Deutsches Bergbau-Museum Bochum

About the museum

The Deutsches Bergbau-Museum (German Mining Museum) was founded on April 1, 1930, by the city of Bochum and the Westfälische Berggewerkschaftskasse (Westphalian miners' association fund). Its first home was a converted cattle slaughterhouse; the distinctive museum building was built in the following years to designs by industrial architect Fritz Schupp.

From 1937, a demonstration mine was dug beneath the museum; by around 1940 it already comprised some 600 meters of galleries and was later expanded with modern mining technology. Today, the network of galleries is about 1.2 kilometers long. In 1973, the 71-meter-high headframe of the decommissioned Germania colliery in Dortmund was placed on top of the museum and has been a Bochum landmark ever since.

Since 1977, the museum has been recognized as a research museum and today is part of the Leibniz Association; research areas such as mining archaeology, materials science and mining history work under one roof with the exhibition. Under the DBM 2020 master plan, the permanent exhibition was completely renewed and reopened in 2019 with four tours covering hard coal, mining, mineral resources and art.

The museum is led by a dual leadership team of a scientific director and a managing director; its supporting body is the DMT-Gesellschaft für Lehre und Bildung.

Highlights

• Underground demonstration mine with about 1.2 km of galleries
• Headframe of the Germania colliery with viewing platform
• Four tours: hard coal, mining, mineral resources, art
• Barbara Collection and Middelschulte Porcelain Collection
• Leibniz research museum for georesources

Permanent exhibitions

• Rundgänge Steinkohle, Bergbau, Bodenschätze und Kunst – Four thematic tours present the history of hard coal, mining technology, the earth's raw materials and art related to mining, complemented by hands-on stations.
• Anschauungsbergwerk – About 1.2 kilometers of galleries beneath the museum convey everyday working life and technical development in hard coal mining.

Founded

1930

Operated by

DMT-Gesellschaft für Lehre und Bildung mbH

Director

Sunhild Kleingärtner (wissenschaftliche Direktorin), Tim Pfenner (kaufmännischer Geschäftsführer)

Admission & discounts

Special exhibitions and tower ride included in admission; the museum shop, restaurant and tower ride are accessible without a ticket during opening hours. The late visit (reduced) does not include the demonstration mine. Free admission for members of the press and members of the Deutscher Museumsbund and ICOM. €1 off with a planetarium ticket.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

Museum wheelchair-accessible, elevator into the demonstration mine; tower ride and parts of the mine only with restrictions – check with visitor services in advance. Seven accessible parking spaces nearby. Individual tours by registration. Video tours in German Sign Language in the museum app.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Hands-on stations
• Kids’ birthday parties

Children's trail, interactive games and hands-on exhibits in the permanent exhibition; underground family tours (approx. 40 minutes), drop-in activities and children's birthday parties. Because of the unusual environment and the noise level, the museum recommends the demonstration mine for children only from age 4 when accompanied, and unaccompanied from age 12; strollers are not allowed there for safety reasons. The ride up the headframe is only possible with adults.

Getting there & parking

Visitor entrance at Schillerstraße/Europaplatz. By car via the A 40 (exit Bochum-Zentrum) or the A 43 (exit Bochum-Riemke/Zentrum).

Amenities & dining

• Restaurant
• Museum shop

Museum restaurant KUMPELS (Tue–Sun 11:00–17:00), museum shop (also online). Animals not allowed.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties
• Corporate events
• Weddings / ceremonies

Up to 800 guests.

Including the auditorium (289 people), machine cellar (250), DBM+ exhibition hall (300), headframe platform (150), atrium (800) as well as seminar and meeting rooms; catering by KUMPELS, contact eventlocation@bergbaumuseum.de.

Plan your visit