Summerlee is one of our favourite days out. You can make it a fun half day or really string it out with lots of time in the play park and a picnic. It would be great coupled with a trip to the Time Capsule.
When you arrive, you enter through the reception/gift shop (well-stocked...). Beyond that is the vast exhibition hall, filled with things like this:
Some of it is very dry but equally there are lots of interactive elements including a train table, building bricks, a shop, dance hall. Sometimes there are craft activities but sometimes there is a charge for these. There is lots to investigate for little people. The temporary exhibition upstairs is always well worth checking out too. It's like the Riverside Museum but focusing on industry.
At reception, you buy your ticket for the tram, about £1.75 for an adult and free for under fives. The ticket lets you ride all day. Mostly, the tram is an 1980s model but sometimes you can ride on a proper vintage one, upstairs! The tram travels on demand from the park entrance to the mining village, about 5 minutes away. The volunteers often help load your buggy on if you're by yourself but it's an easy walk with a buggy too. It's the highlight of any visit.
Each of the cottages is decorated in the style of a different era from the 1800s onwards. We particularly like the 1980s cottage!
The last cottage is an old-fashioned sweetie shop, which is both lovely and a nightmare if you don't want to buy your children sweets. There are some gardens and also the old coal mine (I think, you can pay to take a tour, we never have, maybe when the boys are older). Often, after taking the tram back, it is time for lunch. The cafe is at the side of the exhibition hall.
Whilst the setting of the cafe is bright and airy, the food is a little lacklustre. The lentil soup is always good but I feel the sandwiches are poor quality for the price and the kids lunch box is full of junk (I have battled to get a piece of fruit before). I prefer to take a picnic but stop for traybake and a coffee break.
Walking downhill from the exhibition hall, you come to the end of the canal. On your left is the Vulcan, an iron boat, which you can go inside to see a little exhibition about nature on the canal and the boat. Walking up the canal, you reach the mining village.
To your right is the play park and it's one of the best I know. There are plenty of picnic tables and space to put out a blanket. The first section of the play park is all set in sand. Make sure to pack your own bucket and spade. A lot of the equipment is themed around the topic of the museum. The next section has equipment for slightly older children, climbing frames etc. Lastly, is a zip wire and more interesting frames.
Summerlee hosts lots of events and it's well worth following them on Twitter as the activities can really enhance the day.
Entry to the museum is free and it's about a 30 minute drive from Glasgow to Coatbridge. The car park is smallish so if you are arriving later in the day (at a weekend or school holiday), definitely just park immediately in the overflow, which is the Time Capsule car park. The toilets are clean and well-equipped but there is only one set, in the exhibition hall. I probably wouldn't visit if I was toilet training.
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