deutsches bergbau-museum bochum

We visited this museum as an office excursion and I cannot recommend it warmly enough for a private or company visit! This museum gives visitors a very informational and impressing view of the most defining industry in the Ruhrgebiet. The building itself with its mine head tower gets you off to a good start into the experience. The exhibition halls are quite big and plenty (you can spend half a day here) and cover very diverse aspects. The best part however is the included tour through the show-and-tell mine about 15m under the museum (wear comfy shoes!). I bet kids love this as well! The descent simulation is a great addition; especially if you are from the area you will just love the little details they worked in such as the “Kumpel” walking up to the elevator and offering you “Schnupftabak” (snuff). Once you are down you can get a good glimpse of what mining meant in the 1950s-90s, lots of machines are on display and are even partly operable. We also had a great guide who enriched the tour with some amusing historical anecdotes. The tour is finished with a visit to the tower which gives you an impressive view of the Ruhrgebiet.Unfortunately the displays and also the regular tours are not available in English (although an English brochure is supplied and special tours can be arranged I heard). We translated a lot for our English speaking guests, which was no problem as there is enough time on the tour. More options in English would be great, of course, but the museum is also an experience as it is now for everybody and given the price I can totally understand that regular tours are only provided in German!

The museum contains a lot of information about coal mining techniques and equipment. It also contains a lot of information about the mine shafts present in the region. If you are living in the area, it is quite enlightening to see where the mine shafts are. It might be closer to you that you think. There is an underground representation of a mine with a lot of equipment. It does give you an idea of how a mine would be.The museum has a lot of information but I did feel that the organization could be improved. There is no attempt to guide people through the museum in a logical fashion.Language is a problem as everything is in German. I wonder why the museum doesn't get some help to add other languages. At least some text in other languages could help a lot. It is possible to arrange the mine visit with an English speaking guide. I expect it can be done may be only for groups and only with advance reservation but it is possible. We visited the museum as part of an office event and our guide spoke English quite well and I got the impression that she is used to conducting tours in English.

heavy, because it is about mining history in this region, a rather important chapter of German history. Dark, machinary, steel-cruel, and logically well-arranged museum to visit!Also, one can enjoy a bird-view for the whole surrounding area at the top of the museum, yet quite windy and cold. visited in May 2012. was a nice experience to understand the mining history in the West Germany. A must-not missing place for a historical-site lover.

The museum is a retired coal mine, giving visitors the opportunity to go "below ground". Having said that, it is a good idea to go early in the morning - the path below ground are quite narrow and might feel crowded later in the day. The museum is well laid out, with over 200 years of history and artifacts. What is missing, is more written information to artifacts and history. Some exhibits, especially in the actual mine, have audio taped info, however, it is not sufficient. A handheld device with code numbers to push and playing the audio info, would be much easier and more informative. You might benefit from contacting "Knappschaftshalle" to find yourself a retired miner to give you a tour - that's what we did and found it very helpful.

I visited with 2 INTERESTED teenagers. And it was hard work for me.There is so much on display, of such good quality and yet the delivery of the story is very poor.The first hurdle is the language. The previous week I was at la Coupole in St Omer France - a World War II story- where everyone gets equipped with a multilingual head set. In Bochum a German speaking guide and displays in German. And me translating all the time.The second hurdle is that there is no didactic introduction to the subject. As a Diplom Ingenieur I know what a mine is, and I know some of the machinery. But a 15 and 13 year old need to be taken by the hand and get some intro prior to getting 'underground' and in the machine 'room'. Again much better in the highly didactic displays/films in La Coupole. Here again hard work for me.Amazing: given the quality of education and the level of technology in Germany.I cannot recommend this to non German speakers and/or people w/o a technical background.

Alongside the railway museum this is also a great place to visit. Not much more to add to earlier reviews.

I am not one of those many engineers or even mathematics, I am not even one of the students, who have at least once pro semester one lecture in physics or anything else. But somehow it was really interesting for me:a good illustrated and modelled history of mining industrywonderful models of big machinescopies and real machines, that are working undergroundvery joyful trip underground in the tunnelsand even the elevator up to the top of the mining complexeverything was really wonderfuland because of such museums I wish I had more experience in engineering disciplines in the university).

If your travels take you to Bonn-Cologne, Aachen, Dusseldorf or Dortmund, don't forget to take 1/2 day detour to Bochum where you will find perhaps the most unique of all museum. Even if mining and metallurgy is not your cup of tea, this museum has enough thrills and content to satisfy anyone. A ride down a mine shaft (simulated) and then walking through a real mine with all its intricacies will leave you breathless. You can spend all day in this extensive museum but be selective, and leave some for the next visit. The museum is a short subway ride (2 stops) from Bochum train station but you can easily walk there and enjoy sleepy Bochum, the Rathous and all.

We have been all over the world and found this to be one of the most unusual and interesting museums. You must plan at least three hours for the tour. It is generally packed with people and school kids. Now for a major disclaimer!! I do not know if our tour was typical. It is my understanding that this museum is very busy. We must have arrived at a very unusual day and time. We were the only two people that wanted to go on the tour. It was an off-day at the early afternoon. Museum was empty. Keep in mind that this review may not be typical. The tour guide greeted us, spoke perfect English and a gave us a complete tour in English. The tour explains mining from the early times to the present. It is like a Disney walk through various types of mines and equipment. Definitely well worth the time. Would be especially interesting for an adolescent or teenage boy, (sexist advice..sorry).

Great museum! Definitely one of the best sights on the mining trail in the Ruhr area. The museum is huge and filled with machines, moving models and artifacts. The tour into the mining tunnel is a must and can be requested in English. If the weather is nice, the view over town from the top of the tower is spectacular. Very informative and has something for everyone even if you are not a mining enthusiast. Also, the museum is along the U35 tram line at the stop with the same name.

I attended the Extra Schicht Festival and the Bergbau Museum participated. There was a wonderful light show and great music performances. The museum was open and we walked through the informative exhibits between musical performers.

Went to this museum as part of a work tour and it was surprisingly fun and interesting. The guide was really knowledgeable and interesting and completely made the trip. I think we were down there for a few hours working through the history of mining. Great for kids as there is lots to see and do and touch.

Bilingual guides and audio info - for those English speakers. Superb exhibitions of local and global mining industry including a 2.5 mile underground complex. Makes one understand how Germany got most of its energy for 50 years and what extent miners and the environment were affected

This is the most impressive museum I have ever seen. They rebuild a coal mine from scratch and my children really thought they were travelling a kilometer underground! Lots to see, quirky tales and it never felt crowded.However the guide could only speak German and my talent at simultaneous translation is so-so. I am sure they could invest in a taped, English speaking version or even do it life - most locals we met spoke English very well.

To me the most interesting part of this museum is the underground mine. Seeing the historic and modern mining tools and machines is a pretty unique experience. Some of the above-ground exhibits are a bit dated, but you will learn something new each time you visit.