VISIT US
history brought to life
Explore over forty carefully reconstructed shops, houses, and industrial areas across 26 landscaped acres. Meet friendly historic characters who’ll tell you what it was like to live and work during the Industrial Revolution and beyond.
There’s plenty for the entire family to get stuck into:
- Take a ride on one of our heritage vehicles
- See daily live industrial demonstrations including chain and nail making
- Test your times tables in a 1912 school lesson
- Play old-fashioned street games
- Catch a vintage film in our 1920s cinema
- Find out about weird and wonderful treatments of the past in Emile Doo’s Chemist
- Enjoy the tastes of the past in our 1930s fish and chip shop, baker’s shop, and traditional sweet shop
- Quench your thirst in the Bottle & Glass Inn
Opening times
| Mon 6 Sep – Sun 31 Oct | Open seven days per week, 10am-4pm |
| Mon 1 Nov – Sun 5 Dec | Open Wed-Sun 10-4pm for General Admission. Closed Monday & Tuesday. |
| Mon 6 – Sun 19 Dec | Open Tue-Thu, 10am-4pm for General Admission. Sat 11, Sun 12, Sat 18 & Sun 19 Dec open for An Enchanted Christmas only (no Gen Admission). Closed Mondays & Fridays |
| Mon 20 – Fri 24 Dec | Open Mon-Fri, 10am-4pm |
| Sat 25 & Sun 26 Dec | Closed |
| Mon 27 Dec – Sun 2 Jan | Open seven days per week, 10am-4pm |
| Mon 3 – Tue 18 Jan | Closed for Winter Shutdown |
| Wed 19 Jan – Sun 20 Feb | Open Wed- Sun, 10am-4pm. Closed Mondays & Tuesdays |
Prices: General Admission
| Tickets | Price |
|---|---|
| Adults | £19.95 |
| Concessions 65+ | £17.95 |
| Concessions student with TOTUM card/unwaged | £16.95 |
| Young people (3-15 years) | £9.95 |
| Children aged 0-2 | Free |
| Essential carer or companion* | Free |
| Family tickets (everyone living at the same address) | |
| Family ticket (2 adults and up to 3 young people) | £58.95 |
| Medium Family ticket (2 adults and up to 2 young people) | £50.00 |
| Small Family ticket (1 adult and up to 3 young people) | £41.70 |
| Car parking | £3.50 |
Concessions are available for Seniors (65+) and also for full-time students of any age (please bring your student identification with you) and unwaged (in receipt of Job Seekers Allowance, Income Support, Incapacity Benefit, PIP or Employment Support Allowance – please bring evidence of your payment support dated within the last 6 months). Without the appropriate supporting documentation at the ticket desk, full admission price will be charged and no refunds will be issued at a later date. Any Young Person aged 15 or under must be accompanied by an Adult aged 16 or over.
*Essential Carers: If a disabled visitor requires another person, as their essential carer to support them and enable them to access the museum, then this person is admitted free of charge. Please bring along either their carer’s network card or your PIP cover letter as Carer Identification.
Getting here
Black Country Living Museum is situated in the heart of the Black Country on the A4037 between Dudley and Tipton. The Museum is well signposted from the M5 and M6.
M5 Junction 2:
Follow the A4123 northwest toward Wolverhampton/Dudley. After three miles, turn left onto the A4037 Tipton Road heading south. The entrance is 150 yards on your right. Note: these directions are from the M5 junction 2. Please be aware that the Black Country ‘i’ (information) signs at junctions 1 and 3 do not direct to the Museum.
M6 Junction 10:
Follow the A454 (A463) ‘Black Country Route’ toward Wolverhampton and Dudley for 4.4 miles. Turn left onto the A4123 Birmingham New Road toward Dudley heading southeast for 2.4 miles. Turn right onto the A4037 Tipton Road heading south. The entrance is 150 yards on your right.
Car parking:
There is ample car and coach parking at the Museum.
A parking charge of £3.50 applies to cars for the whole day.
On busy days, you may be directed to our overflow car parking at Dudley Zoo, located a short walk from the Museum entrance. Please note, a parking charge of £3.50 applies to the Zoo car park, payable by cash.
Please respect our neighbours by parking in designated car parks only and not in residential areas.
Parking is at the vehicle owner’s risk. The Museum accepts no liability for accidents, damage, or theft of vehicles in its parking areas.
