Parco Museo Minerario di Abbadia San Salvatore

About the museum

The Abbadia San Salvatore mine began operating at the end of the 19th century and profoundly changed the town’s economy and social life: craftsmen, day laborers, farmers and shepherds became miners, with stable but very hard and dangerous work.

Around 1969–1970 the world mercury market went into crisis, for environmental reasons and because of competition from new producers selling at very low prices. In 1972 the entire mercury basin of Monte Amiata, including the Abbadia mine, definitively ceased operations.

Today the buildings and plants of the former works house the Parco Museo Minerario, run by the Consorzio Terre di Toscana, which tells the story of the mine, the miners and the communities linked to extraction. The route includes the Galleria Livello VII, the multimedia museum “I Luoghi del Mercurio”, the documentary museum in the Torre dell’Orologio and three outdoor routes through the plant (Mercurio, Minatore and Direttore).

Highlights

• Guided visit to the Galleria Livello VII, an underground mine gallery
• Multimedia museum “I Luoghi del Mercurio”
• Documentary museum in the Torre dell’Orologio
• Routes “Mercurio”, “Minatore” and “Direttore” through the outdoor plant
• History of cinnabar and mercury on Monte Amiata

Permanent exhibitions

• Museo multimediale «I Luoghi del Mercurio» – Multimedia route on the history of mercury and of the Amiata mine.
• Museo documentale nella Torre dell'Orologio – Display of documents on the history of the mine and its miners.
• Galleria Livello VII – Guided visit to an underground mine gallery of the former cinnabar mine.

Founded

2000

Operated by

Comune di Abbadia San Salvatore (gestione Consorzio Terre di Toscana)

Visitors per year

approx. 14,170

Admission & discounts

Routes through the outdoor plant (“Mercurio”, “Minatore”, “Direttore”): €7 full and €6 reduced for each route. The ticket for the Galleria Livello VII, the documentary museum and the multimedia museum can also be bought online. For group and school rates, you must contact the museum.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom: no information
• 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

The whole museum is accessible by wheelchair thanks to lifts, except the Galleria Livello VII, the underground mine gallery.

Kids & families

The museum offers educational activities with workshops and guided tours for schools and groups.

Getting there & parking

By car: A1 motorway, Chiusi exit (direction Chianciano Terme and Monte Amiata) and SS 2 Cassia to the junction for Bagni San Filippo, then SP 18; or the Orvieto exit, Acquapendente and SS 2 Cassia in the direction of Siena. On foot or by bus, follow Via F. Hamman toward Vetta Amiata; the ticket office is at the end of the arcade.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

At the exit is the museum shop, with gadgets, publications, DVDs and design items.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit