Set in a rural 17-acre site, the Museum is a unique collection of buildings, displays and galleries which reveal the hidden world of mining through the centuries, telling the stories of mining methods and machinery, the miners and their families.

Put on your hard hat and battery lamp, step into the ‘cage’ and descend 140m underground; follow your ex-miner Guide through the chilly, dark tunnels to find out how coal was mined and moved to the surface by men, women, children, ponies and machinery. Return to the surface after just an hour and as you emerge into the daylight you’ll wonder just how they survived - and understand why so many didn’t.

Explore two collieries, the pit-head baths, wages office and the huge winding wheels then visit the new galleries and displays to see how mining communities lived, worked and relaxed. Peep into the 1940s kitchen; discover how events such as World War II and strikes affected whole families and communities; discover the hazards and hardships of working underground and the impact of technology and economic change on the mining industry. Hop on the ‘locomotive’ for a trip to the newly conserved Hope Pit complex, to find out how a small pit would have operated. Track down plants, birds and insects on the Nature Trail, meet the retired pit ponies and Colonel, the Shire Horse. Enjoy a break in the Café, drop into the Under 5’s play area and pick up your souvenirs and gifts in the well-stocked shop.