The Baltic Museum in  England sits on the River Tyne, just outside of Newcastle in the township of Gateshead.  It is located on the south bank of the river, in an industrial warehouse.  Housed within the walls of this landmark building is the world of contemporary and modern art.  This is the largest and only gallery of its kind located throughout the world.  The Baltic presents a dynamic and varied program, diverse in the programs offered dedicated to the world of the visual arts.  Many travel from different regions of the world, stay in a Newcastle hotel, and participate in the exhibitions or tour the museum.  The museum does not have a collection of permanent artworks, but rather an ever revolving calender of events, activities and exhibitions that offer compelling and unique insights into the practice of art.

The program has included in the past, everything from well-known projects to innovative works, new projects created by artists locally working in the region, and those from other countries as well.  The subject matter is often provocative and fresh, and visitors who have been to the museum before have found that it is a destination wherein one can relax and have fun, but also discover and learn about the arts and the ideas behind the works and the artists.  The museum has a number of organizations from which it is funded, the Gateshead Council, the Arts Council of England, and the European Regional Development Fund to name a few.

Aside from the exciting summer line-up of shows and exhibits that include a series of performances by the evocative company Wildworks, titled “The Beautiful Journey”, an exhibit commemorating and celebrating Charles Darwin, titled “A Duck for Darwin“, and an installation of works by American artist Sarah Sze , title “Tilted Planet”, the museum offers classes and practical seminars and sessions to the public.  The classes are lead by freelance artists who work regularly with the museum, training students from the local universities, colleges and schools.  Classes are held on site, or in the schools themselves.  This offers students of the arts opportunities which may lead to placements and employment with the museum.  The University of Newcastle is involved in the programming which offers post-graduate work towards an MA in Gallery Studies and Art Museum Curation.  This is one of the many locations one must not miss when touring Newcastle and the regions that surround the city.