Great Orme Mines

What Your Visit Includes:

Learning Pack & Education Room

Kick off your self-led adventure in our Education Room, where every group receives a hands-on learning pack to guide them through fascinating artefacts and information boards. Watch the short film about the thrilling rediscovery of the mines and uncover the secrets of Britain’s ancient past!

Underground Bronze Age Mine Adventure

Get ready for the ultimate exploration: 200 metres of real Bronze Age mine tunnels! Journey through mysterious underground passageways where copper ore was once mined by our ancient ancestors, passing tunnels so small they could have only been mined by children, following a winding route to the Great Chamber, a vast cavern thought to be the largest underground prehistoric excavation in the world!

Opencast Mine, Recreated Bronze Age Smelting Site and Geology

Back on the surface, pupils can view the 4,000 year old Opencast Mine, with its enormous chasms showing where ancient copper veins once ran. Then step into the recreated Bronze Age smelting site and watch an engaging film that brings to life how our ancestors transformed ore into copper. Get hands on with real samples of the geology of the Great Orme.

From Bronze Age to Victorian Times

See how the mines were transformed during the Victorian era and discover how the site continued to shape history.

Your pupils will leave inspired, amazed, and buzzing with curiosity, an unforgettable journey through time!

Why Choose Us for an Educational Visit:

At Great Orme Mines pupils can step back 4,000 years and experience history firsthand, following in the footsteps of Bronze Age miners as they worked to uncover copper ore.

Subjects and Topics Covered:

History

Geology

Geography

Accreditation and Awards:

TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice 2025 Winner
Go North Wales Visitor Attraction of the Year 2025 Finalist
Guinness World Record Holder
Prince of Wales Award Winning Attraction
CPRW Rural Wales Award for the care of the local environment

Group Sizes Catered For:

Any but discounted group rates apply for 15 people or more. (For larger groups of 30 or more we recommend teachers splitting up pupils into smaller sub-groups, to enable the experience to be fully appreciated)

Itineraries, Resources, and Workshops:

Teachers’ Resource Pack, available to download from our website ahead of the visit. (Copies also provided to groups on arrival for their self-led visit).

Risk Assessment:

Risk Assessment available to download from our website ahead of self-led visit.

Education Department Information:

Angela Williams – Visitor Experience Officer:

BSc Hons
Gold Award Tourism Ambassador Conwy County
Gold Award Tourism Ambassador Eryri National Park
Gold Award Cultural Ambassador
British Sign Introducing British Sign Language

Pricing Information:

Child (5 – 15 years) – £7.15 each (children aged 4 or under are free)
A Level students (16 – 18 years) – £8.50 each
Adult / University groups £12.00 per person

Facilities:

Picnic area
Coffee Cabin
Education Room
Giftshop selling crystals, minerals and fossils at pocket money prices
Secondhand Bookshop with seating

Accessibility and Disabled Facilities:

Disabled accessible toilet
Access: Coach access up Great Orme is not possible. Most groups use the Great Orme Tramway (book separately, limited availability). If using the tram the mines are a short walk from the Halfway Station. You can also arrive by mini-bus for which we have ample free parking.

Opening Hours:

Open everyday between Saturday 14th March 2026 until the end of October (Bank Holidays included).
Open from 9.30am with last admission for schools and groups at 4.00pm.
We do not offer timed slots. The education room is available on a first-come, first-served basis, with possible short waits during busy periods.
Payment can be made in advance of your visit by card over the phone or on the day of your visit by cash, card or cheque (payable to Great Orme Mines Ltd). We do not offer invoicing.

Browse more school trip attractions