The North East played a vital role in Britain’s shipbuilding and industrial history, providing skilled employment to generations of workers and supporting entire communities along the Tyne, Wear and Tees. Despite this significance, there is currently no dedicated, permanent museum in the area that preserves and presents this shipbuilding heritage in a comprehensive and accessible way.

Much of this history risks being lost. Artefacts, records and personal stories remain dispersed across archives, private collections or are held only through family memory. Without a permanent home, future generations will have limited access to understanding the working lives, skills and industries that shaped the area.

The proposed Shipyard Museum would address this gap by creating a space that documents the region’s shipbuilding legacy, celebrates the people behind it, and strengthens local identity and pride. It would also support education, heritage tourism and long-term cultural investment in the area.

This petition calls for support to establish a Shipyard Museum in the North East, ensuring this nationally important industrial history is preserved, shared and protected for the future.