Unearth a great find at Arbeia Roman Fort
Built in AD160, this Hadrian's Wall World Heritage Site stood guard at the mouth of the River Tyne and once controlled the main port of entry to the Roman Empire in Britain.
Originally built to house a garrison, Arbeia soon became an important military supply base for the 17 forts along the length of the mighty Hadrian's Wall.
Today, Arbeia is a fascinating place to visit and presents a great insight into what life was like in Roman Britain. It combines the excavated remains of the original fort with excellent reconstructions of buildings. In fact, it is one of only a few places in the country where you can see brought-to-life Roman buildings.
Arbeia's museum is home to some of the impressive finds that have been found along Hadrian's Wall. And the kids will be sure to love the Time Quest attraction, where they can dig for nearly-real finds and learn how archaeologists unravel the mysteries of the past.
Did you know?
The roman soldiers who were once based at the fort were mainly from Arabic countries hence the name Arbeia, the place of the Arabs.
Highlights
- Climb the reconstructed West Gate for a bird's eye view over the site
- See authentic furniture and frescoes in the Commander's Villa
- Marvel at some of the fascinating discoveries in the museum
How to get here
Arbeia Roman Fort
Baring Street
South Shields
Tyne and Wear
NE33 2BB
0191 456 1369
Opening times
1st April to 30th September
Mon-Fri 10am to 5pm
Sat 11am to 4pm
Sun 2 to 5pm
Closed 1st October - 31st March except for pre-arranged group visits
Free admission
Facilities
- Free car and coach parking nearby
- Toilets
- Gift Shop
Access
- Ramps
- Accessible toilet
- Wheelchair available
- Facilities for deaf people and hard of hearing
- Large print and Braille leaflets
- Tactile interpretation points
- Guide dogs welcome
Unfortunately, given the nature of the site, Arbeia is not fully accessible. Please see Arbeia's website for more details.
