Hancock Museum Of Natural History

The Hancock Museum of Natural History is a museum built in 1878 by John Wardle for the Newcastle Natural History Society. It is constructed from sandstone ashlar and features a plinth, with the roof not visible. Designed in the Greek Revival style, the building has two storeys and is arranged in a pattern of four, one, five, one, and four bays.

On the front, one-bay projections flank wide stone steps leading up to a terrace that has five double doors with overlights. The doors have plain stone reveals, and the wood mullioned-and-transomed windows are located in the end bays and on the first floor, while the ground floor of the projections features blind panels. Square Doric attached columns define the sections of the building. An entablature and parapet with raised panels sit above the projecting wings and the central fascia, which displays the low relief inscription "THE HANCOCK MUSEUM." Square piers flank the lowest steps and support cast iron urn-shaped fixtures for square gas lamps, which are now disused.