Vicki-Sara and Carlos Carlicki
17.11.2024
Visited for the Halloween event and the kids loved it! Our eldest son 5 absolutely loved scaring away the ghosts in the haunted mine tour. The arts and crafts were also a great success. The play park next to the museum provided lots of fun. We plan to come back and visit again with history loving grandparents.
gareth rees
29.10.2021
Lovely museum staff friendly and plenty of walks
Beth Smith
22.08.2024
Had a lovely cup of coffee and cake before going into the museum which is worth a mention! We were then taken round the museum by Sam who worked in the mines for 21 years so was exceptionally knowledgable and able to talk about his first hand experiences. The museum really gives an insight into life as a minor with its models and artifacts, would definitely recommend a visit.
Samjid Mannan
22.08.2024
Very enjoyable experience. Our guide, Sam brought the trip through history to life with his personal experiences. Cafe was very good too.
George King
16.08.2024
What the venue lacked in size was more than compensated for by the enthusiasm of the volunteers who showed us around.
The guys made it so interesting with tales of their own experiences.
Paul Crispin
13.08.2024
We arrived on a very wet day, the staff were friendly on our arrival. Sam our tour guide was a lovely chap, very knowledgeable and interacted well with our son Jensen. Shame the train was out of action 🤞running next time we visit.
We all learnt a lot about the miners that day.
5 stars from us!
Mats Jonsson
09.07.2024
If there would have been possible to give sex star I would have given it to SWMM! They opened up the museum only for us, a group of four and gave a wonderful, personal tour! Our guide Bob was passionate when he told us everything about coal, mining and the conditions under ground. The entrance fee was low and experience outstanding! Don’t miss this gem!
Rasmus Jonsson
08.07.2024
Mycket engagerade guider som själva jobbat i gruvorna förr. Öppnande upp museet utanför ordinarie öppettider bara för vår grupp. Det kallar jag service!
Robert Brisley
26.06.2024
What a little gem of a place to visit if you have a few hours or more to spare.
Brian and his friends make the history of the mines come to life, and their personal experiences are entertaining, factual, and funny in equal measures.
They make everybody feel welcome, and for the £3 entrance fee and a couple of quid for parking, you can't go wrong.
The Cafe is now under new ownership and will soon be offering hot food, camping, and other facilities on top of other outdoor activities already in place.
Go and visit, it's well worth it.
Lesley Giles
18.06.2024
This little museum is an absolute gem. We arrived on a Tuesday when it is usually closed and Sam a volunteer came in specially to open up the museum for us. We had two hours of such interesting information along with other volunteers they made our visit one of the best museum visits we have ever had.
Cannot recommend it highly enough.
Thank you for such a memorable day.
Manuel Kunz
22.05.2024
The tour was given by a former miner. We were able to learn a lot about the industrial history of South Wales. Very interesting
Kayla Nemeth
17.02.2024
Me and my Grandad visited last Thursday and we both enjoyed it a lot! The tour we had from Sam who worked there was very informative and interesting as he gave lots of personal stories and information from his career as a miner. overall was a great experience
Leon Bounds
18.01.2024
As a sort of connoisseur of museums in South Wales, this takes ranks incredibly high for me. Maybe even the top spot.
South Wales mining runs in my blood, so I alway relish the opportunity to learn, live and breathe the history of our proud and savage land.
This leads me to the review.
I decided to call up to enquire as to how to book the tickets for admission. The lady on the other end was very friendly and polite. Even said "we look forward to seeing you later." As soon as I heard that, I immediately got the missus and got into the car.
The parking is plentiful, and £2.50 for 4 hours (pay and display).
Admission is £3 for an adult. £3! That's less than a cup of coffee in most places and with this you get all this history!
We spent an hour or so, being taken on a guided tour through the museum. There were multiple exhibits, explaining the types of coal, what it was like for those underground, etc. There's plenty of interactive games, including a dress-up area, which is great for families!
Sam, our guide, was an absolute gent, as was Colin (who we met quite early on for a minute or two).
I always love that places like the SWMM employs ex-miners. They often have an insight and a banter that you just don't see with someone who learned about it from a book.
Listening to how they both spoke to each other, there's a level of respect and friendship that is absolutely beautiful to see. Even later on when Sam would recall stories that involved Colin, that respect still remained.
This is a common theme amongst miners.
We could have listened to that man talk all day, he was genuinely a lovely bloke.
At the end of the tour, we went into a separate room and purchased some things from the little gift shop that was there, all of which were reasonably priced!
There we met someone who referred to herself as "the queen" and a lovely lady who we bought the tickets from at the beginning. Both of them were beautiful souls. Very kind they were.
I could sit here and talk about the staff for ages. They are what make this site incredible.
I have been to many museums in South Wales. Many to do with mining. So, when compared to somewhere like Pwll Mawr (Big pit) or the Rhondda Heritage park, it is quite small.
