Summerlee Museum of Scottish Industrial Life, Lanarkshire

Summerlee, Museum of Scottish Industrial Life is an award-winning industrial museum. It was built on the site of the old Summerlee Ironworks and incorporated the main workshop of the former Hydrocon Crane factory.

It temporarily closed in 2006 for refurbishment and reopened 26 September 2008.

The Ironworks opened in 1836 and used the newly discovered 'hot blast' process patented by James Beaumont Neilson, that blew the hot gasses of the production process through the furnaces. This made the smelting process much more efficient and led to Coatbridge becoming known as the 'Iron Burgh' of Scotland by the 1850s. However, the rise of the steel indusry in the later part of the 19th Century saw iron's decline.

The former main hall was completely redesigned by North Lanarkshire Council's in-house Design Team and now includes a stainless steel café pod and futuristic viewing pavilion. The museum aims to show Lanarkshire's contribution to engineering, and incorporates interactive displays and a children's "Discovery Zone".

The museum also incorporates several railway steam locomotives, preserved carriages from a 1960s era Glasgow Class 311 and has a short working tram line.

Opening Times

Open all year 10am to 5pm (4pm Nov - March)
Closed December 25 & 26 and January 1 & 2.

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Ticket Prices

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Disabled Facilities

Disabled Parking
Disabled Toilet

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More Information

Telephone: 01236 638460
Email: museums@northlan.gov.uk

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