One of the UK’s most popular museums will soon reopen – and it’s now owned by the National Trust

History buffs, you’re going to love this one. Some of England’s most celebrated historic museums have been closed since February, but the wait is nearly over. The National Trust has confirmed the reopening of its newly acquired sites in Shropshire which are widely regarded as the birthplace of the industrial revolution. 

Three Ironbridge Gorge museum sites will reopen just in time for half-term, with more to follow throughout the year. First up is the Coalbrookdale Museum of Iron and Furnace Kitchen, set to reopen on Wednesday May 20, followed by the iconic open-air museum Blists Hall Victorian Town on Thursday May 21. 

The museums closed in February during a period of ownership transition, in which the National Trust acquired the sites from the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust. It was one of the largest acquisitions in the National Trust’s 130-year history, made possible by a £9 million government investment. 

Today Ironbridge Gorge is a serene and scenic spot, sat on the wooded banks of the River Severn, but for centuries it powered the modern world. It was heavily mined from the 1500s, with furnaces and foundries transforming the landscape from the 1700s onwards. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site for good reason.

Blists Hill Victorian Town transports visitors back to the living, breathing 19th-century complete with its authentic shops, cottages and costumed craftspeople. At the Museum of Iron, you can stand before the original blast furnace where Abraham Darby I perfected the iron-smelting technique that sparked the industrial revolution.

‘As a living, evolving town, Blists Hill will continue to be re-opened and restored overtime. We appreciate everyone’s support as we begin this new chapter, and we lookforward to sharing what’s still to come,’ said Claire Tafft, National Trust project manager for visitor engagement at Ironbridge Gorge.

All visits to Blists Hill will need to be booked initially, free for National Trust members and 15 percent off for English Heritage members (until April 1 2027). Under 5s go free, and family tickets start from as little as £36. Free parking is available at the Museum of Iron, and the furnace Kitchen will be open seven days a week from 9am. 

Around 2.5 hours from London and 45 minutes from Birmingham, Ironbridge Gorge makes for an easy day trip from the UK’s biggest cities, or even a worthwhile weekend escape. As monuments to the working people who built the modern world, these sites are well worth the trip.

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