The Coal Mine Gallery

The Coal Mine Gallery experience begins on our second floor, in the “Coal Mine Ready Room!” Here, visitors learn about safety measures in coal mining, get fitted for their tour “hard hat” and begin their journey down our coal mine elevator!

Once underground (the museum’s basement!) our miners will begin to learn more about the history of coal mining in western Kentucky and experience life in The Rudy Mine, a re-created Daviess County mine that was in operation from the late 19th Century until 1954. Our visitors “stop in” at the mine during the 1930’s and get to experience first-hand the life of a miner in this time period. The Rudy Mine was a “pony mine”, where ponies and mules were used to haul out the many tons of coal dug out of the mine each day. The real story of Toby the Pony from the Rudy Mines, is told and visitors can even visit with our modern version of Toby!

Tuesday through Friday public walk-in tours of our COAL MINE GALLERY are now offered at 3:00PM each day. School and other group tours can be scheduled during morning hours, Tuesday through Friday. Saturday public walk-in tours are held at 11:30am and 3:00pm. No Sunday tours. The museum is closed on Monday. Teachers and non-school group tour leaders can call (270) 687-2732 to schedule student or group tours!