Black Country Museum

[ditchcrawler]

This http://www.savethebclm.com/ can say it better than I can

[David Schweizer]

This http://www.savethebclm.com/ can say it better than I can

We visited the Black Country Living Museum earlier this year,and whilst the restored buildings are very interesting, we found the whole place to be rather lifeless, too spread out, and with what ammounted to fenced scrap yards all over the place, quite unlike Blists Hill,Ironbridge which we had visited earlier during the same week and St Fagan's which we visited last year. The only saving grace was the costumed staff who were friendly and informative, however there did not seem to be many of them, do away with them all together and the museum is destined to failure.

 

I first visited the Black Country Museum over twenty years ago and was impressed at the time, but some how it seems to have lost it's way a bit, I assume that there is a development plan but at the moment finding your way around is a bit of a trial, with huge tracts of wasteland between some of the buildings. At the moment the the outer areas have a feeling of derelection about them.

 

Some of the undeveloped areas could easily be grassed over as picnic areas, and a few trees and shrubs would not go amiss. There were no places where you could sit and rest, and the signage was so poor that someone on a mobility scooter could not read them.

 

The management need to take a good look at why St Fagans and Blists Hill are so poular, and seek to learn from their experience. They also perhaps need to be a bit more interactive with their visitors rather than remove the only people who do interact with visitors.

Edited September 29, 2012 by David Schweizer

[MtB]

Can I point out that it's name is "Black Country Living Museum", with the emphasis on 'Living', not just "Black Country Museum".

 

It is feared removal of the staff guides will lead it to becoming the latter.

[Derek R.]

Very sorry to hear this. The 'Save' website accepts posts, but posting comments seems a problem. Mine won't come up despite entering the code.

 

We recently visited Blists Hill, and the costumed staff make the visit come alive. The Policeman especially, his knowledge leading up to 1901 and banter are spot on, speak to him of WW1 and he'll think you barmy. "Oh no, there can't be another one - not after the War to end all Wars, good heavens no!" He speaks of the Boer War of course. Craftsmen abound and in the main are keen to share their knowledge. Volunteers too!

 

As with many businesses, management is the Achilles Heel.

 

Bit of a mad afterthought: Imagine a horse drawn Hearse walking complete with black crepe'd Mutes slowly around somewhere, with the hearse loaded with costumed guides, nooses around their necks attached to the gibbet of management.

 

I did say mad.

Edited September 29, 2012 by Derek R.

[Theo]

Very sorry to hear this. The 'Save' website accepts posts, but posting comments seems a problem. Mine won't come up despite entering the code.

 

 

 

 

I found this too.

 

N

[koukouvagia]

 

The management need to take a good look at why St Fagans and Blists Hill are so popular. . . .

 

... and Beamish.

[the grinch]

I must admit I have never been, but i've never been to the others either, my impression from what i've read is that sadly the BCLM has not been welcoming of boaters unless you happen to own a working boat. like all visitor attractions you have to continually revue your operation and keep adding new and interesting things otherwise jo public will drift away as they've already seen what you have to offer.

speaking from my own experience (running trip boats) you need to offer different things at different times to stop it going stale we run pirates and princesses in the summer for the children halloween trips and santa cruises are ever popular, then we run cream tea cruises, night cruises and even cheese & wine evenings also various length / distance / direction trips to suit all.

 

similarly the Tramways Museum at Crich hold special events on a regular basis like the beetle drive (VW owners are invited) ford day where all the old Cortina's and Escort's meet up, on top of that momentus occassions are marked like the recent Glasgow day (to commemorate the last day of Glasgow's trams (all 5 of the glasgow trams were polished and cleaned) for the day and was a superb effort by the team.

 

if the BCLM is to survive it has to move with the times and become more interactive and interesting to the masses not just another museum with dead and derelict exhibits on offer the staff in period costume is part of the atmosphere. it seems that like Ellesmere Port Boat Museum it lacks any motivation to make visitors want to return (& more importantly, soon!) also we all do it, we tell everyone we had a bad experience yet tell few that we had a good experience sadly bad news travels first class whereas good news travels in the guards van on it's own!

[grey wolf]

I went there some time ago and enjoyed the underground mine tour in hard hats that were taped up so as to allow the sort of light levels available to miners at the time.and the tram rides were good

[carlt]

... and Beamish.

