My local town of Irvine is host to part of the Scottish Maritime Museum (the other location is in Dumbarton)
And it's fantastic! Although Irvine wasn't a major ship-building centre, it was a major harbour for many years.
The museum is fantastic, with everything from ships, boats of all sizes, engines & everything to do with ships.
But it isn't Council run (although I'm sure they help) it is a Charitable Trust, set up in the 1990's, to preserve, and display the maritime history.
Pop onto Google, to see what can be done, by determined individuals!
Maybe something similar can be done on Tyneside?