Museo dell'arte mineraria
Museum of mining machinery and tools with underground galleries in the Istituto Minerario “G. Asproni” in Iglesias; visits by reservation.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Museo dell’Arte Mineraria was founded in 1998 on the initiative of former miners, who now gather in the Associazione Periti Minerari (APIMMG). It is housed in the basement of the Istituto Minerario “G. Asproni”, a Liberty (Art Nouveau) building inaugurated in 1911 in the centre of Iglesias, the city that for centuries was one of the hearts of Sardinia’s mining activity.
Its aim is to preserve and make known the tools and techniques with which miners mastered the rock, contributing to a mining culture that shaped the social and economic life of much of the island. The route presents machines already in use at the end of the 19th century, such as the Ingersoll-Rand BBR 13 rock drill, equipment for transporting material, explosives and excavating machines, as well as period photographs, minerals and scale models. There is also a reconstruction of a small mechanical workshop and a flotation plant for processing minerals. Among the most important exhibits is the Montevecchio 2GH loader.
The underground section includes about 300–400 m of teaching galleries, begun in 1934 by the students themselves as a workshop, and used in the final years of the Second World War as an air-raid shelter and infirmary.
Highlights
- Ingersoll-Rand BBR 13 rock drill from the late 19th century
- Montevecchio 2GH loader
- Flotation plant for processing minerals
- Teaching galleries dug by students from 1934
- Based in the Istituto Minerario “G. Asproni” of 1911
Permanent exhibition
- Macchine e gallerie minerarie – Mining machines and equipment from the late 19th century, a flotation plant and underground teaching galleries.
- Founded
- 1998
- Operated by
- Associazione Periti Minerari (APIMMG)
- Visitors per year
- approx. 5,134
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €6 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €5children aged 6 to 12, over-65s and school groups of all levels |
Visits to the underground galleries are possible only when accompanied by the museum’s specialised staff.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Iglesias can be reached by train (Trenitalia) and by bus (ARST).
By car from Cagliari take the SS 130; from Carbonia, the SS 126; from northern Sardinia follow the SS 131 towards Cagliari, then take the SS 130 towards Iglesias. The museum is at Via Roma 47, in the city centre.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | For information and bookings you can call or e-mail the museum. The visit to the underground mine takes place with specialised staff. |
