The Black Country Living Museum
The Black Country Living Museum is one of the UK’s leading open air museums. Attracting over 300,000 visitors each year to an astonishing 26 acre site just two miles from the town centre of Dudley, it captures and admires the achievements and culture of the region’s past and the extraordinary impact this had on the wider world. With its thriving village spanning 150 years of history from c1770 to the 1920s, canal, tram way, school, public park and fairground, alongside the energy of an industrial landscape of mining, steam power, heavy metalwork and lime kilns, the Museum offers a visitor experience that few others can match. We also have one of the best fish and chips shops for miles around!
Discover a fascinating world when you visit this urban heritage park in the shadow of Dudley Castle at the heart of the Black Country.
Historic buildings from all around the Black Country have been moved and authentically rebuilt at the Museum, to create a tribute to the traditional skills and enterprise of the people that once lived in the heart of industrial Britain.
Visitors are transported back in time from the modern exhibition halls to the canal-side village, where costumed demonstrators and working craftsmen bring the buildings to life with their local knowledge, practical skills and unique Black Country humour.
Collections:
Since its establishment in 1975, the Museum has collected material relating to the Black Country and held this in trust for the benefit of the public. Collecting has been concentrated on developing the open air site by the rescue and rebuilding of typical houses, shops, workshops and structures. These are the major items in the collections and are carefully researched and skilfully reconstructed to provide a basis for the display of a wide range of associated objects. The major displays are supplemented by research collections relating to the wide range of living and working conditions in the Black Country.
The collections total some 45,000 items, ranging from the complete buildings and engineering structures through to domestic objects and ephemera. This number also includes approximately 6000 photographs, 2500 books and 4000 items of archive material.
The Museum also has about 500 items on loan within its collections, the majority of which form part of the Rolfe St. exhibition. Loans also include the collections of the Sedgley Local History Society, the Thomas Trevis Smith cooperage collection, and the David Kenrick collection of domestic ironmongery.
VISITROS INFORMATION:
Opening Times
The Museum is open throughout the year with reduced hours in winter and welcomes individuals, parties and organised group visits. An admission charge is made.
Educational parties are especially welcome with tours specifically designed to suit their requirements, and those of the National Curriculum.
March to October
Every Day 10.00am to 5.00pm
November to December
Every Day 10.00am to 4.00pm
Christmas Holidays
Closed Christmas Day, Boxing Day, January 3 & 4.
January to February
Closed Monday and Tuesday, open Wednesday to Sunday 10.00am to 4.00pm Although February Half Term week the Museum will be open all week.
| Admission Prices |
| Adults |
£13.20 |
| Seniors (60+) |
£10.70 |
| Young People (5-16 years) |
£7.00 |
| Under 5s |
Free |
| Family Ticket(2 Adults and up to 3 young people) |
£34.95 |
| (1 Adult 1 young person) |
£18.00 |
| Student with NUS card |
£7.00 |
Museums Association Members: Free
Carer: Free
Parking: £2.00 per car
Guide Book: £3.00
Group Rates available for parties of 10 or more
Assistance Dogs
Assistance dogs are welcome throughout the site. Water bowls are available at the Canalside Café and Bottle and Glass Inn.
Accessible Toilets
There are adapted accessible toilets in the following locations,
Next to the Café Bar in the entrance building
Adjacent to Hall of Fame in the entrance building
Next to Canalside Café
In the Workers’ Institute
The rear of the Bottle and Glass Inn - this toilet requires access with a RADAR key, available on request in the pub.
Refreshments
Café Bar - there is level access into this area from the main entrance serving a selection of drinks and light snacks.
Canalside Café – Access to this café is via a long concrete path, opposite the school. The path has a camber to the left hand ‘canal side’. At present caution is needed when using this path.
The café offers a wide range of food, from Black Country delicacies, to snacks and hot and cold meals.
Hobbs Fish and Chip Shop
Fish and chips, cooked traditionally in beef dripping, can be purchased daily from 12 noon until 3.00pm.The shop is on the Old Birmingham Road and is accessed from a pavement with a dropped kerb nearby. There are limited facilities to eat inside the shop.
The Bottle and Glass Inn
Serves, from 11.00am to 3.00pm (12noon till 3.00pm on Sunday), a selection of traditional drinks including Black Country Real Ale. This pub has two steps at the entrance.
Address:
Black Country Living Museum Trust.
Tipton Road,
Dudley,
West Midlands,
DY1 4SQ.