Seven Stories

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Seven Stories is the National Centre for Children's Books, a museum and visitor centre in the Ouseburn Valley, Newcastle upon Tyne, England. Housed in a seven‑level renovated Victorian mill, it is the UK’s only museum devoted entirely to British children’s books. Its archive is kept in a separate building in Felling.

History and highlights
- Opened in August 2005 after a £6.5 million conversion from a granary.
- 2006 Centre Vision Award for best practice in town centre regeneration.
- 2010 marked its fifth birthday with an event hosted by Dame Jacqueline Wilson.
- 2010 acquired several original Enid Blyton manuscripts, becoming the largest public Blyton collection; funding came from the Heritage Lottery Fund, MLA/V&A Purchase Grant Fund, and two private donations.
- 2010 received the Eleanor Farjeon Award for distinguished service to children’s books.
- 2012 became The National Centre for Children's Books, a registered charity.
- Closed for refurbishment in April 2015 and reopened on July 19, 2015 to improve visitor experience and energy efficiency.
- In October 2015, author Michael Morpurgo donated manuscripts, notebooks and letters.

What it offers
- Changing exhibitions for children and adults that showcase original manuscripts and illustrations from beloved UK books.
- A programme of workshops, author talks, school visits, and educational resources for pre‑schools to postgraduates.
- Collaboration with the University of Newcastle on PhD studentships funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council.
- Many authors and illustrators visit to run workshops and give talks (e.g., Jacqueline Wilson, Terry Jones, Philip Pullman, Quentin Blake, and others).

Patrons and activities
- Patrons include Jacqueline Wilson, Terry Jones, Philip Pullman and Quentin Blake.
- Activities feature dressing up, creative writing, illustration and crafts, and opportunities to explore creativity and literature.

Getting there
- Located near Newcastle’s regenerated Quayside.
- Accessible by Tyne and Wear Metro (nearest stops include Manors and Byker).