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  • Our Kid of the Month – The Results for June!

    Our Kid of the Month – The Results for June!

    Thank you to those of you who took the time to nominate your colleagues for their GREAT contribution to Our Bostin’ Promise. We received a total of 20 votes from nine departments.  

    Our Kid 

    • Mark Farrell – Maintenance Team

    Mark was nominated by 6 colleagues in 4 different teams for always being supportive and encouraging with other colleagues, he helps where he can and checks back in on jobs completed. He has shown kindness and patience to visitors. 

    Runners Up

    • Kirsty Clark – Cultural Enteprises
    • Steve Amos – Historic Character 
    • Geoff Nixon – Historic Character
    • John Edwards – Maintenance Team

    Our Bostin’ Promise Postcards 

    3 postcards were given out this month: 

    • Rob Perrins gave Matt Beard a “Care” postcard for supporting an elderly visitor to be seated while waiting for Doris. 
    • Demi Whitehouse gave Luke Whitehouse a “Know Our Stuff” postcard for alerting a visitor to an allergen in a cake which could have caused a medical emergency. 
    • Hannah Parsons gave Chantelle Richards a “Know Our Stuff” postcard for her excellent work promoting Windrush day on live radio. She showed pride, passion and was perfectly on message.  

    A reminder to Managers and Supervisors to give out these postcards when you see exceptional service against one of the pillars of Our Bostin Promise.  

    And to record it Manager/Supervisor – Colleague Recognition Cards – Fill in form  to ensure it is acknowledged. 

    It’s been great to read all the lovely comments and to see a wide range of colleagues being nominated so do take a look. Every nomination submitted for June can be found here; Our Bostin Promise Nominations June 2026

    Reminders 

    • Don’t forget any votes received after 12pm on 30 June will be counted in July– and voting is already open! 
    • A gentle reminder that each colleague should only vote once per month, multiple votes will be discounted. 
    • You have until 12pm on 31st July to vote. 
    • There will usually be 6 winners in total as long as sufficient nominations per team have been made, the highest scoring being Our Kid of the Month. 2 from Enterprise, 2 from Historic Characters and 2 from all other departments. 

    Voting for July is open! 

    Living the Bostin Promise – Colleague Recognition – Fill in form 

    Or complete a slip and post in the white boxes across all break areas.

  • 🌾 BCLM Bostin’ Hoedown – You’re Invited! 🤠

    🌾 BCLM Bostin’ Hoedown – You’re Invited! 🤠

    Get ready for a night of music, fun, and a proper country-style celebration as we bring colleagues together for the BCLM Bostin Hoedown.
    This year we’re excited to share that we’ve been able to hold the event off-site, giving every team member the chance to really cut loose, relax, and enjoy the night away from the usual setting.
    📅 Event details
    Date: Monday 7 September 2026
    Time: 18:30 – 23:00
    Venue: Green Duck Beer Co
    Address: Rufford Road, Stourbridge, DY9 7ND
    🎉 What’s included
    • Welcome drink on arrival
    • Hot food
    • Live music and entertainment
    • Fun games and activities

    👢 Dress code

    All things country!

    Boots, hats, denim, plaid, and your best Western flair encouraged.

    📌 RSVP

    Please confirm your attendance, dietary requirements and allergies by 17 August 2026 using the following link: BCLM Bostin Hoedown RSVP

    We look forward to seeing you there for a bostin’ night of great food, music, games and plenty of yeehaw spirit! 🤠

  • John Hughes Award 2026 – Applications open until 15 July

    John Hughes Award 2026 – Applications open until 15 July

    We are proud to introduce the John Hughes Award, established in memory of John Hughes, former Chairman of the Board of Trustees, who sadly passed away in 2024. In a generous gesture, John included a legacy gift in his will to support the development of Museum colleagues. Following discussions with his son, Jeremy, we are pleased to launch this award in his honour.

    The John Hughes Award is designed to support both personal and professional development by offering funding for a range of opportunities, including qualifications, conferences, workshops, short courses, and research trips.

    The award will be available annually for a period of 5 years. Interested colleagues will be required to submit an application for consideration.

    Who can apply?

