Bergbau- und Heimatmuseum Mühlbach

Erlebnisschaustollen Johanna-Stollen


Useful Information

Location: Mühlbach am Hochkönig.
(47.377271, 13.127474)
Open: Museum:
JAN to APR Wed 13-17.
MAY to JUN Wed-Fri 13-17.
JUL to AUG Tue-Fri 12:30-17.
SEP Wed-Fri 13-17.
OCT Thu 13-17.
Last entry 1 h before closing.
Adit:
JAN to APR Wed 16.
MAY to JUN Wed-Fri 14.
JUL to AUG Tue-Fri 14, 15:30.
SEP Wed-Fri 14.
OCT Thu 14.
Mine Train:
MAY to OCT Thu during the adit tour.
[2022]
Fee: Museum: Adults EUR 6, Children EUR 3, Students EUR 3.
Groups (10+): Adults EUR 5.
Adit: Adults EUR 7, Children EUR 3.50, Students EUR 3.50.
Groups (10+): Adults EUR 6.
Both: Adults EUR 11, Children EUR 5, Students EUR 5.
Groups (10+): Adults EUR 9.
[2022]
Classification: MineCopper Mine
Light: LightIncandescent Electric Light System
Dimension:  
Guided tours: Museum self guided, others guided.
Photography: allowed
Accessibility: no
Bibliography:  
Address: Bergbau- und Heimatmuseum Mühlbach, Mühlbach am Hochkönig 237, 5505 Mühlbach am Hochkönig, Tel: +43-676-7733182, Tel: +43-6467-7235. E-mail:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then.
Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

5000 BP begin of mining activities.
1827 ore rediscovered.
1829 start of historic mining activities.
30-JUN-1977 mine closed.

Description

The Bergbau- und Heimatmuseum Mühlbach is a museum about the 4,000 years of mining history at Mühlbach. It shows lamps, tools and memorabilia of the miners. It is located in the former Knappenheim. The exhibition begins with the prehistoric mining which was excavated in the area. There is a collection of Gezähe, which is the miner term for hammer and chisel. It was the basic tool for mining holding the chisel with one hand and hitting it with the hammer in the other hand. Depending on the rock the miner was able to dig the tunnel 1 cm per day. Then there is a large collection of miner lamps, from the early oil lamps called Frosch to the electric lamps. An exhibition of explosives shows the development of mining with the help of modern blasting techniques. One room is dedicated to geology and mineralogy, there is an exhibition of ores and mineral of the Mitterberger Bergbaurevier. There are several tool which can be held by the visitors to get a feeling for them. And finally there is an exhibition about uranium minerals including a Geiger counter.

And there is an exhibition of the Himmelsscheibe von Nebra (disk of Nebra). The disk is actually a replica. It is here because the copper which was used for its creation was from this mine. This was the result of the radiological and chemical examination of the metals. It proves both, a rather long distance transport or even trade, and the age of the local mining. The museum also has a room for changing exhibitions. There is currently an exhibition which is not mining related, it is about the development of skiing and the most famous athlete of the town, the ski jumper Sepp "Buwi" Bradl. Outside is an open air exhibition of big machines, including a mine train, with locomotive and cars.

The Erlebnisschaustollen Johanna-Stollen is an adit nearby, which was made accessible to visitors. On the days when the museum is open, there is also a guided tour into this adit. The tour starts at the museum. The tunnel is rather big, about 2 m wide and 2.5 m high, and was transformed into an underground mining museum. The exhibition has 15 stations about mining, drilling, blasting and extraction technology of the largest copper district in the Eastern Alps, the "Mitterberg" in Mühlbach am Hochkönig. Important stations are the Bohrhammer, the drilling machine for drilling the holes for the explosive, the blast simulation, and the Kinderklopfstation, where children had to make the blasted ore smaller with hammers. There is also a station which explains the ancient method of weakening the rock with a fire and cold water.

A third sight is the mining trail, which is well signposted. The stops along this trail are Pingen (old open cast mines) and collapsed mines. The stops are described in the book Mühlbacher Wanderführer. Once a week is a free, guided walk.

There is also a mine train which is used for public train rides, currently on Thursdays. 35 years after the closure of the mine the train was restored. A diesel engine pulls carts with seats which were used to bring the miners to their workplace. The train runs on a 150 m long track on the surface, so the fun is actually weather depending.

The tunnel and the mine train are currently closed [2022] due to renovation. The reopening will be published on their website.