[1] Designed by George Kenyon,[2] the centre was built for Newcastle City Council in 1967 and formally opened by King Olav V of Norway on 14 November 1968.

[6] Plans to build a new city hall[7] on the site at Barras Bridge had been proposed prior to the outbreak of the Second World War, to the point of holding an architectural competition, although these were halted by the war;[8] and due to post-war restrictions on capital expenditure, it was not until August 1956 that authorisation to begin construction was granted.

[2] The construction work, which was undertaken by Sir Robert McAlpine,[9] commenced on the building in May 1960, and the foundation stone was laid by the Lord Mayor, Alderman Mrs Gladys Robson, on 30 November 1960.

[10] On 6 May 1977, the Civic Centre was visited by the 39th President of the United States Jimmy Carter, who delivered a speech famously containing the Geordie phrase "Howay the lads!

[13] The Civic Centre is also notable for its modern sculptures, in particular the "River God Tyne" and "Swans in Flight", both by David Wynne and the seahorses on the top of the tower by John Robert Murray McCheyne.