Keith Merrin
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keithmerrin.bsky.social
Keith Merrin
@keithmerrin.bsky.social
Director - North East Museums.
Trustee - Virgin Money Foundation.
Blooloop50 Museum Influencer 2024.
Museums, arts, music, heritage, football and stuff.

Views and opinions all my own.
Enjoyed chairing this session at the Labour Party Conference #Lab25 in the Creative UK Pavilion. Some brilliant insight from the panel on the importance of creative learning to the UK economy and the need for urgent curriculum change. @nmdcnews.bsky.social @northeastmuseums.bsky.social
September 30, 2025 at 2:53 PM
Fun day taking custodianship of the first ever Metro train (number 4001) into the @northeastmuseums.bsky.social collection after 50 years in service. @my-metro.bsky.social
September 11, 2025 at 2:52 PM
It was an honour to take part in the Northumberland Miners Picnic Memorial Service and lay a wreath on behalf of @northeastmuseums.bsky.social.

I will be on Tyne Tees news later talking about how we keep the traditions of the Picnic and North East coal mining communities alive at Woodhorn Museum.
June 14, 2025 at 3:58 PM
Honour, on behalf of the judges, to get tonight’s Museums + Heritage Awards (the Oscar’s of the Museum world) Ceremony underway at the Park Lane Hilton! #MandHAwards
May 15, 2025 at 8:21 PM
What a backdrop! Pleased to speak at today’s launch of Time Odyssey at the British Museum. The project fully funds school visits to museums including travel. @northeastmuseums.bsky.social have been part of the pilot working with over the 2,500 young people thanks to funds from charity Art Explora.
May 13, 2025 at 1:38 PM
👀 cool place to be speaking this morning!
May 13, 2025 at 10:39 AM
I was very pleased to get a sneak preview of the new National Gallery rehang and Sainsbury Wing. It was stunning!
May 8, 2025 at 9:07 AM
Brilliant evening at The Fire Station seeing Public Record performed by (and telling the stories of) the communities of Sunderland. A great collaboration between @nationaltheatre.org.uk Sunderland Culture and Sunderland Empire and funded by @artscouncilengland.bsky.social. Life affirming!
April 27, 2025 at 8:26 AM
Had a brilliant time opening the brand new Discovery Museum Under 5s Gallery yesterday. It’s got play versions of North East icons and items from our @northeastmuseums.bsky.social collections and was designed with the help of local families. Thanks to all of the funders!
April 12, 2025 at 6:46 AM
What a day! #nufc
March 29, 2025 at 6:51 PM
Our @northeastmuseums.bsky.social Great North Museum:Hancock and Discovery Museum are getting ready for Saturday’s @newcastleunited.com Victory Parade with free drop in trails and crafts for families and items on loan from Wor Flags and our own collections including Jackie Milburn’s 1951 shirt!
March 28, 2025 at 8:11 AM
👀
March 26, 2025 at 5:51 PM
Great to be in the stunning Banqueting Hall at Newcastle Civic Centre for the North East Tourism Awards #NEETA25 #EnglishTourismWeek25
March 20, 2025 at 8:29 PM
It definitely happened! #nufc
March 17, 2025 at 12:58 PM
Great evening opening the Woodhorn Northumberland Open Exhibition 2025 featuring 197 artists from across the North East. Also marking the transition of the venue into the @northeastmuseums.bsky.social family.
February 21, 2025 at 8:37 AM
Really enjoyed Champion at @livetheatre.bsky.social set against the backdrop of the visit by Muhammad Ali to South Shields in 1977. Pleased to have the @northeastmuseums.bsky.social team there last night with artefacts relating to the visit including a pair of gloves signed by Ali!
February 19, 2025 at 8:49 AM
Really enjoyed Champion at @livetheatre.bsky.social set against the backdrop of the visit by Muhammad Ali to South Shields in 1977. Pleased to have the @northeastmuseums.bsky.social team there last night with artefacts relating to the visit including a pair of gloves signed by Ali!
February 19, 2025 at 8:41 AM
Great to be sharing the love of museums with audiences across the North East this Valentine’s Day with our new North East Museums brand and a social media campaign to encourage families to visit our nine museums this month. @northeastmuseums.bsky.social
February 14, 2025 at 1:00 PM
Love this front page pun from The Shields Gazette about our @northeastmuseums.bsky.social partnership with The National Gallery!
February 7, 2025 at 11:27 AM
Really busy opening at Hatton Gallery last night for ‘Sustainable Clay’ bringing together new experimental work from 12 artists alongside ceramics from the Shipley and Laing Art Galleries. Curated brilliantly by the @northeastmuseums.bsky.social team with Matthew Jarratt @newcastleuni.bsky.social
February 1, 2025 at 10:46 AM
Orchestra in the museum at @northeastmuseums.bsky.social Great North Nights tonight!
December 6, 2024 at 6:57 PM
Great to be back at 10 Downing Street to mark the end of our @northeastmuseums.bsky.social year as Museum in Residence by attending a celebration for 125 years of the Government Art Collection.
December 5, 2024 at 10:10 PM
👀
December 5, 2024 at 8:01 PM
Great to be in Parliament to celebrate the 200th anniversary of The National Gallery. Good discussion from Andrew Marr, Dame Caroline Dinenage MP and Gabriele Finaldi. Nice to hear mention of hugely successful Turner at @northeastmuseums.bsky.social Laing Art Galley too!
December 2, 2024 at 9:36 PM
Brilliant evening at the #NECultureAwards celebrating all of the talent and creativity in the region. Really pleased that North East Museums won Best Arts and Business Partnership for the third year running and our Head of Arts, Julie Milne was given the Outstanding Achievement Award.
November 28, 2024 at 11:00 PM