In July my brother-in-law came to stay and we used it as an excuse to finally visit the Black Country Living Museum. We have been recommended this by many people and they were not exaggerating when they said it's a FANTASTIC day out. It is a very idyllic world with a huge array of interesting buildings, displays, tours and people. I enjoyed chatting with the mechanic in the vintage car building the most. A typical extreme enthusiast who held the most incredible amount of fascinating information in his head. We heard great stories about where each of the motors was used in the black country before finding a home here. It is a working collection and they often parade through the village. He was our first encounter with the staff and we instantly had a whimsical smile on our faces that lasted the whole day.
This is the village centre which houses the local 'supermarket', bakery, pub, corner shop, sweet shop and of course FISH AND CHIP SHOP OMNOMNOM (I'm not kidding - It's so freaking good I'm writing a separate post about it). There were vintage games on the village square that were...well surprisingly difficult requiring good hand-eye coordination...but good fun.
I would say, despite not having any myself, that it's a great family day out as well. There was plenty of great attractions for kids. There are regular lessons at the school house to give them a feel for an early 20th-century education (!) and an entertaining underground tour of the mine that all the kids on ours loved. You could even leave them at school whilst you indulge in a quick drink at the pub!
Happy Outing :)
