Woodhorn Museum

History of Woodhorn Museum 

To begin with, the Woodhorn Museum is located in Ashington which is in Northumberland. It is a museum complex that was initially opened in 1989 with a major redevelopment completed in 2006. The museum preserves and interprets the history of the former Woodhorn Colliery, a coal mine that operated until 1981. Woodhorn buzzes with stories linked to over 1000 years of coal production here by local people. Almost 2,000 men and women worked at the Woodhorn coal mine from the sinking of the first shaft 1894 to the closure of the shafts linking to Ashington colliery in 1986.

What can you do at The Woodhorn Museum?

Experience the world of  the Pitmen Painters the famous amateur art group from Ashington through their art as they produced hundreds of paintings showing what life was like both above and below ground for their mining communities in Northumberland. The Ashington Group Collection is on permanent display in a dedicated gallery with the support of the Ashington group Trustees.

March your way to the top of our ramp of reform, the last resting place of a mining’s community proudest possession. Follow the banner and see a mining community’s proudest possession with our display of colourful mining banners . Explore coal town exhibition this is an engaging and interactive permanent exhibition. Through the eyes of the Ashington community, you’ll discover the true story of coal mining in Northumberland. The Colliery experience exhibition in which many of Woodhorn Colliery’s pit buildings remain to tell their extraordinary story. They are open for you to explore and to discover more about the workings of the site and the stories of the people who worked here. with accessible play equipment, integrated with the original play equipment to encourage children of all abilities to interact and learn through movement, sound, vision and memory.

The Museum has a Pit Yard Play Area. This pit yard has been popular with families for many years and is inspired by our mining heritage. The new accessible play area encourages learning through play.

Accessibility

There are accessible toilets around the museum. The main museum spaces are fully accessible and they have access ramps in most of the historic buildings. The museum site is quite spread out- they have wheelchairs and an electric scooter available to borrow, therefore, if this is needed please contact in advance to book. They have an accessible multi- sensory outdoor play area. They have a designated 10:00 to 11:00am on the last Sunday of the month as a quiet hour, when the museum has fewer visitors and the sound will be turned down. The museum has induction loops, large print and you can borrow ear defenders. Finally, there is a car park at the museum, accessible spaces are located on the right as you arrive near the welcome huts.

Additional Information

• Assistance dogs are welcome at Woodhorn Museum. Family pets are welcome and can accompany visitors everywhere except inside the main building and Cafe.
• 12 months of unlimited free returns.
• Concession (over 60s and student card holders).
• Adults £11 (£10 without optional donation).
• Under 18s are free.

The Winding House cafe is open from 10:30am it stops serving hot foods at 2:30 pm and closes at 3:30pm

To see more information on our opening times please visit the website using this link

Alternatively to find out more about accessible museums in the area you can visit our website using this link