Explore Tameside's industrial heritage in a restored 19th-century canal warehouse with interactive exhibits, a 1920s street, and a 'Nuts and Bolts' play area for young children.

Portland Basin Museum is housed within a beautifully restored nineteenth-century Ashton Canal Warehouse in Ashton-under-Lyne, combining modern interactive displays with a peaceful canal-side setting. The museum offers families an engaging journey through local history, featuring a vibrant 1920s street where visitors can experience the sights and sounds of bygone Tameside, authentic period rooms including a kitchen and parlour, and fascinating exhibits on the area's industrial heritage including mining and farming. Younger visitors particularly enjoy the 'Nuts and Bolts' educational play area designed for children under 5, making it an ideal destination for families with babies and toddlers. The museum showcases local crafts, industries, and historic machines that bring the region's heritage to life. With free entry, full accessibility, a free car park, baby changing facilities, and the on-site Bridge View Cafe, Portland Basin Museum is fully equipped for family visits. The venue also offers school workshops, loan boxes for educational use, and is conveniently located with walking and cycling routes starting from the museum, allowing visitors to explore the surrounding countryside and heritage.

Venue Details

What this place offers

Toilets

Public transport nearby

Accessible toilets

Free WiFi

Baby changing facilities

Food available

On-site parking

🐕Dog-friendly

Parking nearby

Pushchair friendly

☕ Food & Drink

J

Jake Shirvo

a month ago

Awesome museum for all ages. Great history exhibits and relics from the area, and some really realistic replica rooms of olden Pubs, shops, schools etc. for cool photos and to see what life was like. Canal area was also super interesting. Definitely worth a visit

L

Linda Adam

3 months ago

Excellent museum for all the family!! Lots to do: hands-on activities, displays, play areas with dressing-up clothes and a very lovely café. I had a tuna melt and my friend had a ham sandwich. Both delicious. We even were blessed by a Canada goose sitting on her nest!

J

June Sedgwick

6 months ago

This is a brilliant FREE place to visit with junior age children. Showing life after the war with shops and housing. Lovely cafe. My Grandson age 9 loved it.

L

LENTO VIOLENTO

10 months ago

Good museum, great for children and families. The lady who does the victorian time travelling teacher is absolutely brilliant. Give her a raise, came with my 6yo daughter for a school trip, was not disappointed.

B

Big Ped

11 months ago

I visited the museum on a sunny August bank holiday when there was a family fun day in progress. There was a relaxed friendly atmosphere with live music, circus skills and a children's entertainer. Most people were outside in the sunshine by the canal side, but the museum displays were also an attraction. There is a cafe and a children's area inside. Worth a visit.

Reviews last updated: 6 October 2026