Plan Your Free Visit

Notice: Underground Tour

We’re very busy this week, so if you’re planning to visit and have not pre-booked a ticket, please arrive after 12pm.

On arrival, our friendly staff will let you know how long the wait for the underground tour is and what else you can enjoy whilst waiting for the tour.

 Admission

Entry is free.

Tickets for the Underground Tour can either be purchased in advance with a £8 Job-A-Knock timed slot ticket OR by purchasing a ticket for £5 on the day of your visit upon arrival at the Museum. See the link below for more information, including information on concessions. 

On 28 February and 1 March we will be offering free tickets to the world famous Underground Tour.

Job-A-Knock Ticket Information

 Opening Hours

Open daily 9.30am - 5pm    
Last entry: 4pm    
Underground tours: 10am - 3.30pm

Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult at all times. For safety reasons, we reserve the right to conduct bag searches when entering the Museum.

 Location

Blaenafon
Torfaen
NP4 9XP

For Sat Nav, please use NP4 9RL

Map & How to Get Here

 Contact Us

Phone: 0300 111 2 333
Email: bigpit@museumwales.ac.uk

 Accessibility

General advice and advice for our disabled visitors

Access Guide

 Parking

If you are arriving by car you will need to pay on arrival. £5 per day. FREE for disabled badge holders and motorbikes. This charge is for parking only – entry to the Museum remains free.

Visiting by public transport, bike or foot?

You can plan your journey using the Traveline Cymru website or by calling their helpline on 0800 464 0000.

 Eat, drink, shop

Our Gift Shop, which has been inspired by the underground experience and our collections, will be open during your visit, selling a wide selection of bespoke products and gifts. 

Our Coffee Shop is open daily 10am-4pm serving a small range of hot and cold drinks, cakes and snacks. 

You're welcome to bring a picnic to the Museum, but please take your rubbish home with you and help us keep Big Pit tidy. 

 Can I bring my dog?

Big Pit National Coal Museum is happy to welcome properly trained assistance dogs, except on the Underground Tour, but we do not allow any other animals into the museum buildings. Dogs (and emotional support animals) are allowed at outdoor areas of the Museum only, but must be kept on a short lead at all times.

 Coach Groups

Group visits can be made during our normal opening times.

Please pre-book your group by emailing bigpit@museumwales.ac.uk for the following benefits: 

  • 10% off in the gift shop (£5pp min. spend) for your visitors.
  • Complimentary refreshments for the coach driver (on production of ID).

 Site Map

Download the Site Map

General advice for visitors

  • Big Pit is on the side of a steep hill and on a number of different levels and although there are ramps provided they are quite long and the climb can be arduous.
  • The walking surface both above and below ground is typical of an industrial site. Please wear warm clothing and sensible footwear.
  • The floor can be uneven or slippery in places and there are numerous steps to negotiate. Underground, there are one or two places where you will need to bend to avoid bumping your head.
  • Staff will fit you with a helmet, lamp and belt before you go underground which will involve some close contact. If you have any concerns about this please let a member of staff know.
  • During the underground tour visitors will be required to walk a distance of 700 metres wearing a helmet and carrying a lamp weighing 5 kg. This lamp is approved for the purpose by the HSE but lighting levels are generally lower than many visitors will be used to. Underground tours take approximately one hour.
  • We regularly carry out safety checks to ensure that the mine is safe for visitors. In the unlikely event that we might need to suspend the underground tours, sometimes at short notice, we will share this information with updates on our website and social media channels.

Children

  • Children must be at least 1metre in height for the underground tour. The safety equipment weighs around 5 kg, and each child must carry their own. However, some children who fulfill the height requirement may not be able to meet the physical demands of carrying the equipment. We judge each case individually and reserve the right to refuse entry to the underground tour.
  • The simulated mining experience on the surface is available to all ages.
  • There are a number of industrial machines that are suitable for children to sit in or on when supervised by an adult but this and other machinery can be dangerous if climbed on. We wish to remind all adults that the primary responsibility for the welfare of the children in their care rests with them at all times.
  • Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult at all times.

Contraband

  • Although Big Pit no longer produces coal, it is still classed as a coal mine under the Coal Mines Act. As such it is against the law to take smoking materials or incendiary substances underground.
  • These include cigarettes, tobacco, matches and lighters, mobile phones, battery-operated watches and key fobs, calculators, radios, personal music players and all photographic equipment.
  • This ‘contraband’ will be collected by our Guides before the underground tour and will be kept securely locked away on the surface and returned at the end of the tour.

Useful Information

  • A minimum of 2 people per guided tour.
  • Please telephone to check availability of underground tours (10am–3pm) during December, January & early February.
  • Groups of more than 10 should book in advance
  • Wheelchair users should book in advance for underground tours.

Support Us

Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales is a charity. Every purchase you make from us and every gift you give us, however small or large, will help us ensure that Amgueddfa Cymru belongs to everyone and is here for everyone to use. Please donate if you can.

Find other attractions in the area: Discover the story of Wales