Saving the Upper Harz Mining Museum: Future in Danger!

Saving the Upper Harz Mining Museum: Future in Danger!

In the picturesque town of Clausthal-Zellerfeld, the Upper Harz Mining Museum faces an uncertain future. This traditional house, which was founded in 1892 and is considered the oldest technology and open-air museum in Germany, is fighting for survival. It has already attracted 5.5 million visitors since it opened, but is now threatened with permanent closure from January 1, 2026, as news38.de reports.

The museum is not only an important witness to the mining history in the Harz, which dates back to the Middle Ages, but also a central place for communicating the Upper Harz Water Management UNESCO World Heritage Site. In view of the threat of closure, around 30 representatives from different areas came together in a “round table” to discuss the future of the museum. The city of Clausthal-Zellerfeld, which owns the property, had already commissioned the UNESCO World Heritage Foundation in the Harz to operate it, but negotiations with the Clausthaler Kurbetriebsgesellschaft for a possible takeover failed.

Petition for the preservation of the museum

A petition was launched to put pressure on decision-makers. This is aimed at Mayor Petra Emmerich-Kopatsch and the city council of Clausthal-Zellerfeld. The call is urgent: Supporters have until December 3, 2025 to sign, and over 2,500 signatures have already been collected. According to openpetition.de, the petition emphasizes that without mining in the Upper Harz, Clausthal-Zellerfeld, the Technical University and numerous industrial companies, such as the Fraunhofer Institute, would not exist would.

The closure of the Upper Harz Mining Museum would not only represent a cultural loss, but would also have a negative impact on education and tourism in the Harz. Preserving the museum is not only a question of culture, but also a social challenge, as it is viewed as the region's common heritage.

Historical significance of mining in the Harz

The Harz is known as the largest and oldest mining region for silver, copper, lead and zinc in Europe. Historians and Montana archaeologists have found traces of mining on Rammelsberg more than 3,000 years ago, and the Rammelsberg mine is unique in the world because it was in continuous operation for over a thousand years. Several Upper Harz mines from the 16th to 19th centuries are part of the UNESCO World Heritage, including the Samson mine in St. Andreasberg and the Ottiliae and Kaiser Wilhelm II shafts in Clausthal-Zellerfeld, as welterbeimharz.de describes.

This history and the rich heritage of mining in the Harz, which continues to shape the image of the region today, are strongly reflected in the discussion about the future of the Upper Harz Mining Museum. One thing is certain: the museum should not disappear into the mists of history, but should be preserved as a cultural lighthouse in Clausthal-Zellerfeld.