Queen Street Mill Textile Museum

Queen Street Mill is the last surviving 19th-century steam powered weaving mill in the world.

Relive the days when cotton was king and watch our weaving technicians demonstrate how to turn cotton into cloth on our heritage looms; visit the weaving shed with over 300 Lancashire looms and hear the clatter, witness the neat and smells and take the opportunity to see our magnificent steam engine ‘Peace’.

Learn about the lives of people who worked at the mill and trace the journey of how cotton yarn was transformed into woven calico.

Learning sessions

Enjoy a full day at Queen Street Mill 10 am – 2.30pm

We are pleased to offer you a full day session for a single class of approximately 30 KS1 or KS2 pupils.

Pupils take part in a round-robin of four activities, each lasting around 50 minutes, with a break for lunch in the middle.

Half-timers

At Work (core session)

The daily life of a mill worker is explored through a tour of the mill. Pupils are assigned jobs in the mill and discover how each person needs to play their part in producing cotton from the raw materials. Who has the best job in the mill? Who is the most important?

At School

Discover what it means to be a half-timer, spending your non-working time at school.

Back to school – Victorian style! Write on a slate, find out about the three Rs and don't speak unless you are spoken to!

At Home

An opportunity for pupils to handle real objects from Victorian domestic and working life. Toys, clothes, and a bit of spending money all get involved in this fun and interactive session. Will you end up with washday hands or turn out to be a right bobby-dazzler?

At Full Steam!

A behind- the-scenes look at how the mill works and an interactive look at the transfer of power.

Enjoy a morning Queen Street Mill 10 am – 12pm

We are pleased to offer you a morning session for a single class of approximately 30 KS1 or KS2 pupils.

Pupils take part in two activities, each lasting around 50 minutes, with an option for lunch at the end of the session.

Half-timers

At Work (core session)

The daily life of a mill worker is explored through a tour of the mill. Pupils are assigned jobs in the mill and discover how each person needs to play their part in producing cotton from the raw materials. Who has the best job in the mill? Who is the most important?

At School

Discover what it means to be a half-timer, spending your non-working time at school.

Back to school – Victorian style! Write on a slate, find out about the three Rs and don't speak unless you are spoken to!

Cost from 1 April 2024

  • Half day (10am – 12noon) £3 Lancashire County Council (LCC) pupil; £4 Academy / Non-LCC pupil
  • Full day (10am – approx. 2.30pm) £6 LCC pupil; £8 Academy / Non LCC pupil
  • Accompanying adults free

Free site visits to teachers planning a visit. 

Facilities

  • Lunch facilities 
  • Coach parking
  • Fully physically accessible 
  • Toilets 
  • Gift shop

Address

Queen Street Mill Textile Museum, Harle Syke, Burnley BB10 2HX 

For further information on this site and for the site’s accessibility statement visit Queen Street Mills Textile Museum website.

To book

For enquiries please complete the Enquire about a museum visit or an outreach session.

Contact the Heritage Learning Team on 01772 530382 or email heritagelearning@lancashire.gov.uk to discuss your requirements and make a provisional booking for the proposed date of your visit.

Your booking will be confirmed upon receipt of a completed booking form.