Worlds come together at the Energeticon. On the one hand, the museum focuses on the former coal mining industry and the life of the miners in the region. On the other hand, the facility focuses on the transition to wind and solar energy.
Why does the energy transition have to happen now? The Energeticon in Alsdorf has a suitable answer to this question. The museum, which opened in September 2014, is dedicated to both fossil fuels and renewable energy sources. It builds a bridge between the history of mining and the modern supply of wind and solar energy. An adventure trail with over 30 interactive stations awaits visitors on the site of the former Anna II mine. Experiments with light, electricity, heat and cold are housed in three old mining buildings where industrial work was carried out until 1992.
Elevator simulates a trip into a training mine
What does it mean to be an energy researcher today? Visitors now take several turns on a "wind wheel" in the Kauen building. By turning the crank, they launch a small rocket. They look, play and puzzle at the themed tables. In this way, the museum provides an easy and informal explanation of scientific principles and phenomena, serving up an informal lesson for everyone.
A special underground route in the forge gives an impression of the cramped conditions in an old mine tunnel. Miners' working tools such as a drill head can be viewed and marveled at. Young and old miners alike take a seat in means of transportation such as a diesel trolley. An elevator simulates the rope ride with a pit cage into a training mine. Of course, as for real miners, helmets and lamps are compulsory.
Black and white photos of miners in their typical outfits also provide food for thought as to how miners felt in complete darkness and depict life in a colliery. The backdrop of the museum provides the ideal setting for the presentation, as coal was once mined at the Energeticon site. The mastication building, the winding engine house and the smithy of the former Anna II mine still bear witness to its former function.
