Big Pit National Coal Museum

Big Pit: The National Coal Museum is located on the site of the former Big Pit mine. The visit includes a descent 90 meters underground, where the guide, a former miner, guides visitors on a journey through the old mine. Above the ground you can watch a 20-minute audiovisual presentation describing the daily work of miners and the changing methods of coal mining over the years.

The museum also houses historic buildings related to the coal industry, including a smithy, stables, a miners' canteen and an explosives warehouse. Noteworthy are the Pithead Thermal Baths, which were voted Wales' Best National Treasure on the BBC TV show in 2007. You can also see intact showers and changing rooms, as well as memorabilia and exhibitions to better understand the daily life of miners.

The Big Pit coal mine operated from 1880 to 1980. It was opened to the public in 1983. The main purpose of the facility is to protect and preserve the Welsh heritage of coal mining.