Ironbridge Gorge Museums

This is the valley that changed our world, this is where the Industrial Revolution began. Smoke once filled the fiery sky, sulphurous fumes rose from furnaces, tumult issued from forges and foundry - this was once the workshop of the world. Today, it's a deeply wooded, tranquil and beautiful valley, full of museums and monuments of supreme historic importance. A World Heritage Site - just waiting to be discovered by you.

Museums

The Museum of Iron, Darby Furnace and Darby Houses: all within a landscape largely unchanged since the eighteenth century. See where the Darby Ironmasters and their families lived and worked in painstakingly restored eighteenth century homes. Here the Industrial Revolution was born. The first iron railway tracks, iron railway wheels and iron bridge and the first steam railway locomotive were all made here.

Coalport China Museum: some of the world's most beautiful porcelain was once made on the banks of the River Severn. The Museum is situated in the remains of the old works. Also on site are demonstration workshops, shop, restaurant and a Youth Hostel.

Blists Hill Victorian Town: a complete working Victorian Town. Talk to the costumed 'nineteenth century townspeople' as they go about their business, making candles, casting iron, baking bread or lacing corsets! Don't forget to change your twentieth century money into Victorian token coins to spend in the shops or buy a pint of real beer in the New Inn.