The Coal Mine Museum

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The Coal Mine Museum, Karaganda

In Karaganda, there’s a unique museum located within the Karaganda Mining and Industrial College (24 Magnitogorskaya St.). Originally constructed as a training mine back in 1981, the facility was closed to the general public for many years. Recently, however, it was transformed into a museum, welcoming all visitors interested in an immersive mining experience.

Before descending into the mine, guests are introduced to the region’s rich mining history. They’ll hear stories of the first ore discoveries and the initial mining operations, with the opportunity to suit up in authentic workwear. True to its mining roots, the museum is indeed underground—though at a modest depth of only 15 meters, a detail typically kept from visitors to maintain the sense of realism.

To enhance this underground experience, the museum has installed a replica of a vibrating mine cage that simulates a deep descent. The museum area spans just over a hundred square meters and is outfitted with functional mining equipment identical to that in operational mines. Maneuvering in dim light, mannequins appear as lifelike miners going about their work, adding to the authentic atmosphere.

Each machine has a label, and visitors can point their smartphone cameras at it to access detailed information in Russian, Kazakh, and English. After their tour, visitors receive a certificate documenting their “descent” and a traditional miner’s snack called a tormozok—two slices of black bread with butter, two rounds of sausage, and green onion, reminiscent of the packed meals miners take with them into the mines.

ADDRESS OF THE MINE MUSEUM IN KARAGANDA
24 Magnitogorskaya St., Building 1, Karaganda