...and Crich Tramway Village.

 

I think it is a shame that Inland Waterways Museums fail so miserably to attract anyone, bar the hardcore enthusiasts and the first timers who won't return.

[David Schweizer]

I went there some time ago and enjoyed the underground mine tour in hard hats that were taped up so as to allow the sort of light levels available to miners at the time.and the tram rides were good

Neither of which were operating when we visited, along with several other "Special features" And as for the Boatyard, it was a mess with junk lying around and no one on site.

Edited September 29, 2012 by David Schweizer

[twbm]

How is it funded?

[the grinch]

...and Crich Tramway Village.

 

I think it is a shame that Inland Waterways Museums fail so miserably to attract anyone, bar the hardcore enthusiasts and the first timers who won't return.

 

 

i'd already said that! lol

[Derek R.]

I'm not so sure about the need for constant change being an attraction. Sure, if you have a basic functioning site and can attract a variety of clubs and enthusiasts to titivate the masses with 'events', but the Blists Hill and probably Beamish (haven't been there in a long while) are good enough to make me want to return for the continuity of their quality as stands. Change for the sake of it - as such in modern day life - is what has become the attraction of such successful museums in as far as they become a constant in NOT changing from a successful formula. Adding 'events' at periods can only increase visitor numbers, such is the success of The Ace Cafe on the N. Circular - reproduced a time warp (but not the prices sadly), and regular events for 'themed' vehicle types and makes draws crowds.

 

The only thing I felt let down on at Blists Hill, was the ride into the Clay Mine. Mainly due to the possibilities of taking members of the public into a 'real' clay mine as it once was, would be unlikely. They employed children to do the mining due to their smaller sizes in extracting the materials from very small passageways. Some things have changed for the better.

[onionbargee]

the "scrap yards" are priceless old machinery, and historical iron castings, it's one of the best things about the place that it's not ponced up Disney replica of olde Englande, it's real. The answer is if you want an undercover museum with a starbucks outlet go some where else.

 

Thr BCM is a mans museum. (and they leave big lumps of coal right by the mooring ! some one could pinch those ! )

Edited September 29, 2012 by onionbargee

[saltysplash]

How is it funded?

 

 

By text donations

[john6767]

How is it funded?

Check their web sire, it's a charity, and finds 90% of it's own funding. Does not say where the other 10% comes from though.

[pinkoi]

I found this too.

 

N

 

 

I found this, only to realise that after trying to post about 5 times that all my attempted turned up at once... Oops ((

[bag 'o' bones]

The only thing I felt let down on at Blists Hill, was the ride into the Clay Mine. Mainly due to the possibilities of taking members of the public into a 'real' clay mine as it once was, would be unlikely. They employed children to do the mining due to their smaller sizes in extracting the materials from very small passageways. Some things have changed for the better.

Its been possible to enter the mine for the last 20 plus years! Its called the Tar Tunnel. The Blists Hill mine is linked to the Tar Tunnel which was originally dug to transport coal and clay directly to the river avoiding the canal. Discovering Tar was a bonus.

[sueb]

Are the guides volunteers?

[Derek R.]

Its been possible to enter the mine for the last 20 plus years! Its called the Tar Tunnel. The Blists Hill mine is linked to the Tar Tunnel which was originally dug to transport coal and clay directly to the river avoiding the canal. Discovering Tar was a bonus.

 

 

Yes, that's the Tar Tunnel, originally conceived by Reynolds as a canal tunnel to connect with his Shropshire Canal and intended to gain access to coal and clay deposits. Having found large amounts of natural bitumen, the canal purpose was abandoned and tar extracted instead. It is accessed from a house at the base of the Hay Incline and extends for public access for 100yds, though some websites claim 300yds.

 

The Clay Tunnel Ride is way up top accessed from within the Victorian Village, and a wholly modern enterprise largely made from semi-circular corrugated sheet into which as passenger on a narrow gauge train one is taken in total darkness. Once at the internal (more than underground) terminus, a film show in silhouette form depicting life as a clay miner is projected onto a wall. The dialogue is entirely between a man and his son telling of life, and death from Blackdamp, within the clay mines in general. You cannot alight from the train during the entire trip. It's two quid on top of the entrance fee to Blists Hill, and for my money the pictures and artefacts shown in the starting shed/terminus are every bit as enlightening to mining clay.

