Calls have been made by top politicians to make Big Pit free to visit for all once again, after the museum in Blaenavon started charging £8 per person on a trial basis.

The Senedd’s Culture and Sports Committee has said access should remain free on principle and should not be a luxury just for those who can afford it.

Amgueddfa Cymru, which owns the museum, offers tours for individuals and larger groups such as school trips led by former miners from the site. Having charged people entry to the museum for a month now, a sign now cites “financial pressures and funding cuts” for the reason behind the introduction of an admission fee.

Although the fee only applies to the underground tour, South Wales East MS, Delyth Jewell, said access to the tours should not be limited.

“The tours are a fundamental part of our national collections, they are a part of our national story,” she said

“That shouldn’t be limiting if people can’t afford to access them.”

The report from the committee, chaired by Ms Jewell, has called on the Welsh Government to re-evaluate its funding priorities, stating that a 17 per cent real terms cut to funding for culture and sport in the whole of Wales is making attractions such as Big Pit less accessible.

“We appreciate that it is expensive for Amgueddfa Cymru to provide access to the underground workings at Big Pit,” the report said.

“We think this is an argument for the Welsh Government to provide an adequate level of funding, not for Amgueddfa Cymru to charge for access.”

As things stand, the £8 fee for the underground tour is set to remain until at least July 2026, where it could be decided that the National Coal Museum’s shortfalls are covered by the charge.