Show mine
A show mine is a mine that visitors can explore. Mines can be in three states: open and working, closed, or turned into a museum. When a mine is no longer productive, it is usually closed and sometimes filled for safety. But many mines are kept partly open for tours, and these are called show mines or visitor mines. Some are part of a mining museum.
Show mines are often created in abandoned mines, but nowadays some are set up right after mining stops to create jobs and attract visitors. They are usually part of a larger site with educational displays and safe facilities. Most show mines have fixed electric lighting, though some offer more authentic tours using miners’ lamps and little or no electric light.
In Germany and Austria, mining offices supervise show mines to ensure safety. They require features like a second exit and regular rescue drills with the fire service.
You’ll often see old mining railways and sometimes working mine elevators (winders) in show mines, which helps visitors understand how mining worked. The ride down into the mine is itself a popular part of the visit.
Show mines exist in many countries, especially those with long mining histories. Germany has over 100 show mines, and Austria has around 30. Some show mines have closed in recent years because they no longer meet higher safety standards introduced after mining disasters. Others are not for extracting minerals but for showing how mining used to work, such as certain mining museums and demonstration sites like the Mining Museum in Bochum, the Barbara Gallery at the University of Cologne, and the German Slate Mine in Mayen.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 18:51 (CET).