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Fight for survival: Clausthal Mining Museum on the brink of extinction!
The Upper Harz Mining Museum in Clausthal-Zellerfeld is about to close. A petition mobilizes supporters for preservation.
Fight for survival: Clausthal Mining Museum on the brink of extinction!
There's a lot going on in Clausthal-Zellerfeld: the Upper Harz Mining Museum, which with its long history dating back to 1892 is the oldest technology and open-air museum in Germany, is about to close. As news38.de reports, the traditional museum is fighting for its existence in times of financial crises. The city of Clausthal-Zellerfeld, which owns the museum, is threatened with closure on January 1, 2026. A decided clear-cutting that threatens not only the history of Harz mining, documented from the Middle Ages to the 19th century, but also the more than 5.5 million visitors it has attracted since then.
So far, all attempts to operate the museum in its current form have been unsuccessful. Among other things, the UNESCO World Heritage Foundation in the Harz Mountains has since taken over operations. But unfortunately the operator negotiations, including with the Clausthaler Kurbetriebsgesellschaft, came to nothing. In order to counteract the impending end, around 30 representatives from various areas sat down at a “round table”. Your goal? To secure the future of the museum. Among other things, the establishment of a non-profit GmbH that could act as a future sponsor is being discussed.
Petition for the preservation of the museum
A further step towards saving the Upper Harz Mining Museum is the petition that has been launched, which aims to put pressure on the decision-makers. Supporters have until December 3, 2025 to sign. So far, over 2,500 people have expressed their interest - a strong signal to the Clausthal-Zellerfeld city council. The council is aware of the importance of the museum, but the financial situation casts a long shadow over the plans.
At the next meeting on October 29th, a concept for founding the GmbH will be developed. It is hoped that this approach can turn things around. Many citizens and supporters are already showing great commitment to preserving the historical heritage of the Upper Harz Mining Museum.
The situation is tense and time is short. We can only hope that those responsible have a good hand and perhaps a solution will be found that will preserve the museum in Clausthal-Zellerfeld for future generations.