Hnúšťa to open museum with underground tours

The history of the town in the Gemer region is linked to mining.

Men pose with underground mining equipment in the unused space in a Hnúšťa mine.Men pose with underground mining equipment in the unused space in a Hnúšťa mine. (Source: Courtesy of Hnúšťa)

After the installation of a workpiece portraying a pair of five-meter-high blacksmith’s pliers, a new educational trail, and a renovated old “Turkish” bridge, the Gemer region will boast another tourist attraction – the Mining Museum.

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It will present the history of the town of Hnúšťa, which is inextricably linked to mining. An exposition in the part of a mine that is no longer used, as well as a mineral reminiscent of gold, is believed to become the museum’s most popular attraction.

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“The museum is the result of an exceptional cooperation between our town, the private mining company Gemerská Nerudná Spoločnosť, and the local civic association Horná Rimava,” Hnúšťa mayor Roman Lebeda told the My Novohrad website.

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The museum will be housed in a building owned by the town. Its reconstruction ended in March. The building is located in Mútnik, a Hnúšťa borough, where the still operating mining company is also based.

Excursions underground

The opening of the museum near the still operating mining company is no coincidence.

“We chose this place deliberately because a visit to the museum will include not only an exposition in the building, but also a short excursion underground,” Lebeda explained.

Read also: Gemer: The poorest but spectacular region remains undiscovered Read more 

In addition to excursions, the mining company will provide several exhibits to the new museum.

Fool’s gold

Horná Rimava will co-run the new cultural institution. Marianna Balašková, president of the civic association, said that the goal is to focus on the occurrence and mining of local minerals.

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“A visitor will learn more about the use of talc and magnesite,” she said. Children will enjoy an exposition about fool’s gold, properly called pyrite, which resembles gold, she added.

It is in Hnúšťa that the rarest pieces of pyrite occur, reaching a size of up to 20 cm.

The museum should be open to the public in the summer months.


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