Arbeia Roman Fort

Please note Arbeia will re-open to the public on 1 April.

Unearth a great find at Arbeia Roman Fort

See & doBuilt 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.

Some of the impressive finds that have been found along Hadrian's Wall can be viewed in Arbeia's museum, 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

Phone: 0191 456 1369
Website: Arbeia Roman Fort


Opening times

1 April to 30 September

Monday to Friday, 10am to 5pm
Saturday, 11am to 4pm
Sunday, 2 to 5pm

Closed 1 October - 31 March except for pre-arranged group visits

Free admission (small admission charge into Time Quest)


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 the Arbeia Roman Fort website for more details.


More information

For more information, visit the Arbeia Roman Fort website.