Black Country Living Museum Reviews

Visited the 1940's weekend today for the 3rd year running. Although the four of us enjoyed it it lacked certain things this year. The first year we visited it had a fair with food stalls, hot dogs and lovely hot donuts. Yes there are 2 fish & chip shops & one vendor selling faggots, mash & peas plus the cake & sweet shop but I'm sure people would flock to hot dog & donut stalls. Also would ice cream vans be appropriate for the weekend because I'm sure they'd do a roaring trade. The fish & chips were lovely. Didn't seem to be many military vehicles either this year. The D-Day Darlings were wonderful as always and the Lancaster Bomber flying over. I've reviewed the BCLM before and gave 5 stars but have deducted a star this year.

This has the potential to be incredible but unfortunately certain things bring it down. Started off well, with a nice wander and informative little nooks and crannies with ‘characters’ ready to give information. We managed to get onto the last boat trip of the day which disappointingly you have to pay ANOTHER £10 each for?! We then got back with an extra 15 minutes to spare within the main museum area and found the pub already closed, staff/characters standing around chatting with their phones and modern bags which broke the illusion of the experience, and clearly waiting for us to leave. We also couldn’t get into certain areas as they were for school children only?! Got back to the gift shop and that was shut too! Gift shop surely should stay open a little later for those who want to make the most of wandering until the museum is shut, I thought that was normal practice. Renovations will hopefully make this place incredible but a little boost from management is needed.

After hearing nothing but good things about the BCLM we decided to give it a visit ourselves.
We booked our full price tickets online before turning up which was perfect ? all sorted we thought….
When we arrived half of the attractions were shut due to building works or the fact that they had been shut and wasn’t ready for opening ?? but there was no mention of this on the website and it was definitely not reflected in the price because we paid FULL price for a part attraction! Fair enough we got a return ticket for the year but after todays experience we probably won’t be using said ticket. And finally £7.50 for no more than 25 chips and a piece of fish no bigger than my 8yr olds hand ? you should be ashamed of yourselves BCLM. even dick Turpin wore a mask, maybe the chippy staff should.

I went there on a school trip . It was horrible I hated it there was barely anything to see all the was to see was old house that have spider webs and all sorts of bugs this place needs a clean . I thought I would see more by the wsy it was 20 pounds I think in my opinion it was a complete waste of money. Please only go there if you are interested in history and want to find out about the past. By the way this is just my opinion dont let this effect you

Absolutely brilliant,we only payed for two people and can go back as many times as we want in a year!

Everything there is just full of life and cheerfull,there's activities in the streets for the children,metal works.
(chips are a bit expensive but very good)

Foldup ramps are available next to near every building you can fit,width wise with no moaning or arguments.
Free parking as well for blue badge holders
They also have a pickup vehicle from the top of the hill to bottom for users that you can call. (bit steep)

Right now large area's are under construction but it would still take all day to walk around it,it doesn't take away from the atmosphere. (due to be done by 2023)

The boat tour which is by another company,also can occupy wheelchairs onboard.

(This sounds like a diss but the place isn't on here,oh my god don't even bother with blist hill,its so expensive and dangerous)

Attended the so called “Enchanted Christmas” on Sunday 19th December and what a waste of time and money that was. Lacking in decorations, music and generally a Christmas theme of any sort never mind Nut Cracker. The best part was the braziers to keep you warm, even one of the staff asked “how is everyone…. not that I’m bothered but I’ve been told to ask”, they even charged you the privilege to park which wasn’t too bad as you knew you were on your way home to see some proper decorations along the route home….VERY POOR BCLM!!!!

