Emser Bergbaumuseum
Association museum in the historic mine foreman's house of the Emser Bleihütte (lead smelter) on lead and zinc mining around Bad Ems – currently closed for renovation.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Romans were already mining ore in the Emsbach valley; in the Middle Ages, silver extraction for the Archbishops of Trier was especially lucrative. In the 18th and 19th centuries industrialization brought a boom to mines and smelters, in Bad Ems above all for lead and zinc ores. Mining repeatedly came into conflict with the spa town, because the mines tapped thermal springs and caused environmental problems.
The Emser Bergbaumuseum opened in May 1996 in the former mine foreman's house of the Emser Bleihütte, a rubble-stone building erected in 1853. The chairman of the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Bahnen und Bergbau (AGBB) had acquired it in 1989; the association renovated it with volunteer labor and set up the first exhibition on the first floor. Later an exhibition hall was added; on the outdoor grounds, mining machines and mine vehicles stand on a track system.
The collection includes a mineral cabinet, technical exhibits, a museum railway and the Emser Bergbau-Archiv. The museum was run entirely by volunteers from 1996 to 2018 and is currently closed due to extensive renovation, including for fire safety. No opening date has been set.
Highlights
- Historic mine foreman's house of the Emser Bleihütte from 1853
- Mineral cabinet
- Museum railway and mining machines on the outdoor grounds
- Emser Bergbau-Archiv (mining archive)
- Hikes to adits and shafts of Emser ore mining
- Founded
- 1996
- Operated by
- Arbeitsgemeinschaft Bahnen und Bergbau (AGBB) e.V.
Admission & discounts
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Accessibility
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Kids & families
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Getting there & parking
By public transit
Bergbaumuseum
By the Lahntalbahn (Koblenz–Limburg) to Bad Ems-West, then by local bus 551 (weekdays) or 553 (Sundays and public holidays) to the "Bergbaumuseum" stop.
By car via the B42 and B260 to the "Bad Ems West" exit, over the Lahn bridge towards the Arzbacher Straße commercial area, following the "Bergbaumuseum" sign; from the direction of the A3, via the B49 to the Arzbach exit. From Bad Ems-West station it is 2.8 km on foot.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
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Events & venue rental
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Plan your visit
| Good to know | Visits and use of the mining archive are arranged in advance with the association. |
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