Almond Valley Heritage Centre
Heritage centre and rare breed farm in Livingston with the Museum of the Scottish Shale Oil Industry, a watermill, a narrow-gauge railway and play areas.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
Almond Valley Heritage Centre grew out of a community campaign that began in the late 1960s, backed by the Livingston new town development corporation, to save a derelict watermill and farm steading. Livingston Mill, which dates from the eighteenth century and is powered by the River Almond, was carefully restored, and the Mill Farm Project of local people formed in 1970 was the start of the centre.
The site now covers 23 acres beside the river. The Museum of the Scottish Shale Oil Industry, established in 1990, houses a nationally recognised collection on the industry that made West Lothian a leading oil producer in the nineteenth century. Visitors can walk through a mine tunnel, use interactive displays and explore maps of the shale mines beneath West Lothian. A narrow-gauge railway on a 500-metre loop was added in 1993, and there is a rare breed farm with Clydesdale horses, goats, donkeys and other animals, plus indoor and outdoor play areas.
The centre is an accredited museum run by a charity. It offers a heritage education programme for schools linked to the Curriculum for Excellence.
Highlights
- Museum of the Scottish Shale Oil Industry with a mine tunnel
- Restored eighteenth-century Livingston Mill and water wheel
- Narrow-gauge railway on a 500 m loop
- Rare breed farm with Clydesdale horses and goats
- Indoor and outdoor play areas across 23 acres
Permanent exhibitions
- Museum of the Scottish Shale Oil Industry – A nationally recognised collection on the shale oil industry, with a mine tunnel, interactive displays and maps of the mines beneath West Lothian.
- The Mill and Water Wheel – The restored eighteenth-century Livingston Mill and its waterwheel, powered by the River Almond.
- Narrow-gauge railway – A 2 ft 6 in gauge railway on a 500 m loop, worked by a diesel locomotive built by Andrew Barclay in 1970.
- Founded
- 1982
- Operated by
- Almond Valley Heritage Trust
Admission & discounts
| Adults | £13.50 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | £12.50Seniors of state pension age |
| Children & teens | £11.50free up to age 1 · Children aged 2 to 15. Unaccompanied children are not admitted. |
| Seniors | £12.50Visitors of state pension age. |
| Visitors with disabilities | –companion free · One accompanying carer enters free when the visitor who needs special assistance pays the full price; proof of entitlement is required and a Support Carer ticket is booked online. |
Ticket prices stay the same all year and under-2s enter free. Tractor and train rides and soft play cost extra on site. Some events have a different admission charge. Annual passes are available.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The main reception building has level access through 900 mm wide doors, and the other buildings are on a single level, apart from a small cellar in the watermill. There are no steps on main routes, though there is a modest slope in front of the mill and some outdoor paths can be uneven or muddy. Accessible unisex toilets are in the cafe, the threshing barn and the soft play area, and the main farm toilets have wide cubicles with rails. The narrow-gauge railway carriages cannot take wheelchairs or buggies, but the tractor ride is fully accessible. Blue Badge bays are at the visitor entrance. Assistance dogs are welcome.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 1 |
|---|
- Family tours & workshops
- Hands-on stations
- Stroller-friendly
- Baby changing facilities
- Playground / play area
- Kids’ birthday parties
Most suitable for toddlers to children of about 11. There are indoor and outdoor adventure zones with trampolines, zip lines and soft play, a rare breed farm and rides. Birthday parties with a party room can be booked, nappy changing facilities are in the toilets, and buggies can be used everywhere except on the narrow-gauge railway.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Livingston North station
The nearest railway station is Livingston North.
By car
Free parking
Free parking on site, which can fill up at weekends and in school holidays. Two electric charging bays and Blue Badge bays at the visitor entrance; a cycle rack stands next to the entrance.
- Accessible parking
The centre is two miles from junction 3 of the M8 motorway; follow the brown tourist signs for Almond Valley Heritage Centre.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Café
A family-friendly cafe serves homemade meals, snacks and drinks, and the Shepherd’s Hut sells food and drink to take away. Covered picnic areas are around the site, and bottle-warming is available in the cafe. Dogs are not allowed, except assistance dogs.
Events & venue rental
- Spaces for rent
- Private parties
- Corporate events
- Weddings / ceremonies
A boardroom-style meeting room seats up to 16 people, and the Orchard Barn is available for larger events after 5pm; catering can be arranged.
Inquiries & detailsPlan your visit
| School programs | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | The learning programme for schools covers three themes and follows the Curriculum for Excellence. Group visits and animal experiences can be booked. |
