The deal, worth £5m in total turnover, will see Sodexo provide the Discovery Museum, Laing Art Gallery, South Shields Museum and Art Gallery, and Segedunum Roman Fort and Museum with event management, catering, and sales and marketing services.
"We are always looking at ways of making our buildings and collections work harder, and one way of doing this is to provide a wider range of opportunities for people to visit," said Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums assistant director Iain Watson.
"We have set ourselves the ambitious target of developing the museum and gallery spaces into the leading event venues in the region."
To leave a comment and let us know your thoughts.