Bochum – "Glück auf" – heading to the visitor mine 2

Thursday, 15 October 2026 14:10
Written by: Portal Editor

The museum reopened in 1946, initially with a small exhibition. During the 1950s, it was rebuilt and expanded; by 1960, the tunnels of the demonstration mine had been developed to a total length of 2,510 meters.

In 1973, Gerd Weisgerber joined the museum staff and established the Department of Mining Archaeology.

In 1974, the Geological Museum of Ruhr Mining formerly part of the Westfälische Berggewerkschaftskasse (Westphalian Mining Industry Fund) relocated to the premises of the Mining Museum. Furthermore, the restored Bethaus (prayer house) in the Muttental valley and the machine hall of the Zollern II colliery were opened to the public under the museum’s management.

That same year, the number of visitors surpassed the 300,000 mark for the first time, reaching 317,000. Records from 1976, when there were 354,112 visitors, show the following breakdown: 13.5% miners, 40.5% *Hauptschule* (secondary school) students, 9.1% other pupils and university students, 9.3% foreign visitors, and 27.6% other visitors.

In the years that followed, the museum was continuously expanded, and its research scope was broadened to include additional topics. From the 1990s through the mid-2000s, the museum consistently welcomed between 380,000 and 400,000 visitors annually.

Since 1995, a replica of "Tobias" the last German pit pony has been on display in the demonstration mine.

On December 6, 2009, the "Black Diamond" an extension designed for special exhibitions was opened. Designed by Benthem Crouwel Architects, the building with its striking, deep-black façade that glitters in the sunlight is conceived as a cross-section through a system of mine galleries.

Rainer Slotta served as museum director from 1987 to 2012. From 2012 until mid-2022, the museum was led by chemist and conservation scientist Stefan Brüggerhoff. Since July 2022, archaeologist Sunhild Kleingärtner has held the position of scientific director.

Between 2016 and 2019, the museum underwent renovation and remodeling, during which time the exhibitions were only partially accessible. The redesigned museum reopened in July 2019. The newly conceived permanent exhibition is structured around four thematic paths: hard coal, mining, mineral resources, and art.

The visitor mine is only partially accessible to museum guests with mobility impairments or those using wheelchairs. Assistance and accompaniment are strictly required underground; these can be provided, however, if arranged in advance by telephone.