Terms of Entry

Customer Charter and Terms of Entry 

Our customer promises 

At Ironbridge Valley of Invention our customers are at the heart of everything we do. We promise to:  

  1. Make everyone feel welcome  

  1. Deliver a high-quality service  

  1. Be responsive to all customer comments  

  1. Maintain high standards of presentation and cleanliness 

  1. Ensure customers can make memories in a safe, accessible environment  

What we ask of you 

At Ironbridge Valley of Invention, we expect everyone to be considerate of one another.  

We will not tolerate any aggressive, inappropriate or discriminatory behaviour towards other visitors, staff or volunteers.  

We expect visitors to treat our collections, monuments and property with respect.  

TERMS OF ENTRY

We want everyone to have a  brilliant time when they visit our museums. 

By purchasing a ticket to any Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust (IGMT) site, you are agreeing to our terms of entry below. A copy is also available to read at any of our Front of House desks; please ask a member of our Front of House team if you wish to see it. 

    1. General admission

We are happy to welcome you to our museums and hope that you will have a wonderful day out with us.  

Opening dates and hours

  • IGMT takes great efforts to ensure that the information about opening hours on its website and on third party websites is correct. However, we cannot take responsibility for information on third party websites and recommend referring directly to IGMT’s website to confirm opening dates and hours. 

  • IGMT’s museums have different opening dates and times. IGMT recommends checking its website before you visit to ensure the museum you wish to visit is open.  

  • We regret that sometimes it is necessary, for example in the interests of security or public safety, for us to alter a museum’s opening hours or close specific areas of a museum at any time, and without prior notice and without refund, liability or compensation. In such a situation we will update our website and social media channels accordingly as soon as we can.  

Visiting with minors

We welcome lots of children and young people to our museums.  

  • Any young person aged 14 and under must be accompanied by an adult aged 18 or over. They must be accompanied by an adult in all areas of the site. At specific events, we may require young people up to the age of 16 to be accompanied, which will be stated at time of ticket purchase.    

  • At Blists Hill Victorian Town, in the New Inn Public House it is a legal requirement that anyone under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult. 

Cases where entry will be refused or a visitor ejected

IGMT reserves the right to refuse entry to or eject a visitor from its museums if, in our reasonable opinion, the visitor contravenes any of the requirements laid out in these terms of entry. These include but are not limited to:  

  • Being physically or verbally abusive 

  • Behaving in a threatening manner 

  • Appearing to be under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs  

  • Posing a risk to the safety of IGMT’s staff, volunteers or other visitors 

  • Disrupting or detracting from the enjoyment of other visitors  

  • Failing, when required, to produce proof of identity, age or entitlement to discount or concession 

  • Failing to comply with the requests of IGMT staff 

  • Causing wilful damage to any of IGMT’s collections, monuments or other property 

  • Being found to be in breach of IGMT’s terms and conditions or statutory law 

  • Being indecently dressed (men must remain shirted and shoes are mandatory)

No refunds will be issued to visitors who are refused entry or ejected due to their behaviour. 

Items that are not permitted on site

IGMT reserves the right to refuse entry to or eject a visitor from its museums to a visitor in possession of: 

  • A scooter that is not specifically for access needs, an e-bike or a skateboard 

  • Ball games, frisbees and other throwing games and equipment 

  • Real or imitation firearms of any sort including water pistols 

  • Dogs not on short leads. Extender leads must be kept short at all times but are permitted. 

  • Illegal drugs 

  • Kites, drones and other flying equipment 

  • Large-scale photography equipment such as tripods (unless by prior agreement) 

2. Consideration for others

We want to ensure that everyone has a great time at our museums.  

  • Our staff and volunteers are committed to delivering the best possible experience and treat every visitor with respect. We kindly ask that you show them, as well as your fellow visitors, respect too.  

  • We reserve the right to remove a visitor and their party from our site if abuse, harassment or harm of any type, including physical, verbal or sexual, is deemed to have taken place. (See 1 above) 

  • Physically or verbally abusive or threatening behaviour towards our staff, volunteers or other visitors is unacceptable. Any incidences will be recorded and investigated, and appropriate action will be taken. 

  • If you are visiting one of our museums and someone is behaving in an intimidating, aggressive or threatening way please speak to any member of IGMT staff who will contact the Duty Manager. 

  • IGMT reserves the right to conduct security searches and confiscate any item which, in the reasonable opinion of IGMT staff, may cause danger or disruption to the event or experience, or which IGMT has previously specified as prohibited. 

  • Please respect our neighbours, both residential and commercial, when leaving IGMT’s sites.  

  • This etiquette guidance extends to interactions with IGMT’s social media channels. We ask that you are respectful of both the people who appear in our content and of other users when posting comments on our social media content. Any comments deemed to be abusive, offensive or derogatory will be removed.  

No refunds will be issued to visitors who are refused entry or ejected due to their behaviour. 

 3. Parking

Some of our museums have car parks that belong to IGMT. At others, parking is available in public car parks. 

  • Cars are parked at their owners’ risk. IGMT accepts no responsibility for damage, accident or loss while using IGMT’s car parks. 

  • Please do not park in residential areas, particularly when this poses a danger to visitors, residents and the general public. 