We are just one mile from Tipton railway station, which is on the Birmingham to Wolverhampton line operated by West Midlands Railway. Plan your journey and check train time tables using the National Rail Enquiries website or by calling 08457 48 49 50.
Network West Midlands operate a number of bus routes that stop outside the Museum including:
229 Bilston to Dudley via Coseley, Sedgley
11 Walsall to Merry Hill via Wednesbury, Dudley
11 Walsall to Dudley via Wednesbury
For bus information from Wolverhampton, Birmingham or other areas. Please visit the Network West Midlands website Or you can call Traveline on 0871 200 22 33 to plan your bus journey to the Museum.
The Museum is on the national cycle network route (Dudley National Cycle Route)
Or why not take a slight detour if you are on the West Midlands Cycle Route (National Cycle Routes 5 and 54) or the Birmingham to Wolverhampton Cycle Route (National Cycle Route 81).
To plan you cycle journey to the Museum, go to: www.cyclestreets.net
Access
We want all of our visitors to have a bostin’ day out at the Museum. Find out more about accessibility and plan your visit.
Membership
Become a Black Country Living Museum member and enjoy exclusive benefits such as priority booking, discounts on our special events, free parking and behind the scenes tours.
Group bookings
Due to the ongoing situation with COVID-19, if you’re thinking of making a group booking please call our Sales & Ticketing team on
0121 520 8054 or email [email protected]
FAQs
Following the UK Government’s latest announcement regarding the official lifting of COVID-19 legal restrictions in England from 19 July 2021, BCLM continues to be committed to prioritising the safety of our staff, volunteers, and visitors.
Like many other visitor attractions, we’ve been working hard throughout the pandemic to ensure that everyone feels safe and comfortable when visiting the Museum. As such we will be continuing to exercise additional caution and maintain many of our COVID-19 safety measures following the lifting of restrictions on 19 July. We are also listening to feedback from our visitors, staff and volunteers who tell us they would feel more comfortable if some safety measures remain.
We will therefore be following the below guiding principles:
- We strongly recommend that visitors continue to pre-book their visit in advance via our website. There will be a number of tickets available on the door, however availability of these walk-up tickets will be very limited so we advise that you book online in advance to avoid disappointment.
- We recommend that visitors continue to wear a face covering in all indoor areas of the Museum, including our Admissions Hall and toilets, unless exempt. Our staff and volunteers will also continue to wear appropriate PPE where applicable, including face coverings and visors. Perspex safety screens will remain in place in certain areas of the Museum.
- Visitors will be encouraged to maintain social distancing where possible and be mindful of others.
- We will continue to display NHS Test and Trace check-in codes at the Museum admissions building and our indoor-seated food and drink venues, for visitors who wish to use them.
- Hand sanitiser stations will continue to be available around the Museum for visitors, and our site team will continue with enhanced cleaning programmes.
- Card and contactless payment will continue to be encouraged wherever possible.
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Booking your ticket & pre-visit info
We strongly recommend that visitors continue to pre-book their visit in advance via our website.
Booking in advance is the best way to ensure you can visit on your preferred day and time of your choosing. There will be a number of tickets available on the door, however availability of these walk-up tickets will be very limited so we advise that you book online in advance to avoid disappointment.
When you purchase your admission ticket online, you’ll need to choose a date and time to arrive for your visit. Please make sure you book a ticket for each individual in your visiting party.
Most of our historic buildings are open for visitors to enjoy. However, we have had to make some closures/adaptations as a result of construction work for our new Forging Ahead development.
Please see below:
- Underground Mine
Due to its close proximity to construction works for our new visitor centre, our underground mine experience is closed until further notice. However, we will be continuing to hold demonstrations and activities above ground at Racecourse Colliery.
- Fairground
The Fairground at the Museum has been temporarily re-located. A fairground with coconut shy and game stalls will operate during school holidays in 2021 and on selected weekends.
- Vintage Transport
We will be offering limited transportation on our motor buses during afternoons. We’ll also be continuing to display key vehicles from our fleet and visitors will also be able to talk to our transport drivers about the collection. Please note that on Sun 19 Sep, we’re only able to run our access vehicle ‘Doris’. Unfortunatley, our motorbuses will not be in operation on this day. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.
We’ll continue to operate our access vehicle, ‘Doris’, for visitors who require assistance. On the day of your visit, please call our Duty Manager on 07788 666161 to make appropriate arrangements.
