North East Land, Sea and Air Museum

North East Land, Sea and Air Museum

North East Land, Sea and Air Museum
4.5
Military MuseumsSpeciality MuseumsHistory Museums
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
About
NELSAM (formerly NEAM), features not only military aircraft and vehicles but also many civil examples. There is a Mk1 Trident being restored back to its original glory, ex-Blackpool trams in their own specialised building and a great collection of military vehicles from the former Military Vehicle Museum in Newcastle are now on display here. The museum holds special events during the year and there are "Ghost Walks" held at weekends (but you MUST book there in advance as they sell out quite quickly). The museum is well worth a visit, but please plan your visit for around 2-3 hours so that you can see everything on offer. Nelsam is run by volunteers so access to the Vulcan, Trident and some other displays is subject to the availability of our members to ensure your safety. We have a small shop selling confectionery, cold drinks, a hot drinks machine, a large selection of plastic model kits, some Die-cast Collectors items and Museum specific souvenirs all at reasonable prices(very useful if you are looking for a gift for Birthdays or Christmas). We look forward to seeing you.
Duration: 2-3 hours
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  • Kim G
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Interesting historical afternoon
    Lovely little afternoon, interesting piece of history on our doorstep. We were amazed seeing a real Vulcan jet plane in front of our eyes it was ginormous! Lovely man Bill on the till gave us some interesting information. Definitely worth a look xx
    Visited November 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 4 November 2023
  • Marc W
    Bracknell, United Kingdom508 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Interesting good value museum
    I visited here as the last stop on a holiday road trip. It was an enjoyable visit and there's more here than I expected. The main building has some WW2 displays which eventually lead you to a hanger full of interesting aircraft. This leads you back outside to various other aircraft, including a Vulcan. There are two further smaller aircraft hangers plus a building containing military vehicles. Last but not least there's a road transport building containing, trucks buses, trams and some cars including many products of the neighbouring Nissan factory. Also outside is a boat being restore that used to be used locally. Whilst it's not the biggest museum you'll ever visit, there's still a lot to see and I think the entry fee is a bargain for what you'll see. I visited on a quiet day when nothing extra was open but I believe that sometimes, some of the aircraft are opened to let you see inside. It will take you at least an hour to see everything if you rush round. If you take your time and fully take everything in, it's more like two to three hours. It certainly deserves more visitor support and I believe it's unique in the area. I am very glad I included it as part of my trip.
    Visited July 2023
    Travelled solo
    Written 10 December 2023
  • paulnL1059VB
    163 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great few hours had
    Great little place and very happy I visited. Only took an hour and a half to get round but there is a good assortment of aircraft and vehicles to see. It is really sad to see the vulcan degrading in the elements but it's a great opportunity to appreciate the size of it when you stand directly underneath. Always do what I can to fund small museums and there is plenty of refurbishments going on so hopefully there is a bright future ahead 🤞
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled solo
    Written 10 March 2024
  • Sandancer77
    Wemyss Bay, United Kingdom4,359 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Well worth a visit!
    I grew up less than 7 miles from this place but had never heard of it until I seen it on Google Maps by chance so I’d say it needs more advertising to get more visitors in. It costs £6.50 per adult and is well worth the price. There’s plenty to see outdoors as well as in the hangers. Loved the Blackpool trams. A couple of planes had no info boards up which was a shame as I’d liked to have known what they were. The volunteers do a great job of caring for this place and I hope it continues.
    Visited May 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 22 May 2024
  • Escape62909130754
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Unexpectedly impressed!
    I really wasn't sure there would be enough to entertain my 14 and 11 year old boys - but they loved it!! They were especially thrilled with the exhibits that they could 'drive' or 'fly'. A lovely little museum with loads of exhibits.
    Visited June 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 2 June 2024
  • Andy B
    2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    This museum deserves a much bigger audience!
    Although tucked away on a small site behind Nissan's factory this museum deserves a much bigger audience! Some very interesting and well-preserved exhibits displayed incredibly well given the space constraints. It was nice to see so many of the aircraft under cover and away from the elements. A nice mix of aircraft, military vehicles and even a few trams! I only encountered one member of staff but he was friendly and professional. I'll definitely be making a return visit!
    Visited June 2024
    Travelled solo
    Written 6 June 2024
  • Geoff D
    Washington, United Kingdom172 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great venue
    Visited this museum with my young grandson this morning. We really enjoyed it. Some great items on display. Please remember this is run by volunteers so if you want something more then try one of the bigger, more funded museums. I felt it was great value for money and a great way to spend the morning. I think they do a great job. I think I must have missed a bit as didn't see trams or buses.
    Visited September 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 4 September 2024
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4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles289 reviews
Excellent
148
Very good
93
Average
31
Poor
8
Terrible
9

