Bergbaumuseum Graubünden

About the museum

The Bergbaumuseum Graubünden stands on the Schmelzboden between the Davos Monstein railway station and the entrance to the Zügen Gorge. Here, the mining company that mined lead and zinc ore at the nearby Silberberg from 1807 onward established an entire smelting settlement at the beginning of the 19th century, with an ore-crushing mill, washing plants, smelting and roasting furnaces, a forge, a sawmill, accommodation and an imposing administration building. Smelting began in 1811 but had to be discontinued before the middle of the century due to a shortage of wood.

After the construction of the Rhaetian Railway (RhB), the cantonal road and the Zügen tunnel, only the administration building of the former smelting works remained. It was originally twice as large; in 1933 it was damaged by a debris flow and partially demolished. The carved entrance portal with bee motifs comes from a school building erected in 1902 in Davos Platz.

The museum opened in 1979, after the Friends of Mining in Graubünden had joined together in 1976; today it is run by the Stiftung Bergbaumuseum Graubünden Schmelzboden Davos. Across four floors it displays ores and minerals, historical tools, mine plans, working models of mining technology, and documents and pictures on mining throughout the canton. In 2001 and 2002 cabinets of rock crystals and calcites were added, and in 2021 the mineral collection of geologist Ulrich Paul Büchi.

Highlights

• The only surviving building of the early 19th-century Schmelzboden smelting works
• Rock crystal and calcite cabinet with large quartz crystals from a fissure at the Tiefengletscher
• UV cabinet with glowing minerals
• Dr. Büchi mineral collection with about 590 specimens
• Working models of mining technology and a replica winding drum to try out
• Starting point for tours to the Silberberg show mine and hikes through the Zügen Gorge

Permanent exhibitions

• Die Welt der Bergkristalle – Two cabinets show rock crystals from Graubünden and the rest of Switzerland, including very large quartz crystals from a fissure at the Tiefengletscher, as well as calcite specimens from around the world.
• UV-Kabinett – Leuchtende Steine – Under ultraviolet light, minerals that seem unremarkable otherwise show vivid fluorescent colors.
• Mineraliensammlung Dr. Büchi – The collection of geologist Ulrich Paul Büchi, donated in 2021, includes minerals, ores, drill cores and fossils, mostly from Switzerland.

Founded

1979

Operated by

Stiftung Bergbaumuseum Graubünden Schmelzboden Davos

Admission & discounts

Admission and kiosk: cash only.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: not available
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The old building is reached by a steep wooden staircase and is not wheelchair-accessible. In the calcite cabinet, a large calcite specimen may be touched with the hands.

Kids & families

• Hands-on stations

Visitors can turn the handle of the replica winding drum themselves, and in the UV cabinet unremarkable stones suddenly light up.

Getting there & parking

The museum is located on the Landwasserstrasse at the upper entrance to the Zügen Gorge, between the Davos Monstein railway station and the road tunnel; coming from Davos Platz, it is on the left just before the tunnel.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

The kiosk in the museum sells drinks and small snacks.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit