[1] The original row of four cottages was built in the 1840s by James and Sally Pearson, who were independent cloth manufacturers.

It was built into a steep hillside with a traditional entrance for the lower rooms and a separate entrance to the upper floor at the rear of the cottages.

The museum features several restored period rooms, which are also used for temporary exhibits.

Permanent exhibits include a handloom and a spinning jenny, invented by James Hargreaves, a weaver's sitting room and gas-lit clogger's shop.

The museum is open for school visits, for which children are encouraged to dress in period clothing, from Monday to Friday.