Black Country Living Museum opens new high street

Black Country Living Museum has opened a new high street to the public. Including a music shop, butchers, hairdressers and more; the latest part of their capital development transports visitors from where the story currently stands in the 1930s, into the post-war period and beyond.

Black Country Living Museum was founded in 1975 and has been telling stories of the rich history of one of the world’s first heavily industrialised landscapes since it first opened to the public in 1978. Currently, the Museum’s timeline begins with the implementation of the world’s first working steam engine (developed by Thomas Newcomen in 1712), to just before the outbreak of WW2 in 1939.

The new development extends this timeline into living memory once more, telling stories from the 1940s, 50s and 60s, up until the closure of the Baggeridge Coal Mine in 1968. The phased opening of the development began in August 2022 with the opening of the replicated Elephant and Castle Public house, set in 1960. This latest phase will see the opening of a new high street, featuring a music shop, butchers, hairdressers, building society, newsagents and ladieswear shop window, all set from the 1940s – 60s.

The new high street allows the Museum to explore new themes in line with each of the buildings. Notable examples include Stanton’s Music Shop (set in 1959), sharing insights into popular music and the rise of the teenager, West Bromwich Building Society (set in 1949), exploring themes relating to support in buying houses and discrimination in lending, and Burgin’s Newsagents (set in 1959), telling stories of work life balance (or lack thereof) and women running businesses.

The opening represents the most ambitious launch so far in BCLM’s: Forging Ahead project and will be followed by the opening of an infant welfare centre, industrial quarter, domestic spaces, and further historic shops later in 2023 and into 2024. The development was made possible with investment from a number of funders and supporters, including National Lottery Heritage Fund, Arts Council England, Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership, DCMS and Dudley MBC, among many others. 

Find out more about visiting BCLM here>>