Blists Hill Victorian Town
Travel back in time and experience the sights, sounds and smells of Victorian life
EXPERIENCE LIFE IN 1900
Step back in time to the dawn of the modern age. Experience what everyday life was like in 1900. See how technological advances and industry were changing people's lives.Â
Visit Victorian shops and cottages, meet craftspeople demonstrating their trades and taste authentic food in our recreated working town.
Visitor information
The following facilities and rules apply at this attraction:
HISTORY BROUGHT TO LIFEÂ
- Exchange your modern money for Pounds, Shillings and Pence in the Bank
- Inspect the unusual Victorian remedies at the Pharmacy
- Learn how candles were made in the 19th century in the Candlemakers
- See our traditional printing presses in action
TRADITIONAL GAMES & AMUSEMENTS
- Ride the old-fashioned fairground rides and try your luck on the Coconut Shy (from Saturday 5 April until September, 11am-4pm)
- Give the kids the chance to let off some steam at the Madeley Wood Co. Outdoor Adventure playground
- Dress up for a portrait in our Victorian Photographic StudioÂ
- Take a Horse Bus ride around the streets of the Upper Town, 1:30-2:45pm
GO ON... TREAT YOURSELF!
You won't go hungry at Blists Hill Victorian Town...
- Enjoy a bag of Fish and Chips cooked the traditional way in beef dripping (vegan option available)
- Bag a sweet (or two) from our 19th century selectionÂ
- Grab a snack from one of our eating venues
- Bring a picnic and enjoy the atmosphere on the Green or at the Outdoor Adventure playground - there are benches at both locations
BUY ONLINE & SAVE £5
Buy your ticket online to get £5 off a PASS PLUS, and save time when you visit.Â
Did you know we can claim an extra 25p on every £1 you spend when you buy a PASS or PASS PLUS – and without costing you a penny more! All you have to do is agree to Gift Aid your purchase.
GUIDED VISITS OF THE HAY INCLINED PLANE
The Hay Inclined Plane has recently reopened following conservation work funded by Arts Council England.Â
The Hay Inclined Plane, which opened in 1793, connected the Shropshire Union Canal to the Coalport Canal and was critical to transport goods and materials around the Gorge.Â
Guided walking tours of the site are now available. Join us on Wednesday 16 and Saturday 19 April at 11am and 1.30pm. Free for ticket, PASS or PASS PLUS holders.
We have also created a self-guided walk around the newly-reopened site that you can find here.
Image shows the site in 1984.
VISITOR INFORMATION
The recommended visit time for this museum is 3+ hours.
Activities vary from day to day and some carry additional charges.
If you visit during term time Monday to Friday, you will share the site with school groups. Due to workshops, the schoolroom will be accessible from 2:30pm.Â
Visit as a group and save! Discounted admission rates for groups of 15+. Find out more here.Â
If you have a physical or hidden disability and would like to find out ways we are trying to improve your experience at Blists Hill Victorian Town, visit our Access page here.Â
New for Easter 2025, one all terrain mobility scooter is available for visitor use - first come, first serve, ask on arrival.
We're currently undertaking work at Blists Hill Victorian Town as part of the Conserving the Historic Estate project, a 3-year conservation programme funded by the National Heritage Memorial Fund.
For more details contact us on 01952 433 424.
parking
PASS PLUS holders and Friends can park in our Blists Hill Victorian Town car parks for free during their daytime visit by validating their PASS PLUS at the front desk when they arrive. Find out more.
Experience ironbridge your way
To help you get the most out of your visit to Ironbridge Valley of Invention, we’ve created three tailored itineraries to guide you around our different sites in the UNESCO World Heritage Site Ironbridge Gorge.
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Walk to Blists Hill Victorian Town from the Museum of the GorgeÂ
We have created three walking routes that guide you through the beautiful Ironbridge Gorge between the Museum of the Gorge and three of our other museums, including Blists Hill Victorian Town. To find out how to visit Blists Hill Victorian Town on foot, find out more here.Â
INTRODUCING IRONBRIDGE
Discover the Ironbridge Gorge World Heritage Site
DISCOVER INNOVATION
Step in to the historical heart of Ironbridge
Opening times
| Dates | Opening times |
|---|---|
| 5th Apr – 28th Sep 2025 | Monday to Sunday, 10am-5pm |
| 29th Sep – 26th Oct 2025 | Wednesday to Sunday, 10am-4pm |
| 27th Oct – 2nd Nov 2025 | Monday to Sunday, 10am-4pm |
| 3rd Nov – 19th Dec 2025 | Wednesday to Sunday, 10am-4pm |
All museums are closed 24, 25 & 26 December.
See our opening times page for other attraction times.
Directions
The postcode for Blists Hill Victorian Town is TF7 5UD
See our directions page for further details.
Blists Hill Victorian Town is our largest attraction, and we recommend you allow at least 3 hours to see everything. Â You can pick up a free attraction map on the day, or download it to help you plan your trip before you arrive.
- Attraction Map (PDF)
- Disabled Access Guide (PDF)
You can find further information on the FAQs tab. Â
Have you visited yet?
We've created an amazing family attraction in the woodlands at Blists Hill Victorian Town. The Madeley Wood Company Outdoor Adventure, named after the company that historically ran mine operations on the site, is Shropshire's hottest open-air adventure space.
The Outdoor Adventure features elevated walks above the woodland floor, a log-style basket swing, seesaw and lookout tower with a coal chute slide. Built among trees and inspired by the area’s rich mining past, the Outdoor Adventure also features wheelchair-accessible multi-level themed buildings, immersive play areas and a toddler zone with a faux mine-cart track, play buildings, a slide and miniature zip-line.
Families can get refreshments from our food and drink kiosk with a covered seating area.
Admission to the Madeley Wood Company Outdoor Adventure is included in our popular PASS and PASS PLUSÂ meaning families can come back again and again for 12 months!Â
Click here to read our FAQs.
The New Inn Pub
A fully licensed period pub serving a range of beers, spirits and soft drinks. Open from 12pm until 4pm.
Forest Glen Refreshment Pavilion
Enjoy refreshments including 'chefs meal of the day', cakes and hot & cold drinks. Open 11am until 2.30pm.
Coffee Shop – Entrance Building
Café serving a range of hot & cold snacks and beverages. Open 10am until 4pm.
Wm Bates Fish & Chip Shop
Authentically prepared take-away Fish & Chips with vegan and gluten-free options. Open 11am until 3pm.
The Shepherd's Hut
Inside the Madeley Wood Co. Outdoor Adventure and open 10.30am-3pm.
Blists Hill Gift Shop
Showcasing the unique products that we make ourselves; from the cast iron that is made at our on site Foundry to items made in our Plasterers. We offer a range of products that you will find within the shops in the Victorian town as well as a range of souvenirs and gifts from local suppliers within Shropshire. The shop is open daily from 10am and is accessible without paying admission to the museum.
The Bakery
Our Victorian Bakery sells delicious freshly-made bread, fruit buns, biscuits and shortbread. Fresh bread usually is ready for sale at around 12noon.
Annie Pritchard's Sweet Shop
Step inside our wonderland of treats - see jar upon jar of old favourites and listen to the sound of the boiled-sweets being weighed in the scales.
A.F. Blakemore & Son Grocers
Learn more about the importance of tea and why the Grocery Shop was one of the best places to work in the High Street.
Bates & Hunt Chemist Shop
There's so much to learn about the perils of everyday Victorian life here - from dangerous remedies to harmful beauty treatments.
John Edmunds Printers & Stationers
Our fully-operational Printing Shop is a wonder for the senses... the sounds, smells and sights of Victorian industry.