Final touches in place as Ironbridge Gorge Museums get ready to reopen

The first of the Ironbridge Gorge museums will throw open their doors tomorrow after weeks of planning by staff to ensure the site meets all the Government’s coronavirus safety guidelines.

The Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust – a registered heritage conservation and education charity which cares for 36 listed buildings in the Gorge – says staff have been working around the clock to get the site ready and cannot wait to welcome the first visitors.

Trust chief executive Nick Ralls said: “The lockdown has been an incredibly frustrating period for the trust just as it has been for the whole country.

"We have a world-class attraction here at the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, and to have been unable to welcome guests has been really tough.

“But we are thrilled to be amongst the first museums to reopen in the region – and to have been awarded the Good To Go industry status reflecting the work we have done to ensure that everyone can come here and be confident that we have taken all the steps we can to keep them safe.

“There have clearly been some changes to how we will operate, but I can guarantee everyone that we will do everything we can to provide an unforgettable day out in stunning surroundings.

“The team has pulled out all the stops to get everything just right and we are thrilled that we will finally be able to welcome our first visitors for the first time in more than 100 days.”

Blists Hill Victorian Town, Coalbrookdale Museum of Iron and The Iron Bridge Tollhouse will all be open from 10am tomorrow.

The Museum of The Gorge, which suffered damage during the floods of February, will also open as a free entry visitor centre, whilst the Furnace Kitchen opened for takeaway food last month.

Steps taken to ensure visitors’ safety include strict social distancing measures, an enhanced cleaning and hygiene regime, measures to control visitor numbers, clearly marked routes through the sites and timed entries.

A special audit of toilet facilities has been carried out to ensure they could be used safely, new hand-washing sites are in place across the sites and cleaning arrangements have been increased to offer extra peace of mind for visitors.

Tickets and timed entry slots went on sale online on June 23 at www.ironbridge.org.uk and visitors are being urged to snap them up quickly.

The museum – in a World Heritage Site – has been closed since the lockdown was announced in March having earlier been hit by the floods along the Ironbridge Gorge in February.