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.

We take every opportunity to ensure the details for Summerlee Museum of Scottish Industrial Life are accurate, if any of the above information is incorrect we would appreciate if you could take a minute to suggest an edit.

All information (whether in text or photographs) is supplied in good faith but should not be relied upon as being a statement of representation or fact.

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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.

Halloween

Halloween at Summerlee Museum

26th October 2025

Summerlee Museum of Scottish Industrial Life, Coatbridge

Come along to Summerlee Museum in fancy dress on Sunday 26th October for some spooky Halloween fun including arts and crafts, a terrifying trail, spooky photo sessions, games and more!

Music

Music in The Museum: Between the Notes with Karen MacIver

27th October 2025

Summerlee Museum of Scottish Industrial Life, Coatbridge

'Between the Notes' is a gentle invitation to pause, listen, experience and reflect. This special event marks the launch of a new artist-designed public piano for North Lanarkshire.

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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