Coalbrookdale Museum of Iron facts for kids
The Coalbrookdale Museum of Iron is a fascinating place in Shropshire, England. It's one of ten museums in the famous Ironbridge Gorge, which is a World Heritage Site. This area is known as the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, a time when new machines and factories changed the world. The museum helps us understand how iron was made and used long ago.
What You Can See at the Museum
The museum is open most days, including many holidays. When you visit, you'll discover many interesting things:
- You can see parts of the amazing Old Furnace. This was a special furnace that used water power to make iron.
- There are displays of everyday items and fancy decorations made from iron.
- Look for the "Boy and Swan Fountain." The Coalbrookdale Company made this for a huge event called the Great Exhibition of 1851.
- Another highlight is the "Deerhound Table." A sculptor named John Bell designed it for an exhibition in Paris in 1855.
- You'll also see cast-iron cooking pots. These were important because they helped Abraham Darby I get started in the iron business.
The area around the museum is also home to Enginuity. This is an interactive center where you can explore design and technology. Nearby, you can also find the Darby Houses.
The Old Furnace: A Place of Big Ideas
The Old Furnace is a very important part of the museum. It's where Abraham Darby I figured out a new way to make iron. Instead of using charcoal, he used coke, which is a type of fuel made from coal. This discovery was a huge step forward for making iron.
In 1959, a company called Allied Ironfounders helped dig up the Old Furnace site. They did this to celebrate 250 years since Darby first used coke to make iron. This led to a small museum, which later became the Coalbrookdale Museum of Iron in 1970. It is now part of the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust.
The Old Furnace is a protected building because of its history. In 2014, it received a special award from the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. This award recognized its importance in engineering history.
