Appeals and Projects
Projects in the Pipeline...
Museum of Iron
The next phase of the Coalbrookdale 300 programme is the redevelopment of the Museum of Iron. This important Museum tells visitors about the remarkable story of the Darby Family and their technological breakthroughs which led to the Industrial Revolution, how the Gorge came to be the perfect location for such industry and how Coalbrookdale developed into a world leading ironworks supplying products all over the globe.
We plan to refurbish the galleries and exhibitions bringing them up-to-date and maintaining our exemplary award-winning standards. This will be a major project which will transform the current Museum. Planning is currently underway for the development and while we have some major funding in place we will need to secure the rest of the finance required for such a scheme.
Enginuity
Enginuity is a National Centre for Design and Technology. Its continued development completes our links with the history of the Gorge by demonstrating to our visitors of all ages how the innovation and imagination of the great entrepreneurs of the past is still alive with the technology driven advances and breakthroughs we experience today.
Part of the centre's huge popularity is the number of interactive exhibits we have for our visitors to use. This means we must replace the displays regularly to keep the Museum stimulating for our visitors, stay ahead of the competition and also to keep up to date with developments in technology and engineering.
Some of our recently completed projects:
The Old Furnace
In 2009, we celebrated the 300th anniversary of Abraham Darby I's great technological breakthrough in the successful use of coke in the smelting of iron which saw the Industrial Revolution begin and formed the start of the modern steel industry. As part of the celebrations, the Old Furnace where Abraham Darby made his technological breakthrough underwent renovation and now visitors can enjoy improved access to the monument and better interpretation.
The New Development at Blists Hill Victorian Town
Completed in 2009, visitors are now greeted by the new landmark Visitor Centre which contains a stunning state-of-the-art audio visual display, the Ironbridge Gorge World Heritage Site exhibition, a café and a gift shop. The authentically recreated Drapers, Fried Fish Dealers, Ironmongers, Photographers, Post Office and Sweet Shop in Canal Street means that people can experience Victorian life even more to the full and the new Incline Lift and Clay Mine Railway Experience are also new exhibits which put the industry of the Gorge into context for visitors.