Press Releases

After the over-indulgence of Christmas and the New Year, why not combine some much-needed fresh air with an opportunity to learn about what goes into maintaining Big Pit: National Coal Museum – part of the Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales family - on a day-to-day basis with a behind the scenes tour of the annual maintenance programme?

Keeper & Mine Manager of Big Pit, Peter Walker said:

“Set on the side of a mountain in Blaenafon, Big Pit is the perfect place to blow away the cobwebs and enjoy some much-needed fresh air. Our Conservation Engineer will be leading daily tours around the site, showing what work is taking place to keep Big Pit running smoothly throughout the rest of the year.

“The underground tour is closed for essential maintenance work during January, but there’s still plenty to see and do around Big Pit, including our state-of-the-art underground simulation and the award-winning Pithead Baths museum exhibitions.

“It’s also a great opportunity to see some of the smaller mining machinery operated in the Conservation Workshop during the afternoon. So visitors will get an excellent behind-the-scenes glimpse of what day-to-day life is like at Big Pit.”

Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales is the new name for the National Museums & Galleries of Wales, which operates seven national museums across Wales. These are National Museum Cardiff, St Fagans: National History Museum, National Roman Legion Museum, Caerleon, Big Pit: National Coal Museum, Blaenafon – winner of the 2005 Gulbenkian Prize for Museum of the Year, National Wool Museum, Dre-fach Felindre, National Slate Museum, Llanberis and the National Waterfront Museum, Swansea.

Entry to all the museums is free, thanks to the support of the Welsh Assembly Government.

-Ends-

Notes for Editors -

• For further information, please contact:
  Kathryn Stowers, Marketing Officer: Big Pit.
  Tel: 01495 790311.
  Mob: 07970 017210
  kathryn.stowers@nmgw.ac.uk
• Big Pit is now open throughout January, except January 1, 30 & 31.
  Opening times until the end of January: 9.30am-4.30pm.
  Underground closed during January for essential maintenance.
  Surface tours take place at 10.30am every weekday. Please call for further details.