Meet the men who worked in the Rhondda coal mines when they were boys and let them tell you the fascinating international story that unfolded right here on our doorsteps.

A Welsh Coal Mining Experience is built in the footprint of the once-mighty Lewis Merthyr Colliery.

Many of the original workings of the mine remain in place, including the huge chimney stack that dominates the horizon.

Join former miners as they take you underground and back in time.

First stop is the lamp room, where you are fitted with your helmet before the adventure begins.

They will tell you personal and poignant stories about life as boys at the pithead, in the days when Rhondda was an industrial power house as its “black gold” (coal) helped to fuel the world and inspired the minds of greats such as Isambard Kingdom Brunel.

Ride DRAM! A simulated experience in which you ride the last dram of coal to the colliery surface – hold on tight. Kids will love it!

Explore our exhibitions and displays, which bring history to life. See how homes looked, how meals were prepared and what clothes people wore.

Discover the courtyard, the old bomb shelter and the Forge where the colliery horses were cared for. If you fancy a hot drink and a cake, or even a hearty meal, make sure you visit Caffe Bracchi.

The café is a nod to the bracchis – coffee shops and ice cream parlours – opened by Italians who migrated to the Rhondda, attracted by the opportunities of the coal industry.

No trip to A Welsh Coal Mining Experience is complete without a visit to the gift shop, which is filled with local souvenirs, replica miners’ lamps, love spoons and local produce including ale and cider.

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