But what it lacks in size, it more than makes up for in literally everything else.
But the main thing for me, was the sense of family that I got from the staff there. When you think of the history of mining, family was everything and in the time we were there, we went from being museum visitors, to a part of that family.
This place needs to be known about. Everyone I speak to about Welsh history and Welsh mining is going to hear about this place.
Due to where it is, there are a multitude of different walks or cycle paths for you to enjoy, with varying levels of intensity. But all of which with absolutely stunning, breathtaking views.
I full heartedly recommend this place. I would scream it from the rooftops if I could. But I only have my network, and my reviews.
We will definitely be revisiting in the future.
Keep it up you beautiful lot!
Edward Stannard
09.12.2023
Fantastic museum filled with incredibly interesting history. Bob gave us a tour and was very knowledgeable and friendly. Definitely recommend visiting!
Anne McKay
09.09.2023
Very interesting. Friendly engaging staff.
Pat Creamer
08.07.2023
The work that has been done to keep the memories of the way of life alive is amazing. We were given a tour of an imaginary.ine as it would have been by a former miner as our guide. His knowledge and passion were incredible. A true credit. Would recommend anyone to give it a visit
Samantha Satterly
08.07.2023
Great experience and Sam our Guide was so informative bringing the Museum to life. All staff so friendly and only wished we could have had time to stay and eat. Highly recommend and a bargain entry free - they should charge more for the service they so willingly provide.
Angel Benny
11.06.2023
Great museum! One of the museum staff came around with us and explained everything. They had worked in the mines previously and so was able to provide first hand knowledge and experiences. Super interesting exhibits and had plenty of videos and imagery to keep us engaged. I would recommend!
Carl Saunders-Jones
24.05.2023
Excellent tour from Sam and Colin
Paul Allen
19.04.2023
Absolutely loved it, staff so friendly.
Our guide Bob was very informative.
Looking forward to our next visit. Thank you all 🙏
Rhian Doyle
06.12.2022
Very friendly staff, they were very welcoming to the children. We enjoyed the exhibits and the interactive tour.
László Attila Aszalós
13.11.2022
A nice little museum in a place with centuries of mining history. Tickets are only £3, and I would highly recommend the guided tours (every Wednesdays and Sundays) run by former miners, and included in the price. Recommended for families
Emőke Ferenczi
13.11.2022
Very informative guided tour by Roy. Intriguing details about working in the mines. We truly enjoyed our visit.
Robyn Newstead
09.11.2022
Lovely museum with lots to see inside and outside. Very friendly and knowledgeable staff. Great walk following an old railway line next to the river. Lovely day out! Good price to go in.
suzana r
27.10.2022
Lovely place! You can learn a lot about mining...even the man from the ticket office is an ex miner, now volunteer.
Stephen Blackburn
27.10.2022
Great staff great looking at life years ago closed Monday
Grant Digby
26.10.2022
Excellent tour guide, brought the museum to life
Col D
19.10.2022
Delightful museum. Family visit - two adults and three children (3.5, 7 and 10). All enjoyed the visit. Compact museum covering the coal mine workings and working conditions etc. We joined a tour which was excellent. Everyone was friendly and loved hearing about the different coal mines in the area. The gentleman doing the tour kept us all engaged and interested.
David Hodkinson
12.10.2022
Interesting stuff here
Helen Soper
14.09.2022
We went yesterday Eric was our guide he was extremely informative & friendly thank you so much. I am from a coal mining family on my father's side moving from Carmarthen all along the South Wales coal field ending in the Cynon Valley so it was very interesting to see how they would have worked the coal face before machinery took over many of their jobs. A great place to visit I highly recommend you go & see. There is also a cafe, the steak burger with Welsh cheese was very Yummy. The toilets were very clean & all the staff were friendly. We had such a lovely time.
hazel bark
10.09.2022
LOVED IT
Bip Webinou (Gweilo)
05.09.2022
Absolutely brilliant museum, was guided around by Colin who was very informative, humourous, and had first hand experience of being a miner in the Afan valley for decades. I'll be back again, was worth every penny.
Lloyd
03.09.2022
Frendly little museum. History from first hand experience tour guides.
Adam Pockett
29.08.2022
Excellent museum. Staff are friendly and knowledgeable, would definitely recommend a tour. Cafe looked nice, and there are lots of other things to do nearby too.
Rhodri Anderson
25.08.2022
Excellent tour that really involved and held the interest of my 3 year old.
Brilliant value (£3 for both of us).
Great park, bike routes and cafe at the same site.
Claire
18.08.2022
Fascinating, and what a hidden gem! Thank you so much to the lovely man who guided me and my daughter round the museum. A truly informative experience, stories told by the amazing people who worked in the mines. My 6 year old thoroughly enjoyed the experience, which the kind gentleman made very interactive for her. What a brilliant insight into the history of the area and the industry.
Do not miss place!