    The award is open to all Museum colleagues, including:

    • Employees
    • Casual workers
    • Volunteers

    To be eligible, applicants must meet the following criteria:

    • Have worked or volunteered at the Museum for at least 6 months.
    • Employees must have successfully completed their probationary period.
    • Fixed-term employees are eligible if they have completed their probation and their contract is at least 12 months in duration.
    • Casual workers and volunteers must be actively engaged with the Museum at the time of applying.

    Please note: If there are ongoing concerns about your performance or conduct, the Museum reserves the right to exclude your application from consideration.

    Application process

    Applications are open from 17 June 2026 to 15 July 2026. Before applying, please discuss your interest with your Line Manager. This is to confirm the opportunity is not a required aspect of your current role which should be funded through other means by the Museum.

    Please complete a John Hughes Award Application Form and send this to [email protected]. Alternatively, you can return the application form by hand to the black post box on the ground floor of the colleague entrance to Hartills offices.

    Paper copies of the application form can be obtained from the People team.

    If you require support in completing your application, please contact the People team or speak to your Line Manager.

    What can the award be used for?

    The award is intended to support development opportunities not typically funded by the Museum. This can be for personal or professional development and does not have to be directly relevant to the role you undertake at the Museum. Examples may include;

    • Gaining a new qualification
    • Participating in a short course or workshop
    • Attending a conference
    • Conducting a research trip
    • Subscribing to a professional society or organisation
    • Learning a new skill

    Please note the above list is not exhaustive.

    There are no minimum requirements for the development opportunity to be considered, however the maximum contribution per recipient is £500. You can still apply for the award if the opportunity costs in excess of £500, however, if successful, any additional costs must be covered by you.

    Selection process

    All applications will be reviewed by a panel within one week of the closing date. Applicants will be notified of the outcome shortly thereafter.

    Successful applicants will not be able to apply for the award the following year but may reapply in subsequent years.

    If you have any questions or you would like further information, please contact the People team.

  • Weather Update – Adaptations on Wednesday 24 and Thursday 25 June

    Weather Update – Adaptations on Wednesday 24 and Thursday 25 June

    Dear colleagues,

    We have been closely monitoring the continued updates from the Met Office regarding the hot weather conditions forecast for Wednesday 24 and Thursday 25 June.

    The Museum will remain open, and the adverse weather response group has met and decided on the adaptations outlined below. We’ve been working on these changes so that we can safely open, both to provide a safe working environment for colleagues and a great experience for our visitors.

    We have made the following adaptations for our visitors:

    • We will be adapting outdoor tours and demonstrations and delivering these as talks in more shady areas.
    • Although Thursday is usually a dog entry day, we will not be allowing entry to dogs this Thursday.
    • Cups for water will be available from food and drink outlets, and ice will be available from the Elephant & Castle Pub.
    • While Hobbs’ Fish and Chip Shop will be closed, all other usual food and drink outlets will open as normal.
    • While our usual historic transport will not be running, we will still have Doris (our accessible transport) available for those who require it.
    • Additional fans will be provided where possible.
    • The Peaky Blinders Filming Location Tours on Wednesday will go ahead with a slightly adapted route.

    For any colleagues who usually work in Canalside Offices, we ask that if you can safely do so, please work from home. This will allow us to make more space in this office for those who are required to work at the Museum to access air-conditioned spaces for hot-desking and for taking breaks. When working from home, please do follow our usual guidance on working safely.

    To ensure the air-conditioning is at its most efficient and can provide an adequate cool space for breaks, all windows and blinds must be kept closed in Canalside Offices and air-conditioning must remain on.

    For colleagues who are required to be on-site:

    • Break spaces will be made available in Canalside Offices and a classroom in the Learning Centre, so that front line colleagues have access to air-conditioned spaces during breaks. For Canalside, this includes the three meeting rooms as well as the kitchen.
    • Front line colleagues will have an increased number of breaks.
    • For office-based colleagues who are not based in Canalside Offices and need to be on-site, we encourage you to hot-desk in Canalside so that you can access air-conditioning. Office spaces will close at 5pm, so office based colleagues will need to leave before 5pm.
    • Water will be provided in billy-cans in all historic settings, and we encourage you to bring water bottles with you.
    • There are sunscreen stations available for all in the following rest areas: Guide Hut, Doo’s, and the Infant Welfare Centre. There is also sunscreen available in the cleaning team rest area.
    • For all hourly paid front-line colleagues, you will be paid for your full shift and the unworked hours will be offset with training at a later date.

