The Black Country Museum

Where: Tipton Road, Dudley, W.Midlands. DY1 4SQ
Tel: 0121 557 9643 (bookings)

What's on offer:

The Black County Museum is an award-winning visitors attraction which offers a unique view of the historic Black Country region, uniting the past and present in an unforgettable living' experience.

You will meet costumed characters from the past, discover what everyday life was like before the advent of the washing machine and tumble dryer. You can go to school and see how a traditional schoolroom is laid out and how lessons were taught. Try the great fish and chips from the Museum's Fried Fish Shop - cooked 1930's style and then wash it down with a pint of real ale from the Bottle and Glass Inn. There are also guided tours of the underground coal mine. Why not go the 1920's Limelight Cinema and experience a classic silent black and white film from Harold Lloyd, Charlie Chaplin or Laurel and Hardy.

There are fifty typical Black Country buildings. Experience a replica of the 1712 Thomas Newcomen's world first steam engine.

There is also the opportunity to visit whilst at the Museum the Dudley Canal Tunnel and famous Limestone Mines at an extra charge.

Opening Times:

Open all year: March to October. Everyday 10am to 5pm. November to February, Wednesday to Sunday 10am to 4pm.

How to get there:

Only 3 miles from Junc 2 of the M5 motorway and 6 miles from Junc 10 of the M6, the museum is easily accessible from the Midlands Motorway network. Located one mile north of Dudley town centre and 9 miles west of Birmingham city centre.

Prices:

Adults: £11.95, Children: £6.50, Senior Citizens: £9.75, Family tickets (2 adults and 3 children) £32.50 or (1 adult and 1 child) £16.25. Students with NUS card £6.50. Optional canal tunnel trips and fairground rides available at additional charge.

Review:

What a great day out. I went with my daughter and her friend and was amazed at how informative and realistic the museum was. The girls were absolutely fascinated with Thomas Newcomen's steam engine as it is a topic that they are now just covering at school, so we took some pictures that they could use for their project. We went to school to learn how children were taught using a slate board and charcoal and the hook system of writing.

We loved the fish and chips from the 1930's chip shop cooked in the traditional way of beef dripping, very tasty!

The high light of the day, was the trip on the canal boat to the Limestone mines, they were amazing. You were able to see how the men had carved the caverns the history and formation of Limestone and the fossilisation of plants and small creatures from an audio and visual presentation.

We were also shown the art of legging' through the underground canal routes which was where two men would go to the middle of the canal boat lay on their backs with their heads on each others shoulder and use their legs to walk along the canal tunnel walls to move the boats through.

We also visited and attended the short lesson at the local school to see how children were taught and of course Aimee and Bobbie where called to the front of the class for talking and the lady showed examples of how they would have been punished from standing with hands on head and nose to the wall or hands on head with chin on chest which could have been up to 3 hrs. Other examples were of course the cane which would have been used across the back of knees, top of fingertips or bottom.

Limelight cinema was good and to finish off we went to the fairground.

It was a good day had by all and would definitely recommend it for a great and informative day out.

Review by Roni Skye, Aimee Keitch(12) and Bobby-Lee.(13)