SuzyT10
North Yorkshire118 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2021
Very interesting collection, but needs more funding and volunteers to enable more exhibits to be restored. The hangars showcase many important pieces of history, and the outdoor exhibits are in a great setting. If visiting in winter be advised to wear warm clothing, including hats & gloves. No cafe, only 1 coffee machine which requires £1.50 cash for each cup.
NELSAM is worth a visit, especially if you have an interest in older aircraft, vehicles and wartime memorabilia.
Written 11 November 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Marcus M
2 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2020
Fantastic displays of incredibly important pieces of history. The new layout is extremely visitor friendly, and there's just about something for everyone, from a WW1 fighter, to the iconic Spitifre, through to Cold War jets, military vehicles, helicopters, and even trams and buses. The recent addition of a WW2 RAF rescue lifeboat ensures that truly land, sea and air vehicles are all covered. The dedication of the museum and restoration team shows through the quality of the exhibits. NELSAM is simply a great visitor experience.
Written 6 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your appreciation of what the volunteers do
Written 7 September 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Blaine
Jarrow, UK14 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
Visited NELSAM earlier this week and was pleasantly surprised with the changes. The museum has a Wartime street scene set up as you enter the main hangar showing what a typical wartime street scene would have looked like. There is the remains of a Heinkel bomber that was shot down over Sunderland also.

The main hangar has been tidied out and looks a lot better for it. The museum also has a selection of military vehicles and trams for those that are interested in other forms of transport.

The staff were very helpful and friendly and also mentioned some of the plans for the museum which sound fantastic so we will certainly be returning shortly to see how the plans are going.
Written 10 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The museum is undergoing its biggest transformation following the signing of a new 35 year lease There will be more hands on exhibits and a theme for each building a and an emphasise on the North East Some items have moved into storage and the main hangar is being reorganised What out for more developments through the next three years And thanks for a five star review
Written 11 January 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Michael R
County Durham, UK66 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023
This museum is signposted from the Testos Roundabout as a "Transport Museum", as you get closer it changes to be signposted as an "Air Museum". I would describe it as a war or military air museum. As a war museum it is very interesting, however not what we expected.

The car parking is limited, with the entrance being on a dead end street making parking somewhat difficult on a busy day. We happened to visit on a day when there was emergency services fair for children on. This accentuated the parking issue, and meant the museum experience was impacted as a result. The morning of the visit I had checked the website and there was no mention of the emergency service event.

Overall, it was an interesting visit, however I would suggest a lower price as it only took about an hour to get round the entire exhibition. As a war museum it was informative and interactive. excellent for children or school visits. We particularly enjoyed the main hanger and Blitz section.
Written 28 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The museum started as an aircraft museum over 40 years ago. Ten years Sunderland Council asked the museum to take on board a collection of military vehicles from Newcastle and a tram collection that was stored across the region. As part of this the council decided to change some of the signs to Transport Museum. This was done on the National Highways Roads but not the Sunderland Council roads. The trustees have asked many times to have the signs unified. The museum is run by volunteers in their spare time and it is only admission charges that fund the museum. On the day of the visit the museum was hosting the Special Lioness charity and they were responsible for the promotion of the event. Car parking is an ongoing issue as plans for an enlarged site have been ongoing with Sunderland Council for over 10 years.
Written 26 October 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

