Historically, the Black Country played a vital role in the nation’s industrial history. This was the world’s first industrial landscape and one of the most intensely industrialised regions of the UK. Black Country industries – based on the rich natural resources of coal, ironstone, limestone and fireclay – expanded hugely during the Industrial Revolution.
The Museum preserves a microcosm of the Black Country’s industrial landscape, including two mine shafts, limekilns and a canal arm. There are relocated buildings, drawn from across the many small towns of the region. As well as this core, the Museum cares for a wide range of the equipment, tools, manufactured goods, domestic furnishings and everyday objects which represent the life and work of the people of the Black Country.
In total, there are approximately 61,000 items in the collections. You can browse a selection of these by exploring the different themes listed to the right of this page, or click a thumbnail below. The tags in the right hand panel offer another way to browse the collections images, Choose a location or a date to see related items.
Historic Buildings
Metal Working Industry
Other Industries
Locks and Safes
Transport
Domestic and Cultural Life
Black Country Landscape
Library
Trade Catalogues
