Mines—A Tourist Attraction: Coal Mining in Industrial South Wales

Abstract

There is considerable interest both across Europe and America concerning how to reprocess old mines and quarries workings. This article looks at the experiences of the tourism authorities in South Wales in setting up mines and industrial remains as tourist attractions and the key issues involved. The focus is on the Big Pit Mining Museum in Blaenafon, South Wales, which was conceived in 1979 and established in 1983. As a commercial tourist attraction, the museum was fated to struggle for its existence, but as time has passed and the memories of coal have diminished, so the mine has acquired a growing heritage value of its own, just like any antique item. Thus, in May 1999, it was agreed that the state-run National Museums and Galleries of Wales should absorb the museum to conserve it for posterity.