Mining Museum - Subterranean
In Massa Marittima, in the tunnels beneath the town discovering how people lived and worked in the mines
The Mining Museum winds through a series of tunnels that pierce the travertine of the hillside above the historic center of Massa Marittima. The tunnels, partly natural and partly dug in the Middle Ages to quarry building stone, were expanded during World War II and used by the local population as air-raid shelters.
In 1980 some retired miners decided to turn this ancient quarry into a museum, recreating their working environment in great detail.
The route, structured like a real mine, runs for about 700 meters through three tunnels arranged on one level. Each tunnel illustrates different moments and aspects of work and life in the mine, starting with the process of ore blasting, passing through the different systems of arming the tunnels, and ending with a few rooms illustrating daily life underground.
In April 2023, the new museum center dedicated to the area's mining history - the Subterranean - will open its doors to visitors, with three exhibition halls housing the heritage of artifacts and documents from the old Museum of Art and History of Mining. The gallery visit can, thus, be integrated by delving into historical and social aspects through ancient maps, working tools, minerals but also multimedia content.
Accessibility information: regione.toscana.it
