Centro de Interpretación de la Minería (Barruelo de Santullán)
Mining museum of about 600 m² and a mine that can be visited with a guide in Barruelo de Santullán, telling the story of coal in the Palencia coal basin.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Centro de Interpretación de la Minería de Barruelo de Santullán opened its doors on 13 April 1999, and in November 2000 it received the first prize for businesses at the INTUR fair. It is in the Montaña Palentina, more than one hundred kilometres from any provincial capital, and attracts thousands of paying visitors every year; it is also one of the educational visits most favoured by teachers.
The museum occupies the building that was once the seat of the former Escuelas Nacionales and brings together more than 600 square metres of exhibition space across three floors and nine rooms. It is not limited to the mine: it tells the story of coal from its formation to its use by human beings and explains the processes that determine where it is found in the Earth's crust. It does so with touchscreens, models of the Barruelo mines, videos and a collection of plant fossils.
The visitable mine complements the visit with a guided tour through galleries that show the most common types of timbering in the basin, and two mineral extraction workshops, which give an idea of how hard the work underground was. Admission gives access to the museum and the mine. Each summer the centre also organises free mining and geology days.
Highlights
- Museum of 600 m² across three floors and nine rooms
- Visitable mine with a guide, with galleries and extraction workshops
- Models of the Barruelo mines and touchscreens
- Collection of plant fossils
- Free mining and geology days each summer
Permanent exhibitions
- Museo minero – Interactive exhibition across three floors on the history of coal, its geological origin and mining in the Barruelo basin.
- Mina visitable – Guided tour through galleries and workshops reproducing the work inside a coal mine.
- Founded
- 1999
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €10 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €6Groups of more than 10 people, pensioners and children under 14. |
| Children & teens | €6free up to age 4 · Free admission for children under 5; up to 14 years, reduced rate. |
| Groups (11+ people) | €6 per personGroups of more than 10 people. |
The ticket gives access to the museum and the visitable mine.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Amenities & dining
Toilet in the visitable mine.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 60 min |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | The museum takes 1 to 1.5 hours to visit and the mine 45 to 55 minutes, with a guide. Light warm clothing and flat shoes are recommended. Pets are admitted subject to conditions (maximum of two per session in the mine). |
