Big Pit National Coal Museum

Museum Overview

The Big Pit National Coal Museum is free to visit and is located near Pontypool in South Wales. It is a real coal mine with underground tours and miner guides. You can explore South Wales’ history of coal and industry and enjoy their family activities and events.

There are facilities to educate and entertain all ages. Big Pit is an exciting and informative day out. You can enjoy a multi-media tour of the modern coal mine with a virtual miner in the Mining Galleries, exhibitions in the Pithead Baths and Historic colliery buildings.

All this and the world-famous underground tour. Go 300 feet underground with a real miner and see what life was like for the thousands of men who worked at the coal face. It is an award-winning national museum that still retains many features of its former life as a coal mine.

Standing high on the heather-clad moors of Blaenafon, the tunnels and buildings that once echoed to the sound of the miners now enjoy the footsteps and chatter of visitors from all over the world. Once underground you’ll begin an amazing journey around a section of original underground workings with a real miner to guide you. Visitors walk about 700 yards on the tour, wearing their own helmets and lamps weighing 5 kilos. Children must be 1 metre tall for the underground tour.

Other activities include discovery trails and activity packs (especially suitable for younger children), which are available free, of charge from Reception, on request. Children will enjoy the Mining galleries with their interactive and life-like elements.