  • When you are using a museum-owned car park, please pay at the parking machines on site or obtain your free parking voucher (a benefit of the PASS PLUS) at the museum entrance. 

4. Health and safety at IGMT's museums

Health and safety is everybody’s responsibility.  

  • Children aged 14 and under must be supervised by an adult at all times. 

  • To ensure the safety of all our visitors, please be prepared to present your bags for inspection if asked. 

  • On some of IGMT’s sites there are uneven surfaces and open water. Please take extra care in these areas.  

  • Be aware of moving vehicles during your visit.  

  • Do not climb or play on exhibits at any of our museums.  

  • Barriers are in place to keep you safe. Please do not attempt to climb over them.  

  • Please treat all displays and exhibits with care and caution. 

  • At Blists Hill Victorian Town, do not run inside the exhibits or outside the adventure play area. 

  • For the comfort of our visitors and the protection of our collections, smoking and the use of e-cigarettes is not permitted on any of IGMT’s sites, indoors or outdoors, including at Blists Hill Victorian Town open-air museum. 

During your visit, if you see anything you believe is a risk to health and safety, please advise a member of staff or volunteer. 

5. Schools and Learning Groups

Group leaders and accompanying adults are responsible for the behaviour and general health and safety of their students at our museums. 

  • Group leaders must always remain with their groups. A ratio of 1 adult to 15 students for all children under the age of 16 visiting as part of a school group is required. 

  • Group leaders are responsible for the behaviour of their students at all times, including while they are in workshops. 

  • At Blists Hill Victorian Town students and leaders will be issued with coloured wristbands to aid identification. These must be worn at all times for the duration of the visit. 

We reserve the right to ask your group to vacate our premises with immediate effect if students’ behaviour is deemed unacceptable. Should this happen, you will still be invoiced in full for your booked visit. 

6. Animals and livestock

Guide dogs are welcome at all our museums. All dogs are welcome at Blists Hill Victorian Town where they are permitted everywhere except the sweetshop and bakery.

  • Dogs must be kept under control on a lead.  

  • Owners must clear up after any accidents.  

  • We ask that owners are respectful of other visitors who may not share their love for dogs.  

  • For health and safety reasons, dogs are not allowed into Blists Hill Victorian Town on Heavy Horse event weekends, on Fireworks Night, or during selected other events where it is specified on the IGMT website.  

Visitors enjoy seeing the horses, pigs and other livestock at Blists Hill Victorian Town. However, please take care when around livestock. The animals may bite or kick if startled.  

  • Anyone found disturbing, disrupting, harming or feeding livestock may be asked to leave. 

  • We ask that visitors refrain from feeding or touching the animals unless they are advised they can do so by an IGMT staff member. 

7. Alcohol consumption on site

IGMT is licensed to serve and sell alcohol on its premises at Blists Hill Victorian Town and at the Furnace Kitchen. 

  • In accordance with licensing laws, IGMT will only sell to a visitor aged 18+. 

  • Proof of age photo ID may be requested and sale refused to any visitor unable to provide a recognised form of ID. 

  • We ask visitors to drink responsibly during their visit and reserve the right to refuse sale of alcohol to any visitor. In such instances visitors may also be asked to leave the museum premises and no refund will be issued. 

  • When visiting the New Inn Public House at Blists Hill Victorian Town, in accordance with licensing laws anyone under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult. 

Visitors are not permitted to consume alcohol at our museums that has not been purchased there.  

  • If a visitor is found to be in possession of alcohol which has not been purchased from IGMT catering outlets, IGMT reserves the right to confiscate it. If an item is confiscated, it will be returned when the visitor leaves the site. 

8. Photography

For personal use 

We are happy to see visitors taking photos and videos of their day out with us. However, we ask that everyone is considerate when taking photographs. 

  • If you’d like to take a photo or video of any of our staff or volunteers, please ask their permission first. 

  • Note that photography of minors (under the age of 18) is expressly forbidden, unless they are members of your party, or you have prior consent. Visitors who are seen taking photographs of minors without consent will be asked to delete the images and may be asked to leave the museum.  

  • Do not approach school groups to take photographs. 

  • The use of tripods, supplementary lighting or drones is not permitted. 

Commercial photography and filming

We have a range of stunning backdrops that could be perfect for your next photography of filming project. We regularly host commercial filming projects, from large-scale TV productions to small-scale documentaries and product launches. 

  • Please note, the use of tripods, supplementary lighting or drones is not permitted without prior approval. 

  • Failure to contact the Trust before your visit may result in the refusal of entry and removal from the site, as well as any necessary legal action.  

Use of CCTV by IGMT 

For the security of staff, visitors and museum property we use CCTV on our sites. CCTV is used in accordance with Data Protection legislation. 

IGMT taking photographs and filming video 

Sometimes IGMT or other authorised parties will take photographs and/or film on our sites.  

  • Entry to IGMT’s museums is deemed acceptance of our house policy, and you therefore agree that the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust, or any authorised party, may use such images in perpetuity in any promotional, advertising or publicity material in any format whatsoever. You further agree that copyright in these materials rests with the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust. 

  • In-house photographers or authorised parties will be clearly identifiable, either with an IGMT identification card or an official guest lanyard. They will be accompanied by a member of staff who you can approach with any concerns.

IGMT reserves the right to make changes to the Terms of Entry at any time. 

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