Souter Lighthouse and the Leas, Tyne & Wear

Now boldly painted in red and white hoops, Souter Lighthouse opened in 1871 and was the first to use alternating electric current, the most advanced lighthouse technology of its day. The engine room, light tower and keeper's living quarters are all on view, and there is a DVD, model and information display. A ground-floor closed-circuit TV shows views from the top for those unable to climb. The Compass Room contains hands-on exhibits covering storms at sea, communication from ship to shore, pirates and smugglers, lighthouse life, lighting the seas and shipwrecks.