     

    If you’re here at the Museum, please remember our top tips for sun safety:

    • Ensure that you drink plenty of water – please do bring water bottles.
    • If you are working outside, please make use of the shade wherever possible. For guides, please bring an umbrella to use as shade while moving around the site and stop off at water stations where needed.
    • Apply factor 30+ sunscreen.
    • Avoid heavy or tight-fitting clothing.

    For any colleagues who have any questions or concerns regarding the above, please contact your line manager.

     

    Thank you,
    Museum team

  • Colleague Complimentary Ticket Process

    Colleague Complimentary Ticket Process

    We are still in the process of finalising the new ticketing system for colleague complimentary tickets. There is still a significant amount of work underway to complete the system, and our intention remains to implement it as soon as possible. In the meantime, we have taken the decision to revert to the previous process to ensure colleagues can access tickets easily.

    General Complimentary Tickets

    To request colleague complimentary tickets, please email [email protected] with:

    • Your name
    • Your address including postcode
    • The number of tickets required

    The Ticketing Team will process your request and confirm when your tickets are ready for collection from the ticketing office located in the Canalside offices.

    Event Tickets

    For event tickets, please visit the Ticketing Team in the Canalside Offices, available Monday to Friday, 9:00am–5:00pm.
    Please note that payments are card only.

    Important Information

    You no longer need to:

    • Attend with your guests, or
    • Notify Admissions that you are visiting (as has been the case since January)
  • Festival of Vehicles

    Festival of Vehicles

    Date and times:
    Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th June 10.00 – 5.00pm

    Programme Concept:
    A light touch weekend offer celebrating Black Country Vehicles from our collection. The weekend will include activities for all the family, displays of vehicles around the site and a cavalcade showcasing iconic vehicles from Black Country History.
    Even our horses will get the chance to shine pulling their cart, before we showcase bikes, cars, and finally our ‘specials’ – unique vehicles from our collection that only come out on special occasions.
    We will also play host to a number of vintage vehicles travelling from all over the Midlands and beyond to showcase at BCLM over the weekend!
    For the first time EVER we will be selling our Vehicle Guide, whilst visitors will still be provided with a free trail to make sure they don’t miss any of the fun!

    Link to Trail: Click here to download

    Programme Context Sheet: Click here to download

    Contact:
    [email protected] (Programme)

  • Woodside Library, Our Approach

    Woodside Library, Our Approach

    Since opening this spring, Woodside Library has become one of the most popular parts of the Museum, attracting excellent feedback from visitors and helping us tell richer stories about life in the Black Country during the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s.

    A huge thank you to all the colleagues who have helped make it such a success, particularly those working in and around the library every day.

    The library contains more than 6,500 books, alongside magazines, newspapers and records. As some colleagues may have seen, there has recently been media interest in the advisory note included inside books in the collection.

    The advisory note appears in every book in the library. It is not a comment on any individual title. Rather, it explains our approach to sharing the collection with visitors.

    Much of the collection has been acquired through donations and, given its scale, it is not possible to review every item individually. We are also aware that some historical publications may include language, attitudes or assumptions that some visitors could find upsetting, inappropriate or outdated. The advisory note acknowledges this while explaining why we have chosen to preserve these materials and make them available for learning, discussion and reflection.

    As a museum, our role is to preserve and share the past. We did not edit or amend the books in our collection, and the advisory note helps provide context for visitors exploring the collection today.

    If you have any questions about the library, the advisory note or the approach we have taken, then please do talk with the Interpretation and Collections Team. Any external enquiries should also be directed to the Hannah Parsons in the first instance.

  • Visit from HRH The Duke of Gloucester

    Visit from HRH The Duke of Gloucester

    We recently welcomed our patron His Royal Highness the Duke of Gloucester for a visit to the Museum. Please see below a message from our Chief Exec Andrew Lovett, reflecting on the visit.

    “The warmest day of the year saw us welcome our Patron, HRH The Duke of Gloucester. This was The Duke’s third visit to the Museum in recent times, giving us the opportunity to show how we are continuing to develop our impact through new stories and expanding the estate with new historic features.  I am pleased that The Duke was able to meet so many members of staff.

    The Duke honoured us with an official opening of Woodside Library, and in his accompanying remarks reflected how crucial libraries are to society, especially for young people.