 

Derek - another Reynolds!

[Heartland]

The Black Country Living Museum is an organisation that supports itself from the visitors that attend, and perhaps the change of management in recent times could be a factor in thed sad news of staff reductions. It remains an important repository of history for the region, and I can only hope that those now in charge learn from this experience and follow up on some of the suggestions made on this website and elsewhere. On the comparison with the museum at Blist Hills, perhaps somebody can enlighten me about funding. Blist Hills is part of a number of venues that comprise the World Heritage site there. Does Blist Hills have support from the local council, for example?

 

Ray Shill

[Hairy-Neil]

Are the guides volunteers?

 

From my memories of several previous visits I think they have a combination of both paid and volunteer staff.

[grey wolf]

to correct miss thoughts.

maybe if the all the attractions there joined ie Zoo ,Museum and castle then they would be able to keep visiter numbers up and review the entrance charges.

Edited October 1, 2012 by grey wolf

[Derek R.]

The Black Country Living Museum is an organisation that supports itself from the visitors that attend, and perhaps the change of management in recent times could be a factor in thed sad news of staff reductions. It remains an important repository of history for the region, and I can only hope that those now in charge learn from this experience and follow up on some of the suggestions made on this website and elsewhere. On the comparison with the museum at Blist Hills, perhaps somebody can enlighten me about funding. Blist Hills is part of a number of venues that comprise the World Heritage site there. Does Blist Hills have support from the local council, for example?

 

Ray Shill

 

The Iron Bridge Gorge Museums is a Trust supported by donations:http://www.ironbridge.org.uk/supporting_us/appeals_and_projects/

Blists Hill Victorian Village is one of ten museum sites locally. The museum of Iron is good, so too the Museum of the Gorge. Not so hot on the Enginuity site, and the others I have yet to visit. You can purchase a 'Passport' which lasts a year, and allows visits to all ten as many times as you like. If in the course of the year from day one there are museums not yet visited, the passport will allow one visit to that or those museum(s) not visited beyond that year. Senior citizens get a discount, and we bought three passports - one adult, one senior, and one child for £54 all three. I've yet to visit the Pipe museum in Broseley. Supposed to be very good.

 

From speaking to several of the craftsmen working there, they said they were volunteers receiving no pay, but the costumes were supplied foc. Probably the maintenance and costume department were employees.

 

to correct miss thoughts.

maybe if the all the attractions there joined ie Zoo ,Museum and castle then they would be able to keep visiter numbers up and review the entrance charges.

 

By Zoo, do you mean the visitors? They were always the biggest problem when I worked in one.

[bag 'o' bones]

Yes, that's the Tar Tunnel, originally conceived by Reynolds as a canal tunnel to connect with his Shropshire Canal and intended to gain access to coal and clay deposits. Having found large amounts of natural bitumen, the canal purpose was abandoned and tar extracted instead. It is accessed from a house at the base of the Hay Incline and extends for public access for 100yds, though some websites claim 300yds.

 

The Clay Tunnel Ride is way up top accessed from within the Victorian Village, and a wholly modern enterprise largely made from semi-circular corrugated sheet into which as passenger on a narrow gauge train one is taken in total darkness. Once at the internal (more than underground) terminus, a film show in silhouette form depicting life as a clay miner is projected onto a wall. The dialogue is entirely between a man and his son telling of life, and death from Blackdamp, within the clay mines in general. You cannot alight from the train during the entire trip. It's two quid on top of the entrance fee to Blists Hill, and for my money the pictures and artefacts shown in the starting shed/terminus are every bit as enlightening to mining clay.

 

Derek - another Reynolds!

My Dad worked for the museum in the early days as a project co-ordinator. Back in the days when you were still allowed to take calculated risks, he walked the Tar Tunnel with a bunch of Borstal boys beyond the gate that exsists today. Just after the gate the tunnel opens right out for a short distance and then returns to the normal width and height. Furthur in the tunnel is unlined and becomes narrow and reduced in height. They eventually turned back as the air was becoming stale making it difficult to breath.

 

Glad you enjoyed the mine ride. I think you must be the only one. Most people think its a rip off. The museum has recieved countless complaints.