North Lanarkshire Council

Summerlee, the museum of Scottish Industrial Life re-opened on 26 September 2008, following a major £10 million redevelopment.  Funding for the redevelopment has come from a number of sources including nearly £5 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund. Other contributions came from Museums Galleries Scotland (formerly the Scottish Museums Council), the European Regional Development Fund, North Lanarkshire Council and a number of charitable trusts and private individuals.

The main exhibition hall was completely stripped out and re-fitted.  The original hall, which was created in the late 1980's from the former Hydrocon Crane works, provided an excellent space for the museum's collection of industrial machinery.  However, over the years the displays had become in need of a thorough upgrade to enhance the visitor experience and ensure that the collections were appropriately conserved and preserved for the future.

The new hall now provides a modern and environmentally sustainable setting for some of Scotland's most important displays of social and industrial history.  Included in the exhibition are the Ravenscraig site collection, a Gibb and Hogg engine, the Holytown shop banner from the reform act of 1832 and the Cardowan winding engine.

The hall is designed to allow visitors to explore the dawning and rising of the industrial era through the machinery, objects and documents on display. The many interactive elements throughout the hall enable visitors, young and older, to examine and discover fascinating facts and realities about their industrial heritage in new and exciting ways.

The museums also has a working tram to take visitors down to the reconstructed mine and the miner's cottages, which depict the living and working conditions of miners and their families throughout the 19^th and 20^th centuries in Lanarkshire. The tram passes the sawmill and accompanying timber display, which visitors can explore on foot.

Summerlee has both special events and exhibitions programmes running throughout the year.  For further information please contact the museum or refer to the appropriate sections of this website

Facilities:

• Coffee Shop (serving a range of snacks and lunches)
• Gift Shop
• Conference facilities
• Education Suite
• Photomedia workshop (coming soon)
• Public Access PC's (coming soon)
• Picnic areas
• Canal (Hornock branch of the Monklands canal)
• Children's play area
• Accessible toilets and baby change room
• 'Look closer!' family activity packs (for use around the museum)
• Fully accessible exhibition hall and temporary exhibitions gallery. Disabled access to the miner's cottages and outdoor displays.

Opening times:

Monday – Sunday from 10am to 5pm (4pm from November to March)

Open throughout the year excluding 25 & 26 December and 1 & 2 January

Admission is free

Travel to Summerlee:

• From Glasgow and M8
  Leave M8 at the M73/M74?A89 junction and take the A89 signposted Coatbridge. Follow A89 past the Time Capsule (leisure centre) and take the first left (sharp) into West Canal Street at the next roundabout. Shortly after take the right-hand turn into Heritage Way.
• From Edinburgh and M8
  Take M8 from Edinburgh to Coatbridge exit (Shawhead fly-over). Follow the road to traffic lights at Coatbank Street. Continue straight on at traffic lights and then take left turn onto the South Circular Road. Continue ahead via first roundabout and take second exit from second roundabout onto West Canal Street. After approximately 50m take right-hand turn into Heritage Way.
• From Stirling, Fife and the North
  Take M80/A80 southbound until Auchenkilns exit, signposted A73 Airdrie. Follow brown tourist signs for 'Summerlee' into Coatbridge centre, taking A89. At roundabout take first exit and continue straight on at second roundabout, passing ASDA on the right. At the next roundabout take the second exit onto West canal Street and shortly after turn right into Heritage Way.
  
  Summerlee is approximately 100m up Heritage Way on the right-hand side with parking available by the front gates and in opposite car park.
• By train:
  Summerlee museum has two train stations in close proximity – Coatbridge Sunnyside and Coatbridge Central both are served directly from Glasgow. A GNER service from Edinburgh is also routed to Coatbridge.