About The Museum

Welcome to the National Mining Museum Scotland, a 5 Star visitor attraction which provides a great day out for all ages! We're based at one of the finest surviving examples of a Victorian colliery in Europe, the Lady Victoria Colliery at Newtongrange, just nine miles south of Edinburgh. Visitors to the museum will marvel at the sheer size of the place, be astounded by the engineering brilliance behind all the machinery and retrace the footsteps and struggles of the thousands of miners and their families before them.

What you will see during your visit:

The Story of Coal Exhibition

Your experience begins with coal’s creation in the Carboniferous period 360 million years ago and follows human efforts to extract it from the earth from the 13th century through to modern times.

A Race Apart

Find out exactly what life was like, at home and at work, for the miners and their families in Scotland’s mining communities.

Pithead Tour

Take a guided tour of the pithead and experience the atmosphere and noise of a working pit with the personal insights and anecdotes of our guides, all of whom are ex-miners. Tours are available throughout the day.

Mining Mechanics Interactive Zone

Kids just love our interactive zone which provides a hands-on introduction to the science and technology underlying coal mining! Build a bridge….create electricity….operate pulleys and levers. Other activities include our Art Cart, books and Nintendo Wii.

Winding Engine

Drive the massive winding engine – the largest steam engine in Scotland – which hauled men and coal up and down the pit shaft for nearly 90 years and is still in working order.

Big Stuff Massive Mining Machinery Tour – Wednesdays and Sundays

Marvel at the 40ft coal shearers, the massive winding en from Frances Colliery in Fife, underground carriages, cages, locomotives and much more!

Mini Miners Soft Play

Our brand new soft play (opened late August 2012) ticks all the boxes for parents with kids under 8 years old! With it's own special area for under two's you can be sure your children will have an absolute ball while you enjoy refreshments. The soft play is open 7 days a week and is also available for birthday parties. (Entry not included in museum admission.)

The Old Power House

This fantastic function room, which has many original features, can be used for weddings, parties, conferences, seminars and exhibitions.

Archives & Reference Library

Our reference library houses mining books, journals, trade catalogues and periodicals as well as the archive of the Lothian Coal Company. We also have a collection of over 17,000 photographs covering the history of the Scottish collieries and their communities. The library is open to researchers by appointment on Thursdays.

The Scottish Mining Museum Trust is registered in Scotland. Registered Office: Pagan Osborne, 55 Queen Street, Edinburgh EH2 3PA. Registered No. SCO88361