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Big Pit: National Coal Museum

Explore the hidden world of the Welsh miner!

At Big Pit: National Coal Museum you can take an authentic underground tour of a real coal mine. Winner of the 2005 Gulbenkian Prize for Museum of the Year and named by the Times as the UK's best interactive museum, the Museum has a wide range of experiences to captivate the whole family.

From the thrill of the multi-media Mining Galleries to the wit and good humour of the Pithead Baths museum exhibitions, which were voted Wales' favourite 'national treasure' in 2007, Big Pit gives a fascinating insight into the coal industry and communities in Wales.

Big Pit is part of the Blaenafon Industrial Landscape World Heritage Site. Facilities around the Museum include the world-famous underground tour, historic colliery site with Blacksmith's forge, stables and colliery workshops, the state-of-the-art Mining Galleries, the Fanhouse, Explosives Magazine and Pithead Baths museum exhibitions.

* Children must be one metre tall to go underground
* Advance notice is advisable for wheelchair users
* Groups of 10+ must book in advance
* Audio guide available (Small refundable deposit)
* Canteen, coffeeshop & giftshop
* Disabled facilities & baby-changing facilities available

Big Pit: National Coal Museum Statistics: 131 click throughs, 2134 views since 2011

News & Special Offers

Look out for forthcoming events at Big Pit, including summer activities for the children: try your hand at pond-dipping or discover more about the geology of coal mining.
Throughout the Autumn there are a series of lectures exploring different themes such as sport in Wales, Romans and riot police and slate quarrymen who came to work in the south Wales valleys.

Opening Times

Every day 9.30am - 5pm. Underground tours 10am - 3.30pm