Cleveland Ironstone Mining Museum
Experience the underground world of a real ironstone mine.
The Museum offers visitors an opportunity to discover the skills and customs that built Cleveland's
Ironstone heritage. It is the only Museum in the UK which tells the story of Ironstone mining; a key part
of the local history of the social and industrial development of Cleveland and Teesside.
The Museum today offers visitors an opportunity to experience the underground world of a real ironstone mine and to explore the skills, customs and life of the Cleveland miner. It was these miners that helped make Cleveland the most important Ironstone mining district in Victorian and Edwardian Britain.
One of the Museum's strengths lies in its knowledgeable and enthusiastic guides, who accompany visitors around the site: - through the discovery of rock in the area - through the cavernous ventilation spaces - into the North Drift of the old Loftus Mine
It was through this drift that much of the 6.2 million tons of ironstone extracted from Skinningrove was hauled.
Visitors have the opportunity to hear the story of a Trappy Lad on his first day at work underground in the darkness and the friends that he made there. Finally the tour finishes with the chance to explore an underground working place and see how the stone was drilled, charged with explosives and FIRED!
While visitors are waiting for the next tour, they are able to browse the Museum Gallery. This displays photographs of Loftus Ironstone Mine (where the Museum is located), the Miners and the local area during the mining era.
Open Daily: 1st April until 31st October, Monday - Friday 10.30am until 3.30pm last tour.
Saturdays 1pm -3.30 last tour.
Sundays, Easter and school summer holidays 1.00pm -3.30pm last tour
Closed: 1st November until 31st March except for school visits and special bookings.
Please note: As the museum relies on volunteers to open, it may be necessary to call
us on 01287 642877 to confirm that we are open before travelling a long distance.