GFARROW87
6 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2022
Great afternoon out, my six year old son loves Top Gun and since the cancellation of the Sunderland airshow we brought him to this museum. As soon as he saw the giant missile at the gate he was in awe! He loved the Vulcan, Tornado, sea Harrier and the English Electric lighting "the pointy one". He also loved being able interact with some exhibits and to sit in the jeep and mock up cockpit. This place although smaller than most museums is run very well by enthusiastic volunteers who are really friendly keeping these amazing exhibits for the next generation. My boy left with a smile and a new toy plane from the gift shop, it's dirt cheap to get in compared to other attractions and well worth the visit. We will return again! Thanks
Written 28 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Marc W
Bracknell, UK508 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2023 • Solo
I visited here as the last stop on a holiday road trip. It was an enjoyable visit and there's more here than I expected.

The main building has some WW2 displays which eventually lead you to a hanger full of interesting aircraft. This leads you back outside to various other aircraft, including a Vulcan. There are two further smaller aircraft hangers plus a building containing military vehicles.

Last but not least there's a road transport building containing, trucks buses, trams and some cars including many products of the neighbouring Nissan factory.

Also outside is a boat being restore that used to be used locally.

Whilst it's not the biggest museum you'll ever visit, there's still a lot to see and I think the entry fee is a bargain for what you'll see. I visited on a quiet day when nothing extra was open but I believe that sometimes, some of the aircraft are opened to let you see inside.

It will take you at least an hour to see everything if you rush round. If you take your time and fully take everything in, it's more like two to three hours.

It certainly deserves more visitor support and I believe it's unique in the area. I am very glad I included it as part of my trip.
Written 10 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

helstravels
Redcar, UK874 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2022
We were surprised we have never heard of this museum. We were the only ones here. It was a reasonable price. Loved the way the displays told you about the aircraft,then the chronological of how the specific aircraft came to be in the museum and it service history. We were chatting to one of the volu teens and he gave us lists of information.
Yes this is not the flashiest museum but definitely worth a visit.
Written 11 March 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Icle P
1 contribution
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2024 • Couples
If I could I would've given it no stars at all.
My fiancée and I visited yesterday and were sadly disappointed.
The site is more like a graveyard or scrapyard than a museum, there was only one or maybe two things for sea, so it shouldn't really have the sea bit in the title, then we went into the part that had the trams, cars and a bus in it and it looked like it was just a dumping ground for these vehicles, although it stated that restoration work was ongoing on one of them it didn't look like there had been anything happening recently, also in this section was what looked like a Virgin Pendalino train cabin and we thought it would've been nice if either it could've been turned around so the front of it faced where you could look at it or alternatively be brought so that people could go on it as we both thought they would enjoy it.
There were two buses outside, but unfortunately you couldn't get to them to look at them properly or take photos of them.
The guy in reception was absolutely miserable and didn't say a word to us.
The entrance was a rundown and scruffy portacabin and should've rang alarm bells to us when we got there, so wouldn't have gone in if we'd have thought about it.
We have been to many museums and this was by far the worst one I've ever been to.
We also think the entrance fee was a bit too high after going in, we think the maximum it should've been was £5 each and £13 altogether for us was a complete waste of money and we could easily have spent half an hour somewhere that was much better.
Written 1 September 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Geoff P
Tebay, UK275 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2022 • Couples
Many excellent exhibits, currently being rearranged and it is not possible to view all of them.
Some of the hangars are a little cramped, and some items are obscured.
They are working hard to reshape this museum and they will look amazing when complete
I particularly like some of the blitz exhibits and the exhibits remembering volunteers and local people who had an interest in the museum.
They have some very nice public transport exhibits which should be more prominent, they are clearly working towards this.
Written 21 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Andy B
2 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2024 • Solo
Although tucked away on a small site behind Nissan's factory this museum deserves a much bigger audience! Some very interesting and well-preserved exhibits displayed incredibly well given the space constraints. It was nice to see so many of the aircraft under cover and away from the elements. A nice mix of aircraft, military vehicles and even a few trams! I only encountered one member of staff but he was friendly and professional. I'll definitely be making a return visit!
Written 6 June 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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NORTH EAST LAND, SEA AND AIR MUSEUM (2024) All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

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