Event: Festival of Archaeology: Big Pit

Explore the history of Big Pit and the Welsh Valleys in this family-friendly day.

Come along to explore the network of mines beneath your feet through some stunning maps, created by Lee Reynolds, Big Pit surveyor, in a project called ‘The Dark City’. Did you know – in the 1970’s you could (almost) walk entirely underground from Big Pit to Ammanford! Or chat to our miner guides about what life was like working in a coal mine.

There’ll be plenty for families to get involved with too with experiments of how to move water – very important for the underground to stop the mines flooding. You might want to bring your wellies!

You can sometimes find fossils in coal mines; see some real fossils and make your own clay version. Be enchanted as you listen to tales of the magic of the valleys or make a craft canary to perch on your finger and follow the trail around Big Pit to find out more about the miner’s favourite birds.

Our curators are also keen to see what archaeological treasures you might have lurking at home that you want to find out more about - from willow pattern plates to lamp check tokens. If you’ve got a find from the Blaenavon area and want to know more about it, bring it along!

Please note – the curators will help identify the object but cannot attach any monetary value to your item.

Take a look at our other Festival of Archaeology events...