Opening Times

Open all year: March to October, everyday from 10.00am - 5.00pm; November & Deceber daily 10.00am-4.00pm, January & February Wednesday to Sunday 10.00am - 4.00pm.

What makes this a great venue for School group Fun or Educational Visits?

Children learn best when they can experience history and actually get involved.
The Museum has a high reputation for its educational service, and offers specific themes which are closely related to the National Curriculum and higher educational courses.
More than 1000 school and college groups visit the Museum each year. While visiting the Museum students can interact with the characters in the original shops and houses, ride on a tramcar or fairground swingboat, join in a lesson at the old-fashioned school and discover what it was like to be a miner in the underground coal mine. Your guide will bring history to life and let you experience how people lived and worked in the Black Country. You can see traditional skills from sweet-making and glass-cutting to metal-working. From the introduction in the modern exhibition halls to the reconstructed village, the Museum offers groups of all ages, abilities and interests a full day out with a difference.

What are the activities?

Every educational group is guided around the open-air site to ensure the visit meets their individual requirements. With displays as diverse as an underground coalmine, schoolroom,
electric tramway, canal boats, houses and homes, shops and a range of industrial activities. The guide ensures that parties gain maximum benefit from interaction with the costumed demonstrators and craftspeople.

What is the age range of the activities?

5+

Sample programme of the activities:

Every educational group is guided around the open-air site to ensure the visit meets their individual requirements. With displays as diverse as an underground coalmine, schoolroom,
electric tramway, canal boats, houses and homes, shops and a range of industrial activities. The guide ensures that parties gain maximum benefit from interaction with the costumed demonstrators and craftsmen.

What materials to you provide or suggest groups bring to support the visit?

The Museum provides a costumed guide (subject to availability) for groups of 20 or more, who can help teachers tailor the day to meet the educational needs of the students.
Teachers’ Resources can be provided for the Workers’ Institute, one of the most recent buildings to be reconstructed on the Museum site.

What are the minimum and maximum group sizes and the free Teacher Ratio?

• Group rates for parties of 10 or more.
• 1 teacher admitted FREE with every 10 students.
• FREE costumed Museum guide for groups of 20 or more, who can help teachers tailor the day to meet the educational needs of the students.

Do you have or how do you arrange risk assessment?

The Museum has produced a risk assessment as part of our educational visit guide for visiting groups. However, we do recommend a preliminary site visit. These are free for up to 2 teachers.

Do you offer Teacher familiarisation days?

We do recommend a preliminary site visit. These are free for up to 2 teachers.

What facilities are there for school groups for food and drink, shop etc?

The Museum has a Canalside Cafe and refreshment area. Students can buy snacks, sandwiches and drinks from here. In addition, we have a 1930’s Fish & Chip Shop where food can be purchased. There is no space for students to eat inside this fish and chip shop.

There are picnic benches around the site (these are indicated on the site map). We also have an
undercover area, which can be used in bad weather.

Picnic Areas: If groups prefer to bring their own packed lunch there are a number of grassed picnic areas around the site. During inclement weather there is an undercover picnic area available with limited space.
Gift Shop: There will be time for the group to visit the Museum Gift Shop. The shop sells a wide range of books and souvenirs relating to the Black Country and the Museum. To save time and money £1, £2 and £3 gift packs can be pre-ordered using the enclosed Shop Booking Form.

Is specific clothing required?

The Museum is a large open air site. During inclement weather there is plenty to see inside the
many buildings, but make sure the group come prepared with a waterproof if wet weather is
forecast. In the colder winter months, students should wear warm clothing, and appropriate
footwear is recommended at all times. However, many schools encourage their students
to dress up in appropriate clothes of the period.

Do you have first aid on site?

The Museum has a number of trained first aiders. If a first aider is required, please seek assistance from any member of staff or go to the main entrance building.

Are there any restrictions on photos, copyright etc?

Yes please contact The Museum for these restrictions.

Additional information.

The Black Country Living Museum is a world-class open air attraction which brings to life the rich history of the Black Country in an unforgettable 'living' experience.

Since opening in 1978 the Black Country Living Museum has developed a unique service. Buildings have been moved brick by brick to the Museum and rebuilt to create a variety of
display areas. From the mining complex, rural cottages, and transport displays to the canal side village, with more than 40 houses, shops, workshops and other buildings, the Museum is
a real piece of Living History. Each building tells its own story, often with a costumed demonstrator, and together they bring history to life.

Every educational group is guided around the open-air site to ensure the visit meets their individual requirements. With displays as diverse as an underground coalmine, schoolroom,
electric tramway, canal boats, houses and homes, shops and a range of industrial activities. The guide ensures that parties gain maximum benefit from interaction with the costumed demonstrators and craftsmen.