Museum Workshop

Into the Drift: An underground experience

🔍 Discover and Explore

What is coal and how was it mined in Wales? 

Discover the stories of the men, women, children, and animals who worked underground.  

✏️ Take Part

A guided tour of our simulated mining experience, King Coal. 

Pupils will be kitted up as miners and guided through our replica ‘Drift Mine’ by a member of our learning staff. 

ℹ️ About This Session

This workshop is available daily between 10:00 – 11:00.

Please let us know when you are booking if you have any pupils that would be sensitive to these experiences, and we will do our best to make everyone feel comfortable!

Duration: 30 minutes
Dates: This workshop is available daily between 10am – 11am. To enquire about available dates and cost, please send your school’s name, number of pupils, year group and preferred dates to bigpit@museumwales.ac.uk or call (029) 2057 3650
Cost: Free of charge as this session is being piloted.

Curriculum

Humanities: Enquiry, exploration and investigation inspire curiosity about the world, its past, present and future. Our natural world is diverse and dynamic, influenced by processes and human actions. 

Learning Objectives 

  • Build up a body of knowledge and skills to discover the story of coal from its beginnings to its use as an energy source. 
  • Find, evaluate and use evidence to form views and understand the lived experiences of coal miners. 
  • Engage with contemporary issues and learn about the environmental impact of coal mining. 
  • Use role play to develop the confidence to participate in performance and recognize the impact of mining on a miner’s health and wellbeing. 
A girl with brown hair and a red sweater looks at a recreation of a collapsing mine tunnel
Big Pit National Coal Museum

Booking information

To make a booking and talk to someone about this session phone (029) 2057 3650

Resources

General

Visual story: A trip to Big Pit National Coal Museum