Tour programme
At the Slovenian Coal Mining Museum, 160 metres below ground level, we have established a modern and comprehensive collection of Slovenian coal-mining heritage, where, accompanied by professional guides, visitors learn in a distinctive and unparalleled way about the development of coal mining – from the first coal discoveries to the internationally recognised Velenje mining method, which represents the pinnacle of expertise and innovation in mining and continues to characterise contemporary mining. We also present visitors with the history of the Velenje Coal Mine and the everyday lives of miners in the past.
We have prepared eighteen immersive scenes depicting the lives and work of miners, which transport the visitor to the heart of the mining narrative.
Within the museum’s outdoor section, visitors may enter an authentic miners’ flat dating from before 1930 and experience the domestic life of miners as it existed more than a century ago. Particular highlights include »aufzugi« in the Black Dressing Room, the miners’ washroom, the gallery areas in the White Dressing Room, and the renowned legend of the jump over the leather apron, which symbolises membership of the mining profession.
The Dominion mine hoist is on display in the museum park. It demonstrates the scale and significance of the industrial equipment used in coal extraction at the Velenje Coal Mine and was a pivotal component of the mechanisation that shaped the construction and development of the town of Velenje and of the coal-mining industry in the 20th century.
A geological column of the ŠalekValley is also on display next to the Dominion, clearly illustrating to visitors the sequence of rock strata and the development of the area’s geological structure over millions of years. This geological pillar serves as an educational exhibit of the geological history of the Šalek Valley and helps visitors understand how the natural processes and rock formations visible today are connected with the region’s mining history.
The museum park also displays the largest outdoor exhibit: an excavator, a chain conveyor and ten powered support sections.
For our visitors, we continually develop new exhibition content and visitor experiences that combine tradition with innovation and ensure the mining heritage remains vibrant for future generations.
“Ligi” the mascot
The “Ligi” Mole is the mascot of the Velenje Coal Mine and the Slovenian Mining Museum, and a recognisable symbol of making mining heritage more accessible to the wider public, particularly to younger generations. By virtue of its friendly and playful image, it presents the world of mining in an accessible and comprehensible manner, particularly to children and young people. Its mission is to encourage interest in mining heritage, to foster respect for the mining profession, and to preserve values such as comradeship, solidarity, perseverance, and a sense of community.
The “Ligi” Mole is primarily featured at the educational, cultural and promotional events organised by the Velenje Coal Mine and the Slovenian Coal Mining Museum. In the latter, it acts as a virtual museum guide and is intended primarily for younger visitors. By virtue of its formal design features, it portrays the characteristics of the mining tradition in a playful manner and is tailored to a child’s perception of the world.
It is also a regular presence at the extremely popular Pippi Longstocking Children’s Festival, where it assists children, in its own distinctive manner, in becoming acquainted with the mining heritage. It invites visitors to the Slovenian Coal Mining Museum, poses for photographs with them and encourages them to search for the ‘hidden treasure’ among the coal.
The “Ligi” Mole undoubtedly makes an important contribution to the transfer of knowledge about mining to the younger generation and to strengthening awareness of the importance of coal mining for the development of the Šalek Valley and the identity of the local area.
