What is the European Route of Industrial Heritage (ERIH)? ERIH is about industrial tourism. It seeks to make industrial heritage, in all its forms, attractive and appealing to bigger and more varied audiences. It brings together

A European-wide Membership Network of Industrial Heritage Visitor Attractions

ERIH was founded in 1999 with INTERREG European Union funding. From 1999 to 2007 the concept of Anchor Point Industrial Sites and other industrial sites linked together to form a network of industrial routes was established in Germany, UK, Belgium, and Netherlands. In 2008 ERIH membership was launched, with a legal association based in Germany overseeing the routes. From 2014, the network has been expanded beyond the founding four countries, with development monies from the Creative Europe initiative supporting new routes and sites. There are now more than 1400 industrial sites in the ERIH network, spread across 52 countries.

This network is overseen by the ERIH constitution, a board and a part-time, paid general secretary based in Germany. The board has 12 members (voluntary) all involved in industrial heritage in one way or another. They are all active board members and undertake tasks, sometimes working together in small task and finish groups. It also has a number of  voluntary national representatives whose role it is promote and expand the network in their countries.

ERIH Aims

• Increase appreciation of industrial heritage
• Encourage sites to work together and network
• Strengthen industrial heritage tourism
• Establish ERIH as a European strand of quality
• Increase visitor numbers and economic activity
• Foster community pride in industrial heritage

ERIH Network in England

The ERIH England network includes a dozen Anchor Point sites, and several regional routes. ERIH England is supported by the IHSO project and the ERIH England representative is based at the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust. Ironbridge is an Anchor Point and part of the original regional routes established in England in the early 2000s. Anchor Point and Ordinary Members pay an annual fee for marketing and support including the website and social media. New members are always welcome.

You can contract the ERIH England representative here: mike.nevell@ironbridge.org.uk

ERIH: Further Information & Website Links

Details about the 100+ Anchor Points, 1400+ industrial sites, regional and transnational routes, promotion and initiatives such as ‘Work it Out’ and ‘Twinning’ can be found on the ERIH website here: http://www.erih.net

Sign up for the ERIH e-newsletter here: ERIH Newsletter – ERIH