Set in a rural site, the Museum is a unique collection of buildings, displays and galleries which reveal the hidden world of mining through the centuries, telling the stories of mining methods and machinery, the miners and their families. Admission to the Museum is free with underground tours requiring a refundable deposit of £5 for a traditional miner's ‘check’. You can keep your check as a souvenir and donate your deposit to the Museum, which is a national charity. Put on your hard hat and battery lamp, step into the cage and descend 140m underground; follow your ex-miner guide through the chilly, dark tunnels to find out how coal was mined and moved to the surface by men, women, children, ponies and machinery. Return to the surface after just over an hour and, as you emerge into the daylight, you'll wonder just how they survived - and understand why so many didn't. Explore the two collieries, the pit-head baths, wages office and the huge winding wheels, then visit our galleries and displays to see how mining communities lived, worked and relaxed. Peep into the 1940s Parkinson's Yard; discover how events such as World War II and strikes affected whole families and communities; discover the hazards and hardships of working underground and the impact of technology and economic change on the mining industry. Hop on the paddy train for a trip to the Hope Pit complex to find out how a small pit would have operated. Track down plants, birds and insects on our nature trail, meet our rescued ponies and Finn, our Clydesdale horse. Enjoy a break in the café, drop into the under-fives' play area and pick up your souvenirs and gifts in the well-stocked shop.