Due to the ongoing construction works, we are currently unable to operate any transport which requires the use of electric overhead wires. Therefore, our trams and trolleybuses will remain out of operation until further notice.
Your admission ticket includes entry to all open exhibits within the Museum site, as well as unlimited daytime visits to the museum for 12 months*
The museum is located next to the Dudley Canal Trust, who run boat trips through limestone caverns for an additional cost.
Please note that for safety reasons and ongoing construction works relating to our new Visitor Centre, the Underground Mine tours are currently not operating. Demonstrations will be taking place above ground at Racecourse Colliery – do speak to our Historic Characters at the colliery for more information.
Car parking on our main car park is charged at £3.50 and is not included in the admission price.
*see our terms and conditions page for more details about our UnChained Annual Pass.
On the date of your first visit to the Museum, we will automatically convert your general admission ticket(s) into an UnChained Annual Pass. The UnChained Annual Pass gives you 12 months of free and unlimited daytime return visits.
This offer is not applicable for those using vouchers. Please note that UnChained Passes are issued for unlimited return for the original visiting party only, and proof of ID may be requested. Please see bookings terms and conditions for more information.
We recommend pre-booking so that visitors are able to choose their preferred dates and time of visit. We will release a limited number of walk-up tickets on a daily basis, but a greater number of tickets will be available online. To book your entry time, just visit the ticketing page on our website and choose the free Return Entry option for Members or UnChained Passholders. Please remember to pre-book an entry ticket for each person in your visiting party covered by your pass or membership. You’ll need to present your valid Membership/UnChained Pass alongside your timed entry ticket for scanning upon admission, so please bring along both documents.
We recommend pre-booking so that visitors are able to choose their preferred dates and time of visit.
We will release a limited number of walk-up tickets on a daily basis, but a greater number of tickets will be available online. To book your entry time, just visit the ticketing page on our website and choose the option for Other Ticket Types. Please remember to pre-book an entry ticket for each person in your visiting party.
You’ll need to present your voucher, or valid discount ticket alongside your timed entry ticket for scanning upon admission, so please bring along both documents. Where applicable, payment will be taken upon your arrival. Please pay by card wherever possible.
You can still book a visit without your Pass or Membership Card number. If you have a receipt for your original purchase, please bring this along with your proof of ID as the named purchaser, along with your timed ticket when you visit. Alternatively, please contact our Sales & Ticketing team on 0121 520 8054 (lines open Mon – Fri, 10am – 4pm) or email [email protected], who will be happy to help.
Yes. Children with a Blue Peter badge can visit for free, so long as they are accompanied by a paying adult. You will still need to pre-book an entry time for everyone in your visiting party. Blue Peter Badgeholders should be booked via the ‘Other Ticket Type’ category. Please ensure that you bring along your Blue Peter badge as well as your badge ID card with your timed entry ticket to gain admission.
Blue Peter badges are valid for general admission only and cannot be used to purchase special event tickets.
Should you need to change your entry time, please call our Sales & Ticketing team on 0121 520 8054 (lines open Mon – Fri, 10am – 4pm), or email [email protected].
To help us, and other people who may wish to visit, we politely request that you let us know as soon as possible if you are unable to make your timeslot. Please remember that general admission tickets are non-transferrable and non-refundable.
Making the most of your visit
We regret that only Guide dogs, assistance dogs and animals under the Museum’s management and care are allowed into the Museum.
Animals must not be left in your vehicle while you are visiting the site. Should this happen, and if the animal is found in distress, the Police will be contacted
No. The pre-booked timeslot applies to entry only. Following your entry, you’re free to spend as long as you like visiting the Museum until closing. The Museum currently closes to visitors at 5pm each day.
The Museum site covers 26 acres, so we recommend that you allow for at least half a day.
We anticipate that the allocation of pre-booked entry times will enable us to manage queueing for admissions in an effective manner and to admit visitors into the Museum without unnecessary delay. We ask that visitors maintain social distancing during queueing.
There are a variety of options around the Museum, including both indoor and outdoor venues.
Our popular Hobbs’ Fish & Chip Shop will be open for a take away*, and a range of sandwiches, snacks, and drinks can be purchased from the Workers’ Institute Café to eat in or take away. We have also increased the number of outdoor food and drink stalls across the Museum site.
NHS Test and Trace barcodes will continue to be displayed in the Workers’ Institute Café and the Bottle and Glass Inn for visitors who wish to use them.
