What do you do when presented with a rainy afternoon, a toddler and Savvy Aunty babysitting duties…read moreto perform? Escape the weather for a few hours in Newcastle Museum is what. It's no MoMA or Guggenheim but this compact museum gives a great insight into Newcastle's history including a wing dedicated to the BHP steel works that defined the city for so many years. While there's enough moving parts and a cafe on site to keep kidlets amused, the exhibitions themselves are not specifically targeted for a younger audience so it'll most likely go over their innocent heads.

The main part of the museum with Newcastle history is free to the public. The other side with…read morescience is not free. We stopped here for like 30-45 mins and it was a nice stop. Most of Newcastle history is nostalgic of the 20th century. There's a big section about the history of a department store and there's a lot of relics of consumerism. There's a section about military and section about sports. There's a section of an old commuter train in the back. There's some history on indigenous life. There's an old Ford Model T. Australia is a newer country without deep history, so this is rather small, but it's still well-done and professional.

I have lived in Newcastle all my life but had never visited the Fort. This place was built in the…read more1800s and is a fascinating step back in time. The guides are very knowledgeable (and funny). They are both entertaining and informative. Also has the best view of Newcastle in Newcastle. Highly recommend.

This fort reminds me of military relics in coastal cities in the US like Fort McHenry in Baltimore…read more MD. So I really enjoyed visiting this site. They had rooms with replicas of how it once looked with artifacts. There's a nice view of the beach and ocean. They have cannons. It's really fun to explore this site if you like military history. I think kids enjoy it too.