German Mining Museum

　　The German Mining Museum was established in 1930 and is located in the heart of the Ruhr area in Bochum. It is one of Germany’s most important mining museums. The 68-meter-high headframe above the museum building is one of the city’s landmarks; beneath the museum lies one of the largest exhibition spaces of its kind in the world, symbolizing an era where visitors can delve deeper into the world of tunnels and shafts. Every year, over 400,000 visitors flock here, first heading underground for a tour, then ascending the headframe to gaze out over Bochum and the “Pott” from a height of 63 meters.

　　In 2009, the German Mining Museum underwent an expansion. The new structure, covering 1,795 square meters, is connected to the existing building via a bridge. This addition houses temporary exhibitions as well as the museum’s permanent collection, which pays tribute to Saint Barbara — the most revered saint among miners. The new building reflects the cross-section of a mine: a solid, dark black cube embedded with bright passageways and mine shafts. The rough, black facade draws inspiration from coal. The color palette of the passages ranges from white to light orange to deep red. The building appears as though it has been carved directly from a mine site, with a clear passage running from the inside out to eliminate any dead angles.

　　Deutsches Bergbau-Museum

　　Must-visit reason: The world’s largest mining museum

　　Continent where the attraction is located: Europe【Europe】

　　Country/region where the attraction is located: Germany[Germany]

　　Province/state where the attraction is located: North Rhine-Westphalia [North Rhine-Westphalia]

　　City where the attraction is located: Bochum [Bochum]