Longyearbyen, owes its existence to John Munro Longyear, an American who journeyed to Svalbard in the early 1900s and subsequently established Gruve 1 (Mine 1). Visitors can experience a piece of Longyearbyen's coal mining history with a guided tour of Gruve 3 (Mine 3). At Gruve 3, guests can explore the abandoned facilities, complete with machinery and equipment left behind from its operational days. Visitors will be provided with a helmet, headlamp, and coveralls to fully immerse themselves in the mining experience. Throughout the tour, guests will have the opportunity to crawl through the low working heights that miners once navigated daily, using traditional techniques to extract coal. The highlight of the tour is a walk through a main tunnel excavated in the 1970s.
History & Anthropology Science & Technology Industrial heritage
Monday | 8:00 – 12:00 13:00 – 16:00 |
Tuesday | 8:00 – 12:00 13:00 – 16:00 |
Wednesday | 8:00 – 12:00 13:00 – 16:00 |
Thursday | 8:00 – 12:00 13:00 – 16:00 |
Friday | 8:00 – 12:00 13:00 – 16:00 |
Saturday | 8:00 – 12:00 13:00 – 16:00 |
Sunday | 8:00 – 12:00 13:00 – 16:00 |
Hours can change during holidays
No exhibitions in Mine no 3 have been found.
Mine no 3 has 2 ratings.
Mine no 3, located in Longyearbyen, Svalbard, Norway, offers visitors an insight into the area's coal mining history. The museum is situated in a former coal mine, providing an authentic atmosphere. Visitors appreciate the well-preserved equipment and structures that showcase the challenging working conditions of miners in the Arctic. The guided tours are informative, explaining the mining processes and the historical significance of coal mining to Svalbard's economy. Some visitors find the experience educational and interesting, particularly for those curious about industrial heritage. However, others note that the museum might not appeal to everyone, as it focuses on a specific aspect of local history. The outdoor components of the tour can be affected by weather conditions, which is important for visitors to consider. While the museum offers a unique perspective on Svalbard's past, some feel that the experience could be enhanced with more interactive elements or additional context about the miners' lives. Overall, Mine no 3 provides a niche but informative experience for those interested in mining history or Svalbard's industrial past.
The guide gave me a good impression of the working conditions of the miners that mined the high quality coal in this mine. Apart from crawling in the tunnel they also explain about the different shifts and tasks performed in the mine, and you get to see and feel the tools they were using.
The tour also gives you a bit of an impression about the complicated geology behind Svalbard in the layers of the rock that you can see and the fossils that have been found here. Seeing these coal veins in the rock sheets and other veins is really cool. Although more knowledge than I have will probably be required to fully understand, what is the history behind this.
Lastly the tour also passes the old seedvault that is still used for mainly research purposes (how long these seeds survive) and the Arctic World Archive.
Visited on May 26, 2024
This rating is based on the rating of this museum on several other platforms.