Niedersächsisches Museum für Kali- und Salzbergbau

About the museum

With the closure of the Hansa-Silberberg potash mine in Empelde in 1973 and the water inflow at the Ronnenberg potash mine in 1975, mining on the Benther salt dome came to an end. To record its history, former miners, interested people and local historians founded the Verein Bergbaudokumentation Hansa in 1991; the foundation was the private collections of Peter Sandvoß and Gerd Falkenberg.

The town of Ronnenberg provided rooms in a former operations building of the mine rent-free. They were developed from 1994, and in 1996 the museum opened with over a thousand exhibits. In 2000, the newly founded Verein Niedersächsisches Museum für Kali- und Salzbergbau took over as operator, with the founding association merging into it.

Since 2008, the outdoor grounds have been developed: a mine train stands under one roof, and beside it a sheave wheel, depth indicator and the covered opening of Shaft III recall the former works; the greened spoil heap lies within sight. In 2010, rooms for minerals and a specialist library were added. Since 2018, the association has been working on a new concept; in 2023, the entrance and underground areas were redesigned and a factory laboratory was set up.

On about 300 square meters in seven rooms, the exhibition follows the path of salt from the formation of the deposit through mining and conveying technology to fertilizers and other products. Further topics are tools and equipment, mining tradition and mine rescue.

Highlights

• Mine train with electric locomotive, passenger and haulage cars
• Sheave wheel and depth indicator from Shaft III of the Hansa works
• Reconstructed mining site in the underground area
• Rescue capsule "Dahlbusch bomb" from mine rescue operations
• Collection of salts and minerals

Permanent exhibitions

• Salzgeschichte – von der Lagerstätte zum Produkt – Seven rooms with pictures, models and objects show the formation, mining and processing of potash and rock salt as well as mining technology, equipment and mine rescue.
• Außengelände Hansa-Silberberg – Outdoors you can see a covered mine train, sheave wheel and depth indicator as well as the covered shaft opening with information panels.

Founded

1996

Operated by

Niedersächsisches Museum für Kali- und Salzbergbau e. V.

Director

Markus Domrowe

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Admission is free; donations for the further development of the museum are welcome.

Accessibility

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

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.

Getting there & parking

The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.

Plan your visit