Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust facts for kids
The Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust is a special group that looks after ten museums and many historic places. These sites are all located in the Ironbridge Gorge in Shropshire, England. This area is often called the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution. This was a time when new machines and factories changed the world.
The Ironbridge Gorge is home to towns like Ironbridge, Coalport, and Jackfield. These places played a big part in industrial history. In 1986, UNESCO named the area a World Heritage Site. This means it's a very important place for everyone to protect. The Ironbridge Gorge Museum also won the National Heritage Museum of the Year award in 1977.
Discover the Ironbridge Gorge Museums
The Trust runs ten amazing museum sites. Together, they are known as The Ironbridge Gorge Museums. Each one offers a unique look into history:
- Blists Hill Victorian Town: Step back in time to a working Victorian town. You can see how people lived and worked long ago. It also includes the Hay Inclined Plane, a unique way to move boats.
- Broseley Pipeworks: Explore an old factory where clay tobacco pipes were made. It looks just as it did when it closed suddenly in the 1950s.
- Coalbrookdale Museum of Iron: Learn all about iron and how it was made. This is where Abraham Darby first smelted iron using coke.
- Coalport China Museum: See beautiful china being made in historic kilns. Discover how delicate pottery was created in this famous factory.
- Tar Tunnel: Walk through a tunnel where natural tar oozes from the walls. It was discovered by accident in the 1780s.
- Darby Houses: Visit the homes of the Darby family, who were pioneers of the Industrial Revolution.
- Enginuity: A hands-on science and technology center. You can explore how things work and test your own ideas.
- Iron Bridge and Tollhouse: See the world's first cast-iron bridge. It was built in 1779 and is an amazing engineering feat. You can also visit the old tollhouse.
- Jackfield Tile Museum: Discover stunning Victorian tiles. See how they were made and used to decorate homes and public buildings.
- Museum of the Gorge: This museum tells the story of the Ironbridge Gorge. It explains how the area became so important to industry.
About the Museum Trust
The Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust started in 1968. Its main goal is to protect and share the history of the Industrial Revolution. It is an independent charity focused on education. In 1970, it took over the Coalbrookdale Museum, which is now the Coalbrookdale Museum of Iron.
The museum staff look after 35 historic sites in the World Heritage Site. This includes the ten museums. They also manage old archaeological sites, chapels, historic houses, and even two youth hostels. They help everyone learn about this important part of history.
