Family days out near me: Newtongrange, Dalkeith - National Mining Museum Scotland will fire the imagination with time travel through the history of coal

Are you ready to travel back more than 300 million years for your next family adventure?

If the children protest about the long journey time, you can assure them it’s worth every minute.

Name: National Mining Museum Scotland

Description: A five-star visitor attraction telling the story of coal and the efforts of humans to extract it. The journey begins 360 million years ago in the Carboniferous period and explores the history of mining from the 13th century to modern times, with exhibitions and guided tours of the former colliery site.

Location: Lady Victoria Colliery, Newtongrange, Midlothian.Just nine miles south of Edinburgh, it’s easily accessible by car, bus and train. The museum’s excellent website has full details of Lothian Buses operating from the city centre and half-hourly train services from Waverley.

Suitable for: All ages. All public parts of the museum, including the exhibition floors and recreated coal road, are fully accessible – the only exception being the winding engine house.

Entry costs: Exhibitions only – adults, £4; under-16s free. Exhibitions plus self-guided audio tour – adults, £8; children, £2.50; under-7s free. Exhibitions plus guided tour – adults, £9.50; children, £3.50; under-7s free. Concessions and family tickets are also available.Bookings made online using the promo code DAYSOUT are eligible for a 50% discount for visits up until February 18.

Opening hours: 10am to 4pm, seven days a week.

What they say: “The museum provides a great day out for all ages. We’re based at one of the finest surviving examples of a Victorian colliery in Europe.“Visitors will marvel at the sheer size of the place, be astounded by the engineering brilliance behind all the machinery and retrace the footsteps and struggles of thousands of miners and their families."There truly is something for everyone – you can drive the massive winding engine or take a guided tour of the pithead and experience the atmosphere and noise of a working pit.”

What visitors say: "The permanent exhibition on the history of coal and mining in Scotland is first-class.”“We took a guided tour excellently led by ex-miner Jim (who had worked at Bilston Glen colliery before it closed).”“The cafe was also very good value for money and had lots of tasty options.”

Look out for: The Lady Victoria winding engine. The largest steam engine in Scotland, it was used to haul men and coal up and down the pit shaft for nearly 90 years and is still in working order.

Parking: The museum has a large, free car park, with facilities for bikes and disabled drop-off.

Facilities: A cafe selling hot and cold snacks is open throughout the day, as are the gift shop and toilets. There’s also an outdoor picnic and play area. complete with its own pitwheel and log train.

Website: www.nationalminingmuseum.com

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