"Such a great place! The tour guide was incredibly knowledgeable with a great sense of humour making it a great experience."
"Absolutely brilliant and completely free."
"Superb attraction. One of the best in the UK. So much to see and it's free."
"Great attraction, a must do when visiting Wales."
"This is a fantastic Living History experience. Dramatic, poignant and a true memorial to Welsh History."
"The Big Pit National Coal Museum is a fascinating and educational experience that offers a unique glimpse into the history of coal mining in Wales."
Cons:
"Lots of steps and hills which might make it difficult for wheelchair access."
"Warning: No electronic devices can be taken down the lift into the mine."
"Not allowed your phone so could not take any pictures."
"The queue for that tour can be well over an hour."
"Some sections are really low to walk through (less than 5ft in height) so you have to be flexible/fit enough to get round."
"There are very low ceilings at some parts, at nearly 6ft I found myself almost at a right angle at some parts to get through."
"Unfortunately I don't think the mine is accessible to those that use wheelchairs as there are quite a few steps."
Guides and Staff
Pros:
"Our guide had worked there so he knew all about the day to day life at the pit."
"Dai took us on the tour underground and was simply amazing."
"Our guide was a wonderfully knowledgeable lady called Emma."
"The staff make this come to life and really are the heart of what being Welsh means to us."
"Our tour guide, Mike, was so knowledgeable and a laugh while down in the mines."
"Our guide Ian was excellent, entertaining and informative."
"Our guide Robert is a brilliant communicator who made our trip down the mine a much more authentic experience through his own working life in coal mines."
Cons:
"The tour was limited due to works being carried out so was clearly 'filled' with Steve's anecdotes and heckling of young children."
"The canteen was not serving hot food and had a very limited sandwich selection leaving my son hungry."
"The tour guide, Steve then said to my 9 year old, 'you've been moaning the whole time', causing the whole group to laugh at my son."
"Only criticism is the equipment that's outside could do with some identification information on what it was and how it was used."
"Unfortunately the museum is closed until 1st September 2020."
"Some of our family wanted to go down the mine, but the wait was too long, so they didn't bother."
"The food at the cafe was the only disappointment as their hot food options were incredibly limited."
Facilities and Amenities
Pros:
"The canteen was decent enough, and although limited in options they did have a small number of vegan options in sandwiches and soup."
"There's a nice café as well, and (while we did visit off-season) there was only a 10 min wait from queueing to go down to going."
"The cafe offers lovely food with friendly staff serving."
"The cafe was reasonably priced clean and comfortable."
"Lovely little cafe, with one of the best Welsh cakes I have had."
"Two reasonably priced cafés and lots of clean toilet facilities."
"The cafe is also good. I can recommend the pasties and home made bread and butter pudding."
Cons:
"Admission is free but bizarrely parking is £5."
"Word of caution for those using public transport as not available for around a mile I guess."
"Quite a few people including us looked round in the car park and had to ask where to pay for parking."
"We were planning on looking at the indoor museum but everything was pretty much shut by the time we came out from the guided tour."
"Very considerate to have a soft play room there for younger ones (under 5)."
"Would recommend bringing your own food, as canteen on site offers limited food cater to limited tastes (not a hit with the kids)."
"Should have allowed more time for our visit, they were closing early and there was so much to see."
Value and Experience
Pros:
"For a free museum it's a fab place to go for day out."
"Fabulous afternoon with so much to see and do. We didn't go underground but the virtual underground experience was really interesting."
"Excellent day out for all the family, very interesting and informative."
"Awesome. Free entry but they do ask for a donation as its a charity."
"I can't believe that this attraction is free entry. You just pay £3 to park all day."
"Such a fantastic museum. Really informative but in a fun and interesting way. And I can’t believe it’s all free. Just £5 for the car park all day."
"Absolutely fascinating, and free of charge (at least it was when we went - just paid parking)."
Cons:
"Children under 1 meter tall are not allowed on the underground tour."
"Many people died at a quite young life due to the pollution surrounding the area."
"People with bad backs or who cannot bend over or duck down may not enjoy the underground tour, as there is a lot of bending and crouching involved."
"However due to this, uneven ground, and the dark setting, I don't recommend the tour for those with mobility impairments or those who are claustrophobic."
"The mine tour is great but taller folk may find it tough, there is a min height requirement too but kids around 3 to 4 should be fine."
"All battery powered items are removed from you (watch, phone, camera, torch, key fobs) before you enter the mine, so if in doubt, leave them in your car."
"Parking is £5 for the day, but entrance to the museum is free (though donations are encouraged), so it's still a great deal!"