Summerlee Museum of Scottish Industrial Life

Summerlee, the museum of Scottish industrial life - in Coatbridge, Lanarkshire - is a VisitScotland '4 Star' visitor attraction and 'Best Working Attraction' award-winner!

About Summerlee Museum of Scottish Industrial Life

	Summerlee Museum of Scottish Industrial Life Heritage Way, Coatbridge ML5 1QD
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Listed Under Attractions - Days Out / Attractions - History and Culture / Attractions - Museums / Attractions - Visitor Centres

Summerlee's 22 acres are based around the site of the 19th Century Summerlee Ironworks, a fore-runner in the use of the innovative hot-blast iron smelting process that led Coatbridge to fame and fortune as Scotland's 'Iron Burgh'.

With some 150,000 visitors a year, the museum is one of Scotland's leading 'free-to-enter' attractions.

Summerlee's main features are:

• A huge under-cover exhibition hall, with a variety of interactive exhibits, 'hands on' activities for children and working machinery to view.

• Re-created adit mine and miners' cottages. Guides take small groups down the mine, which is entered by a sloping track rather than a shaft. The cottages show the domestic side of their lives from the 1840s to the 1980s.

• An electric tramway gives rides on restored modern and Edwardian tramcars. A modest fee gives all-day rides (Discounted for children).

• The 'Photomedia Workshop'. A brand-new community resource for the creative development of photographic skills in both traditional film and digital media. Information on classes and exhibitions available from Summerlee on (01236) 638463.

Within the main exhibition hall there are also toilets (including baby-changing and special access), a café and a shop with a range of heritage-themed gifts, toys and books.

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Upcoming Events at Summerlee Museum of Scottish Industrial Life

Family and Kids

Bookbug at Summerlee

Selected dates between 10th January 2025 - 19th December 2025

Summerlee Museum of Scottish Industrial Life, Coatbridge

Discover the benefits of sharing stories, songs and rhymes with babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers at Summerlee's weekly Bookbug sessions!

Exhibitions

I Used to Be…

21st October 2025 - 9th November 2025

Summerlee Museum of Scottish Industrial Life, Coatbridge

Textiles exhibition by Eilidh Manson featuring items that we expect to bring comfort, but, on closer inspection, are not what we expect them to be.

Christmas

Father Christmas at Summerlee

Selected dates between 6th December 2025 - 24th December 2025

Summerlee Museum of Scottish Industrial Life, Coatbridge

Father Christmas is taking time out of his busy schedule to visit to Summerlee Museum every Saturday and Sunday throughout December, including Christmas Eve!

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