    We were also able to show our Patron Laurie Thomas, the Army & Navy Store and finally the Co-op, before being driven off in our 1939 Alvis.

    A huge amount of planning is required for such visits and I am enormously grateful to everyone on the Museum Team for putting together a faultless itinerary, in liaison with many stakeholders, including the Lord Lieutenant,  the Mayor of Dudley, and the police. Can I also thank all those staff who talked to The Duke about the work of the Museum, making his visit even more memorable.

    With my sincere thanks.

    A”.

    We have since received a letter of thanks from the Duke for his visit which can be seen below.

  • Our best-ever quality assessment score from VisitEngland achieved this month

    Our best-ever quality assessment score from VisitEngland achieved this month

    Earlier this month, we had our annual assessment from the Visitor Attractions Quality Assurance Scheme (known as VAQAS) which is operated by VisitEngland. With the fantastic combined efforts of all involved, we achieved 95%, improving our 2025 score of 94%. This accreditation is a nationally recognised initiative that highlights the very best in days out. The assessment is thorough and rigorous, and helps us to demonstrate to our visitors that we are among the best places to go in England. Our impressive score of 95% also shortlists us for a Gold Award, which we achieved for the first time last year.

    Some stand out comments from our assessor include:

    There is little not to admire about the experience. The museum’s cross-generational appeal is
    particularly commendable, creating opportunities for families to share stories and memories
    across age groups. This emotional connection elevates the attraction beyond simply being an
    open-air museum.

    Staffing is a clear and significant strength and plays a major role in the attraction’s success. The
    team consistently delivers warm, engaging and highly professional customer care, which greatly
    enhances the overall visitor experience. A score of 95% is fully justified and reflects the
    exceptionally high standards observed throughout the visit.

    A visit is not complete without trying the famous Hobbs and Sons fish and chips. Cooked in beef
    dripping and served hot in paper, they lived up to their reputation. The food was excellent,
    perfectly cooked fish and crisp, flavoursome chips in keeping with the heritage setting.

    We’d like to thank everyone for your continued fantastic work in making us an outstanding visitor attraction, worthy of such a fantastic score. The results show that your hard work in embodying the values of Our Bostin’ Promise truly make us an unforgettable experience for our visitors.

    In particular, some of the colleagues that were working on the day of the assessment (Saturday 16 May) who are mentioned in the report include:

    • The admissions team, who “provided a warm and friendly welcome and clearly explained both the annual return offer and the Gift Aid scheme”
    • The mine gas show team who delivered their show “with enthusiasm, humour, audience participation and dramatic effects – creating a memorable experience for all ages”; as well as those who delivered the colliery tour who “vividly brought the story of mining and industrial heritage to life”, ensuring visitors still gained a strong understanding of this important aspect of the region’s history”.
    • Some of the Historic characters who were named include Lizzie and Matthew in the 1940s Cast Iron House, Rich A on the Cinema, and Steve and Denise on transport
    • The cleaning team: “Cleanliness standards across the museum were excellent throughout the visit and clearly reflected a well-managed, proactive approach to presentation and housekeeping”.
    • Hobbs team: “The outlet was very popular, with queues out the door. Staff worked efficiently to keep lines moving and maintain a positive atmosphere.”
    • The gift shop team, who achieved a 100% satisfaction score from the assessor.

    We’ll find out whether we achieve a Gold Award once again later this Summer. If you would like to read the report in full, please get in touch with Head of Operations Nick Sellers or Head of Development & Communications Hannah Parsons.

  • 1960s Weekend

    1960s Weekend

    Dates: Friday 15th May (evening only), Saturday 16th May (day and evening), Sunday 17th May (day only)
    Description of programme:
    Mod or rocker, Beatles mad or Rolling Stones fan….Visitors will join us in the swingin’ 60s, as this defining decade in British history takes over our museum!
    They will hear their favourite 1960s music played by live bands, explore our 1960s buildings, see vintage vehicles, as well as 60s fashion trends. There will be opportunity to learn about technological advancements, attitude changes and liberation. Visitors will be able to take part in a protest and celebrate England’s World Cup in with our historic characters, as well as dance the night away to their favourite 60s music.

    Please check out the context sheet for more information about the programme activity. Here1960s Weekend Context Sheet  ​

    For any questions, please speak to the programme lead, Jozey Grae – [email protected]