Drift Walkway: Martin Pick-Coal Dust 2 June – 3 Aug Photographer Martin Pick explores through photography how the former collieries and surrounding communities of South Yorkshire have changed. Special exhibition: Courage, Camaraderie and Community. Memorialising Mining 2 June – 28 Sept Exploring how mining communities remember and celebrate the mining industry and the lives of those involved. Bituminous illuminations art exhibition by Gary Blundell 2 June – 28 Sept Inspired by the Yorkshire coal mining industry, the Canada-based artist will talk with visitors about his work on site over the weekends of 31 May – 1 June & 14 – 15 June. Brian Elliott book launch “Tracing your coal mining ancestors” 18 June, 11am – 1pm Brain Elliott will talk about his book and answer questions about researching your coal mining ancestors and David Hinchlife will chair discussions on the day. Miners Gala Sun 22 June, 10am – 4.30pm Great entertainment for the whole family including a mini farm, bonkers bikes, Brass Band music, craft stalls, face painting and some good old fashioned fun!
Summer Holidays 21 Jul – 29 Aug Free art and craft workshops weekdays 1pm to 4pm: each week will take a different mining theme. Drift Walkway: Dyfed Evans 6 Aug – 1 Oct During the 1990s Dyfed Evans worked on the reclamation and regeneration of former colliery sites in Yorkshire. He returned in 2007 and this is a record of what he found. Heritage Open Days 13 – 14 Sept See parts of the museum not usually open to the public. A head for heights and ability to navigate steep and narrow stairs essential.
Crafty Conversations Selected Thursdays 12noon – 2pm Join our informal craft sessions in the café – bring your latest creation to work on whilst you have a chat and a cuppa with other like-minded crafters. 3 April, 1 May, 5 June, 3 July, 7 Aug, 4 Sept
Location and Transport Find us on the A642, halfway between Wakefield and Huddersfield, easily accessible from the M1 and M62. Car: follow brown signs from Huddersfield or M1; sat nav enter WF4 4RH; ample free parking for cars and coaches. Rail:Wakefield Westgate mainline station is 6 miles away. Bus: from Wakefield/Huddersfield bus stations the Stagecoach Yorkshire bus No 232 stops at The Reindeer pub, a short walk downhill to the Museum.The No 128 Wakefield to Dewsbury stops right outside.
NATIONAL COAL MINING MUSEUM
for England
The adventure starts here!
Opening 10am - 5pm every day except 24 - 26 Dec and 1 Jan. Admission/Parking/Booking Admission is free for everyone and there is free parking on site. Underground tours can be booked on arrival or groups can pre-book by calling 01924 848806 or emailing bookings@ncm.org.uk (advisable during school holiday times). Tours are free, but group bookings are subject to a £5 booking fee. During school holidays the underground tours are extremely busy and visitors are advised to arrive as early as possible to avoid disappointment.
Craft & Gift Fairs 10am – 4pm Once a month the Museum is home to a fantastic craft fair, with over 40 stalls selling quality gifts, jewellery and handmade crafts. 15 March, 20 April, 21 April, 5 May, 26 May, 21 June, 19 July, 25 Aug.
Underground Tours Please wear warm clothing and sensible footwear. We regret that under 5s are not able to go underground. Tours for wheelchair users can be arranged by calling us on 01924 848806.
Registered in England & Wales as a Limited Company by Guarantee No. 1702426. Reg. Charity No. 517325.VAT Reg. No. 457 548 314. Reg. Office: Caphouse Colliery, New Road, Overton, Wakefield, West Yorkshire, WF4 4RH
E FRsE ion for
admis e! everyon
Spring & Summer 2014 NATIONAL COAL MINING MUSEUM
for England
Museum Library Open every week: Wed 1pm – 4pm, Thu & Fri 10am – 12.30pm and 1pm – 4pm. Plus the following weekends (times as Thu & Fri): 1 & 2 March, 5 & 6 April, 3 & 4 May, 7 & 8 June, 5 & 6 July, 2 & 3 Aug, 6 & 7 Sept. Wacky Wednesdays: Free under 5s activities Every Wednesday during term time 10.15am – 11am. Free fun for under 5s. Each week combines storytelling, singing and wacky craft sessions. Term time dates: 5 March – 9 April, 30 April – 21 May, 4 June – 16 July
Underground Checks All visitors to the underground tour are required to purchase a check (cost £3). After your tour your £3 will be refunded or you can keep your check as a souvenir of your visit and the money will be used towards the running costs of the Museum. If you are a UK tax payer, your £3 donation is eligible for Gift Aid.
