Visit Mine Number 3

Introduction

Your guide will pick you up from your accommodation and drive you to Gruve 3 (old mine number 3). When the mine was in operation, workers were collected from their nearest bus stops in Longyearbyen and transported to the mine. Hop on, just as the miners did, and start your journey to become a miner yourself. The bus tour to the mine is a step into the history of Longyearbyen. Learn how the company town has grown into a modern town – starting from the early 20th century and ending in the late 1960’s when Gruve 3 was opened.

Once at Gruve 3 you will change into miners’ clothes, put on a helmet and sign yourself in, just like the miners did when starting their day. With your headlamp, you can peak around corners and look for forgotten memories. Gruve 3 is a living monument of the mining history in Spitsbergen. The equipment is standing still, just waiting for the next shift to start. Coal wagons are ready to transport workers deep into the mine. Drills and shovels are leaning against the walls. The anvil of a smith is gathering dust in a corner. On the tour, you hear vivid stories of the everyday life of the miners. You can hear the walls whispering memories of the past. As you approach the entrance of the mine, light from the outside fades away and you can imagine what it was like to spend the whole day in the pitch-black mine. Once your shift is over, you return to the dressing room, sign yourselves out of the mine, and change back into our own clothes leaving the black dust behind.