stated |
| Tyne Theatre and Opera House Theatre, Newcastle upon Tyne | Family Film Club screenings are relaxed: children can chat, sit on the floor or move around. Relaxed stage shows depend on the production and are flagged on each event page | Not stated |
| Tynemouth Aquarium Attraction, Tynemouth | Not published | Page warns some areas are dimly lit for the animals. |
| Tyneside Cinema Cinema, Newcastle upon Tyne | Relaxed screenings at least monthly in the Roxy (3rd floor): lights up a little, sound down, no ads or trailers, free to move about, descriptive subtitles where possible. | Not stated |
| Vue Cramlington Cinema, Cramlington | Autism friendly screening at 10.30am on the last Sunday of every month. | Not stated |
| Whitehouse Farm Centre Farm, Morpeth | Relaxed morning session at 9am, a quiet hour before busier handling sessions; plenty of naturally quiet days | Not stated |
| Woodhorn Museum Museum, Ashington | Not published | Coal Town and the Ashington Group Gallery are darker and Coal Town has sound effects. |