New Lanark Visitor Centre
Visitor attraction in the UNESCO World Heritage mill village of New Lanark, with an immersive ride, mill workers’ houses and Robert Owen’s school.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
New Lanark is an eighteenth-century cotton-mill village on the River Clyde, close to the Falls of Clyde and less than an hour from Glasgow and Edinburgh. It was founded in 1785 with a focus on philanthropy, education and the welfare of the mill workers, and it became a model for industrial communities that spread across the world in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. It was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001.
Robert Owen, who managed the mills, created the first infant school in the world here and a wider education system for the children of the village. The village was restored in the twentieth century, and the Visitor Centre opened in 1989. Today the conservation of the village and the visitor attraction are managed by the New Lanark Trust, working with South Lanarkshire Council and Historic Environment Scotland.
The visitor attraction brings together the Annie McLeod Experience ride, reconstructed mill workers’ houses from the 1820s and the 1930s, Robert Owen’s House, the Historic Classroom, working textile machinery and a roof garden. Visitors can also walk to the Falls of Clyde, which are free to visit.
Highlights
- Annie McLeod Experience, a ride through mill life in 1820
- Reconstructed mill workers’ houses from the 1820s and 1930s
- Robert Owen’s House and the Historic Classroom
- Working textile machinery
- Largest roof garden in Scotland
- Falls of Clyde nearby
Permanent exhibitions
- Annie McLeod Experience – A ride in motorised pods through the mill village led by the ghost of mill worker Annie McLeod, telling of life in New Lanark in 1820.
- Millworker’s House – Reconstructions of a mill worker’s home in the 1820s and in the 1930s, showing how housing changed over a century.
- Historic Classroom and Robert Owen’s school – A classroom set in the time of Robert Owen, who created the first infant school in the world, where children can dress up as pupils.
- Founded
- 1989
- Operated by
- New Lanark Trust (Scottish charity SC008552)
Admission & discounts
| Adults | £15.50 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | £11.50Concessions |
| Children & teens | £7.50free up to age 2 · Children aged 3 to 16 pay £7.50; children under 3 are free. |
| Families | £26Family ticket for 1 adult and 2 children. Other combinations: 2 adults and 1 child £33; 2 adults and 2 children £39; 2 adults and 3 children £45; 2 adults and 4 children £52. |
| Family ticket, 2 adults and 1 child | £33 |
| Family ticket, 2 adults and 2 children | £39 |
| Family ticket, 2 adults and 3 children | £45 |
| Family ticket, 2 adults and 4 children | £52 |
Standard ticket prices without Gift Aid. A Gift Aid ticket adds about 10 per cent and gives free entry to the site for 12 months. The New Lanark Experience ticket covers the Annie McLeod Experience ride, the exhibitions, the mill workers’ houses, Robert Owen’s school and house, and the roof garden. The Falls of Clyde can be visited at no cost. Car park: £3 for 24 hours for cars and £5 for motorhomes.
Accessibility
- Partially wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- 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 village lies in a steep-sided valley and the buildings are over 200 years old, so some routes have slopes, uneven surfaces and changes of level. Ramps and a lift connect the floors of the main buildings, Robert Owen’s school is fully accessible by lift, and wheelchair-accessible toilets are in the Institute, the Mill Café and Robert Owen’s School. Robert Owen’s House has restricted access. The Visitor Centre lends four manual wheelchairs free of charge if booked in advance. Induction loops are available at reception, the ride, the film theatre and the shop and café counters. Four Blue Badge spaces are in front of the Institute. Assistance dogs are welcome in most areas but cannot travel on the ride. A sensory guide and an accessibility guide are available on the website.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Time needed | approx. 60 min |
|---|---|
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 2 |
| Family ticket | £26 · Family ticket for 1 adult and 2 children. Other combinations: 2 adults and 1 child £33; 2 adults and 2 children £39; 2 adults and 3 children £45; 2 adults and 4 children £52. |
- Family tours & workshops
- Hands-on stations
- Playground / play area
- Kids’ birthday parties
The indoor soft play area is open daily for children aged 0 to 8 and can be booked for birthday parties. Children can dress up as schoolchildren in the Historic Classroom, and the interactive gallery has a sensory play area. Storytime craft sessions for ages 1 to 6 run on selected days. The Mill Café is family friendly.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Lanark railway station
The nearest railway stations are Lanark (10-minute drive) and Carluke. Taxis run from Lanark station to New Lanark.
By car
Paid parking
The main visitor car park is at the top of the hill, about a 5 to 10 minute walk down to the village. It costs £3 for 24 hours for cars and £5 for motorhomes, and coaches park free. Cash payment at the machine is recommended because mobile signal is weak. Blue Badge holders may park in marked spaces in the village.
- Accessible parking
New Lanark is about 25 miles from Glasgow and 35 miles from Edinburgh. Follow the brown signs via Hyndford Road and do not use the country track from The Beeches. The satnav postcode for the car park is ML11 9BY. It is a walk of about 30 minutes from Lanark town centre.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Café
- Restaurant
- Museum shop
The Mill Café serves food until 16:00. Mill One Restaurant at the New Lanark Mill Hotel is open for dinner. The Spinning Co. Gift Shop in Mill 2 sells gifts, books and New Lanark yarn.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | The group visit page recommends at least one hour. Guided tours for the general public run on Saturdays. The Annie McLeod ride has commentary in English, French, German, Italian, Spanish and Japanese. A learning programme for schools from pre-school to university can be booked. |