National Coal Mining Museum for England Trust Ltd Caphouse Colliery, New Road, Overton, Wakefield, West Yorkshire, WF4 4RH Tel: 01924 848806 Email: info@ncm.org.uk
What’s On
www.ncm.org.uk
Special exhibition: Pit Profiles: Re-Profiled Open now until 11 May A special exhibition of Anton Want's photographs and conversations with Kellingley Colliery workers in 2011, and portraits by the original '40s Pit Profile series creator H.Andrew Freeth.
See How They Run Sun 23 March 11am – 4pm As part of National Science and Engineering Week, come and discover the Museum’s large coal mining machines in action. School’s Out! Easter – free activities 14 – 25 April Free art and craft workshops 1pm to 4pm: creative canarythemed crafts exploring how these colourful birds have helped miners. Meet the experts - meet the objects 12 – 27 April, 24 May – 1 June, 26 – 30 May & 19 Jul – 31 Aug. Get into the stores with our experts and discover what treasures are in the Museum’s collections. Tues & Thur 1pm-4pm. Yorkshire Geology Day Sat 3 May, 10am- 5pm A day of geological activities as part of Yorkshire Geology Month. Bring your puzzling rock, mineral or fossil along for identification by experts. PLUS... Underground walks via the drift mine 10.30am, 11am and 11.30am A rare opportunity to take a walk underground via the steep drift entrance, with lots of geological interest. For groups of up to 15. Please book on the day. May Half-Term 26 – 30 May Free art and craft workshops 1pm to 4pm: re-visit the 1980s with our ‘80s themed activities and objects throughout the week.
Keeping Coal Mining Alive The National Coal Mining Museum for England is a unique place where the history of mining over several centuries is not only preserved, but brought vividly to life… A visit here can take you 140m underground, back in time to see the historic buildings and machinery and right to the heart of the lives of miners and their families. Along the way, you’ll discover the stories of generations of people who laboured in the mining industry; you’ll meet living history characters and hear their colourful tales and our former-miner guides will enlighten and entertain you as they bring to life the harsh realities of mining through the centuries.
Brow gorgeo se for and souus gifts venirs
Café, Shop & Events Our café choice includes seasonal specials and plenty to tempt the kids and you’ll find our shop well stocked with gifts and souvenirs to suit all budgets. A programme of special events and exhibitions throughout the year means that there’s always something new to see – and with free admission for everyone you can come back again and again.
All year roun d nature trail
Colourful tales by costumed characters
Underground
Indoors
Outdoors
Get kitted out with your hard hat and battery lamp then journey 140m underground to experience the sights, sounds and smells of a working coal mine.
Exploring original colliery buildings such as the steam winder, medical centre and pithead baths brings you closer to the daily life of a working mine, whilst the displays, photographs and films in the galleries take you to the heart of mining communities, family life and mining technology through the centuries.The restored buildings at Hope Pit are now home to hands-on interactive models and touch-screen displays demonstrating the science of mining.
Enjoy the Museum’s countryside setting by exploring the half-mile long Nature Trail – pick up the re-usable, ring-bound activity cards from Reception and enjoy interactive games and puzzles with Motty the Mole along the way (£2 per pack). On the trail, pop into the bird hides to see if you can spot any of the Colliery’s wildlife, then check out the amazing water-treatment reed beds.
Peer down the 140m deep newly conserved furnace shaft – or step out on the glass cover above it if you’re feeling brave!
Visit the pit-head baths
Getting ready to go underground
0m Adventure 14 d n u ro underg
On our Meet a Miner tour, suitable for all ages, you’ll discover the dangers and hardships faced by the men, women and children who toiled deep below ground as well as the machinery, the methods and the inventions that changed mining through the ages. A highlight of our family-friendly Go Mining! interactive tour is visiting the stable to find out how horses were looked after underground - have a go at feeding, mucking out and putting on the pony’s bridle.
For the under 5s, there’s our new, term-time,Wacky Wednesdays offering free crafts and storytelling (10.15am – 11am) plus the ‘Little Diggers’ allotment-themed soft play area.
All donations, no matter how big or small, help us to continue the fantastic developments at the Museum! Keep the history of coal mining alive and visit www.ncm.org.uk/donations for more information or www.ncm.org.uk/opportunities to view our latest volunteer roles.
Visit the stable yard to meet our rescue ponies, Eric & Ernie, and our beautiful Clydesdale horse Finn.You’ll also find out about the role that ponies and horses played in coal mining through the centuries. (The ponies are usually in the stables between 10am - 3pm).