The largest mining museum in the world impressively demonstrates that no other industry is as closely linked to the Ruhr region as mining. Visitors can experience at first hand what it was like to be a miner underground. A demonstration mine, four exhibition tours and a large headframe can be visited. The ropeway simulator shows what it feels like to travel underground in a pit cage: after a noisy and bumpy ride, the doors in the demonstration mine open.
This is what it must have been like when miners like Heinrich or Alfred struggled through the longwall face at a depth of more than a thousand meters. The cramped feeling in the dark shaft between the pipes, layers of earth and rocks can be experienced even at a depth of 20 meters. The path leads visitors past rails, miner's lanterns and the never-ending conveyor belt. Labyrinthine corridors branch off to the left and right before opening out into new tunnels. Huge cutting machines and drilling rigs are on display here, and visitors can discover historic pneumatic hammers and tunnel cutters there.
The exhibition mine, which is around two and a half kilometers long, provides an impressive insight into the former working conditions of miners. It is one of several attractions of the Bochum-based institution, which is also a research institute for mining archaeology and archaeometry as well as a documentation center and archive in the field of mining history.
Permanent exhibition with more than 3000 exhibits
Mining enthusiasts will find more than 3,000 important exhibits illustrating the development of the industry in the 12,000 square meter above-ground exhibition area. Finds, industrial products and art objects have been housed in the "Coal", "Mining", "Mineral Resources" and "Art" tours since 2019 - following the redesign of the permanent exhibition.
Clear highlights of the exhibition are the heavy root-branched trunk remains of a shed tree, which originates from the coal layers of the Piesberg near Osnabrück, as well as former shaft hoisting machines and briquette presses.
The extension, known as the "Black Diamond" because of its architecture, offers enough space for temporary exhibitions and special formats. Visitors who want to go high up instead of deep underground can also reach the museum's landmark with an elevator. The green headframe, which originally came from the disused Germania colliery in Dortmund, provides a view over Bochum and the Ruhr region. Two viewing platforms at a height of 50 and 62 meters invite visitors to linger.