We recommend that face coverings are worn in indoor Food and Drink outlets, including the Workers’ Institute Café and the Bottle and Glass Inn.
Visitors are also welcome to bring their own picnic to enjoy in the designated outdoor areas of the Museum.
*Please note that fish and chips will be served from the Village Fish & Chip Shop from Mon 6 – Thu 9 Sep. Hobbs’ will be temporarily closed for maintenance work.
BCLM is for everyone and we want to be as accessible and inclusive as possible in everything we do. We have ensured that maximum access and inclusion has been considered at every stage of our plan for reopening to create a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone who visits.
For further detail and FAQs on access, please view our accessibility FAQs.
keeping you safe
We recommend that visitors continue to wear a face covering in all indoor areas of the Museum, including the Admissions Hall and toilets, in order to prioritise the safety of other visitors, our staff and volunteers.
If you have been specifically asked to self-isolate or someone you’re visiting with shows symptoms of Covid-19, please do not attempt to visit. If you develop symptoms during your visit, we ask that you end your visit immediately and observe social distancing.
Supporting the Museum
If you’re considering making a donation, please visit our donate page to explore the ways you can support us. Thank you.
Opportunities to work with the Museum can normally be found on our jobs and volunteering page.
Accessibility
Manual wheelchairs
The Museum has a small number of manual wheelchairs (rated 18 stone/115 kilos weight). Advanced booking is required and will be allocated on a first come first served basis. Please call 0121 5579643 or email [email protected]. There is no charge for the use of the wheelchairs.
Visitors are welcome and encouraged to bring their own wheelchair, or motorised scooter in order to get around the Museum. These ideally should be used along pedestrian routes, taking care to avoid collision and blocking paths. Please follow route markings. Please remember that BCLM is a 26 acre open air Museum site, so don’t forget to charge your scooter fully before arriving.
Transport
The Museum has a vintage style vehicle, ‘Doris’ named after the mother of one of the original donors of the vehicle. Doris is the Museum’s accessibility vehicle, she has a tail lift to enable visitors in wheelchairs and those with mobility issues easy access. Doris is able to carry manual wheelchairs and pushchairs, but not motorised wheelchairs or mobility scooters.
You can request Doris at any time by calling our Duty Manager on 07788666161.
Assistance dogs are welcome throughout the site with water bowls and waste bins available at the Newcomen and Trap Shop.
To help you make the most of your visit you can download exhibit information sheets. These are especially useful for visitors who may have a hearing impairment. Click here to download
- Bakers Shop (PDF 1400kB)
- Bottle and Glass Inn (PDF 960kB)
- Broome’s Garage (PDF 1200kB)
- Carter’s Yard (working horses) (PDF 976kB)
- Cast Iron Houses & Print Shop (PDF 1100kB)
- Chainmakers’ House (PDF 928kB)
- Cradley Heath Workers’ Institute (PDF 876kB)
- Doo’s Chemist (PDF 1000kB)
- Gregory’s General Store (PDF 1900kB)
- Hardware Shop (PDF 1400kB)
- Jerushah – the Tilted Cottage (PDF 580kB)
- Pitt’s Cottage (PDF 752kB)
- St. James’s School (PDF 1400kB)
- Station Road Cottages (PDF 1500kB)
- T. Cook’s Sweet Shop (PDF 888kB)
- Toll House (PDF 752kB)
- Underground Mine Trip (PDF 1200kB)
Hobbs’ Fish and Chip Shop
Fish and chips, cooked traditionally in beef dripping, can be purchased daily from 11.30am-3.30pm.
This shop is on the Old Birmingham Road and is accessed from a pavement with a dropped kerb nearby. Due to current restrictions in place related to COVID-19, Hobbs is offering a take-away only service.
The Bottle & Glass Inn Outdoor Yard Bar
Serves, from 11.00am-4pm (12noon till 3.00pm on Sunday), a selection of traditional drinks including Black Country Real Ale. This outdoor seated area has an accessible toilet accessed with a radar key.
Workers’ Institute Café
Located at the heart of Museum, this café is currently offering a range of hot and cold drinks, sandwiches and cold snacks to take away.
This café is accessible by a small step and wheelchair access is via a portable ramp to the right hand side of the building.
Picnic/seating areas
There are also a number of seasonal outdoors food and drink stalls for visitors to enjoy. Picnic and seating areas are located around the museum, and each picnic area will have accessible benches available.