Old buildings from all over the Black Country have been brought to the museum site to create a typical village streetscape, with shops, a pub, chapel, and cottages. Costumed guides show visitors around. You can go down a mine to get a taste of conditions endured by miners in the mid-19th century, and take a trip in a narrow boat along the canal into the Dudley Tunnel.
General Store
Gregory's General store was originally built as a pair of houses, and Mrs Gregory began by selling goods from one of the front rooms. In 1923 major alterations were made and the current shop front installed. Virtually everything could be bought here.
Back Doo's
The Doo's Chemist is a replica of a shop run by Harold Emile Doo, whose family donated the fixtures and fittings when the shop closed in 1974. The original shop in Netherton was built as a tailor's, in 1886. Mr Doo moved into it in 1929.
Brass Foundry
This is now situated behind the back to back houses and was originally built in 1869 in Shaw Street, Walsall. It would have been operated by two men. Casting of such items as horse brasses takes place regularly, so don't forget to visit.
Ironmongers Shop
The Ironmongery shop is based upon Nash's Ironmonger's shop from Oldbury, from where the shelves and many of the contents came. In the windows is a display of tools and equipment typical of the products of the ironworking of the Black Country. This building was erected in Wolverhampton in 1827 and had a variety of uses before being dismantled to make way for redevelopment in 1980.
Hardware Shop
In the other part of the building is the Hardware Shop where you can see tin baths and enamelled ware and lamps so often made in the Black Country. A traditional feature of such shops was the practice of displaying the wares outside the building
Fish & Chip Shop
Get real "bostin' fare" here! Be ready to queue as it is very popular, especially on a cold day
Pawnbroker's Shop
The Pawnbroker's shop is also a pair of cottages, rescued from Himley after a lorry had partly demolished them. The front room was where unredeemed pledges could be bought, while the back room was the Pledge Room, a little more private, where you went if you wanted to pawn, or hock, something.
Baker's Shop
The Baker's shop and Bakery is a replica of Frederick Veal's Bakers, which still stands today in the Birmingham Road, Oldbury. It shows the shop as it would have been in 1910. At that time the shop would have sold not only bread, but also British wines, which customers could have obtained at threepence for a glass and a biscuit. Sadly modern health regulations prevent us from selling or even eating the bread produced lucky animals on site, who get it instead!!
Sweet Shop
The Sweet shop was built in memory of Thomas Cook, a sweetmaker who lived in the Minories, Dudley in the 1880s, and who emigrated to America at the turn of the century