Blists Hill Victorian Town
With a National Art Pass you get
Step back in time at Blists Hill Victorian Town, an open-air museum recreating a Shropshire town from the late 1800s.
Spanning an impressive 54 acres, the site is based on a typical town of the East Shropshire Coalfield in the 1900s. The museum meticulously recreates the sights, sounds, and smells of the era. With its immersive atmosphere, interactive exhibits, and historical reenactments, the museum provides a thought provoking window into the past.
A ‘living museum’
The town is populated by costumed staff who play the roles of Victorian residents, bringing the past to life with demonstrations and interactions. Explore a variety of shops, from the chemist with its unusual remedies, to the traditional sweet shop, the cycle showroom to the post office. Watch craftspeople demonstrate historical skills like glassblowing and candle making. You can even try the rides on a Victorian Fairground.
Beyond the Main Street
Take a horse-drawn tram or a canal boat for a leisurely exploration of the town. You can even visit a recreated mine and see how coal was extracted in the Victorian period. Be sure to stop by the printer's office and have a commemorative Victorian-style newspaper printed with your name.
A part of Ironbridge
Blists Hill is one of ten museum sites within the Ironbridge Gorge World Heritage Site telling the story of the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution. After a major development completed in 2009, Blists Hill was long listed for the Art Fund Prize 2010.
Visitor information
Address
Legges Way, Madeley, Telford, Shropshire, TF7 5DU
01952 433424
Opening times
Mid-March – early Oct: Mon – Sun, 10am – 4.30pm
Early Oct – mid-March: Tues – Sun, 10am – 4pm Closed 24, 25 Dec and 1 Jan
Visitor information
The more you see, the more we do.
The National Art Pass lets you enjoy free entry to hundreds of museums, galleries and historic places across the UK, while raising money to support them.