Went Friday 3rd for the “Christmas night” we’ve done this for a few years covid allowing and always had a good time, this year was an absolute joke no festive feeling whatsoever. Pig roast well if you can call pork cooked in an oven shredded into tubs served onto cobs, no signs of mulled wine or cider, biggest joke was “the fair” 3 side stalls at best apparently the rest is at Himley. No carol singers anywhere normally on the street corners, massive queues everywhere took half hour to get a drink at the pubs outside service shack and that was a very poor choice of 1 type of beer and 2 ciders oh and no pork pies scratchings or cobs only 2 people serving oh sorry 1 serving 1 taking money I’ve never seen so many people there obviously trying to make up for lost trade due to covid but that’s why I thought they’d hiked the prices so much. Very much doubt we will be going back next year. Shocking dismissal ripoff BCLM you should be ashamed of yourselves.

Arrived at 2.30pm Saturday 11th, we paid over £210 for 11 of us. We do something together every single year, have done so for the last 10 years, this was by far the worst. This place was the biggest waste of time and money.
My estate, I live on has more of a Christmas vibe; the place is a building site, most shops etc are only open symbolically, the coal mine was closed, we were not made aware until I rang the day beforehand. We managed to stay for just over an hour, so we didn’t feel we had wasted our money, but we had all had enough by then. There are a couple of Christmas trees dotted around, absolutely no sign of Santa, only a handful of staff in costume, with no other decorations to speak of, no Christmas music, no hog roast, no roasted chestnuts.
Massively disappointing, we won’t be returning. If it wasn’t a charity, I would be asking for a refund.

Dissatisfied with the experience at the museum. Areas closed.no atmosphere.staff looked bored and lifeless.for a Christmas addition not working very well.we stayed an hour and half and went.i like to support local but this was a joke.

11 of us went today for our yearly Christmas get together. First and last time here for such a get together. Nothing open except sweet shop, chippy and one tent for cover. A few xmas trees and the staff wearing face paint does not make for a Christmas event. We paid over £200 for the privilege. When driving home through town, our local park looked amazing with a fun fair and events for free. What a waste of time and money

So authentic and gives a good example of days gone by. Every child should be taken here as part of history curriculum. Absolutely wonderful museum!

Awesome!

This museum is brilliant, been many times, the only thing I would say I'd like to see more of (which would equally benefit the museum), is more vintage products for sale in the shops, i.e. the tobacconist should sell tobacco or pipes, the food store should sell old style food etc. I think that would top it off.

Went on Dec 4th a complete waste of time and money there wasn't a single thing devoted to Christmas apart from a couple of Christmas trees with white lights on, everywhere was in darkness walking with a stick l found walking very difficult, there was a band in a tent singing Beatles songs Why! No entertainment for the kids, two fairground stalls yet again Why! This was my first Christmas visit and it will my last.

We’ve been tonight (Saturday 4th December 2021)with 7 other people for a Christmas night, well I use the term Christmas loosely!!! A few fairy lights thrown in a tree does not render it a Christmas night! No carol singers, no hog roast as advertised, no roasted chestnuts, no market stalls selling Christmas goods as advertised, no sant Claus, no festive spirit at all… utter garbage & a complete waste of our time and money… on leaving I told someone that resembled a person in charge who told me that this is their interpretation of Christmas!!! Well if that’s the best you can do You should give up and leave it to places that actually know how to be festive!!! We only stayed for 40 minutes and that was 40 minutes too long!!! You should be ashamed of yourselves BCLM… and also had up under trade descriptions act for miss-selling tickets as a Christmas event!!!
Lots of people leaving all of the same opinion ?????

On the 19th October I ordered and PAID over the phone for a Bowerton Log Holder, and was very happy with the service and friendly sales person. Today a different matter. Having heard nothing I phoned up to chase the item and was put on lengthy hold twice only to be told that she could not find my order and did not know if I had paid for it or not or if had been cancelled by me or them. My husband checked with the bank and discovered that we had paid and, intrigued to find that they had not received the payment, I laughed and was then accused of raising my voice and shouting at her. I was so shocked, my husband took the phone and explained that I had laughed and told the Salesperson to get a sense of humour and chill. What a very angry person, needs to be re trained and understand what customer service is about. After all, it is a rather odd and puzzling situation, but sorted within 30 minutes.