I visited Shropshire museum for the first time after National Trust takeover - I can see why it's fully booked

I visited Blists Hill, a highly popular museum in Shropshire, and I can see why it is fully booked.

It is one of a number of attractions previously run by the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust, but it has now reopened after a takeover by the National Trust.

I visited the museum for the very first time - I had not visited prior to the National Trust takeover - and I thoroughly enjoyed my day.

Under the glorious sunshine and on the second day of its reopening, the museum was buzzing full of people. Actually, the museum was fully booked when I visited and it is fully booked for the rest of the May bank holiday weekend.

The open-air museum is highly popular and I can see why.

It is a lovely way to spend the day, being transported back to the Victorian era and learning the story of the birth of the Industrial Revolution.

Blists Hill is a recreation of a Victorian town and it really does bring the Victorian era to life with a traditional pharmacy, a candle maker, and a sweet shop.

There was so much to do and see, and there are historical characters dotted around the site that really help to bring the Victorian era to life.

For example, there was a police man, a school teacher, a bakery assistant and I also really enjoyed a harness demonstration with a lovely horse called George where it was explained how a saddle and reigns were put on in the Victorian times for horses to pull carts.

There were different talks in the various buildings, and you can ask the historical characters anything. It really makes it a more fun way of learning new information, and I thoroughly enjoyed this.

There was even a sing-along in the pub that began at 1pm. One of the historical characters took to the piano and everyone was singing along - it was very entertaining!

An additional highlight of my day was enjoying a cone of chips from the highly renowned fish and chip shop at Blists Hill called W. Bates Fried Fish Dealer.

There was a queue for the chips, to which I then realised why people were ordering at 11am, but it soon went down and it was worth the wait.

The chips are cooked in the traditional way, in beef fat, and they were delicious. Priced at £4.50 too for a cone, I thought it was very reasonable, and I kind of wish that chips are still cooked that way...!

The museum has only just opened and is developing. I overheard one woman say that the museum had “lost its soul” but the National Trust does note in its map leaflet that “returning visitors may find that somethings feel familiar, while others have changed.”

It stresses that it will “continue to develop experiences”. I understood that maybe there could have been more historical characters, as some of the buildings I went had no-one in there to demonstrate or bring it to life, for example in the Blacksmith’s, but the site is consistently developing.

I visited for the very first time, so for me, I thought it was a really great day out for families and friends alike. There are plenty of benches and outdoor seating areas located around the museum to enjoy the beautiful weather, that is hopefully here to stay, and there is even Madeley Wood that boasts beautiful walks and an outdoor play area.

I urge you to either visit for the very first time if you haven’t already or re-visit! Be transported back in time and have a great day!