Living Museums is dedicated to history and heritage projects - created with and for young people
NEWCOMEN STEAM ENGINE
The Newcomen engine (or atmospheric engine) was the world's first practical, commercial device to harness steam power, invented by Thomas Newcomen in 1712. In this project, we worked with the Black Country Living Museum (which has a replica of a Newcomen engine), and with 58 students from George Dixon Academy,
We're aware that when young people go round a museum, they are often the passive recipients of information, delivered to them by a guide. We wanted to make them active agents, undertaking their own investigations.
The students from GDA were challenged to discover how the engine worked and then use their knowledge to teach others. The project centred on a simple but powerful task: helping an actor prepare to play Thomas Newcomen. The students' job was to ensure he understood the engine well enough to explain it convincingly to museum visitors. In doing so, the young people became researchers and historical consultants.
During a visit to the Black Country Living Museum in September 2025, the students worked alongside the actor at the museum's Newcomen Engine, coaching him in both its operation and historical significance.
They also took part in an immersive drama experience with students from Birmingham Newman University, who worked in role as nineteenth-century farm workers migrating from the countryside, to seek employment in the local coal mines.
The Newman students greeted groups at the entrance to the mine, and asked them for their help. Could they find out about conditions in the mine. Is there any work available? How much do you get paid> Can women work in the mine? And so on.
Armed with questions to investigate, the students visited the museum's mine, and returned to report their findings to the waiting "farm workers."
