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The cradle of the region’s mining industry
People began chipping out the first lumps of “black gold” from the hillsides of the Ruhrgebiet around 200 years ago. The Nightingale colliery will take you back to the time when miners could walk straight inside the galleries to get at the coal; and later sunk the first shafts below ground.
Equipped with a helmet and pit lamp visitors can take a walk down the narrow gangway of our mining gallery to a genuine coal streak and experience the unique atmosphere of early mining. Our exhibition on the “Hercules” shaft, one of the first deep shafts in the region, will tell you more about the technology and harsh working conditions endured by miners in the 19th century. One of the oldest hauling engines in the region can be seen in operation in the engine house..
German language tours start Sundays at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. (regular tour service begins on Sunday, May 18th). German Guided tours of the mine gallery: Tue-Fri: 11, 13, 15 + 17.00, Sat-Sun: every hour 11-17.00 adults: 1 EUR plus admission to the museum/reduced 0,50 EUR We offer an English pamphlet of the museum. We furthermore offer leaflets in French, Spanish, Dutch, Turkish and Portuguese. The Muttental coal mining path, around 9 kilometres in lenghth, explaining the history of early mining on the Ruhr is signposted from the museum. In the nearby Bethaus- a chapel- the WIM holds its "Vom Bethaus zur Kohle" exhibition.
By car: A 43 motorway, take the Witten-Heven exit, follow Herbeder Straße to the junction with the B 235/B 226, turn right into Ruhrstraße (B 235), after the bridge right turn into Nachtigallstraße. By public means of transportation: The S 5 or RB 40 to Witten main station, from there on foot along Herbeder Straße, over the river on the footbridge. Approx.20 mins. By bike: There is a signposted bicycle track along the Ruhr.
Adults: 2,40 € School children: 1,50 € Reduced prices: students, handicapped persons, trainees, welfare-recipients, persons during their military or community service: 1,60 € Family day ticket: 5,80 € Groups of over 15: 1,90 € per person The entrance fee does not include admission into the visitors' mine. This costs an additional 1 € per person or on reduced tickets an additional 0,50 €. Year tickets: LWL-MuseumsCard for one adult: 19,00 € LWL-MuseumsCard for two adults: 29,00 € LWL-MuseumsCard for families: 29,00 € LWL-MuseumsCard for school children and students: 9 € LWL-MuseumsCard for grandparents and their grandchildren: 29,00 €
